140 
CARNIVORA. 
THE VISON. LE VISON, 
Mustela Vison. 
This animal is a native of South America. Buffon 
says, that, although its skin was well known in the 
fur trade, the animal to which it belonged was not 
strictly ascertained ; that the name has been variously 
applied ; and that no description, to be relied on, 
has been given of it. But he adds, that he has in- 
spected the animal, and found it to belong to the 
family of martens ; and Cuvier confirms his classifi- 
cation. The vison, like the pekan, is partly aquatic 
in its habits. It is larger than the polecat, and of a 
beautiful chestnut colour, except the point of the 
chin, which is white. In size and shape it corre- 
sponds with the common martens. Its paws are 
covered with hair to the nails ; and are semipalm- 
ated, not altogether palmated, as stated by Gmelin, 
which probably induced Dr. Shaw to place it with 
the otters {lutra vison). It is probably the minx of 
Lawson. 
The American martens are still in some obscurity, 
and some species have probably been confounded. 
This, by the disposition of its colours, approaches 
very nearly to the martes lutreola of the north of 
Europe, and has been often confounded with it, 
although Cuvier has placed the martes lutreola along 
