BLACK-FOOTED FERRET. 
299 
Nutall, Townsend, and others. There has never yet been a Government 
expedition properly organized, and sent forth to obtain all the details, 
which such a party, allowed time enough for thorough investigation, 
would undoubtedly bring back, concerning the natural history and 
natural resources of the regions of the far west. The nearest approach 
to such an expedition having been that so well conducted by Lewis and 
Clark. Nor do we think it at all probable that Government will attend to 
such matters for a long time to come. We must therefore hope that 
private enterprise will gradually unfold the zoological, botanical, and 
mineral wealth of the immense territories we own but do not yet occupy. 
The habits of this species resemble, as far as we have learned, those of 
the ferret of Europe. It feeds on birds, small reptiles and animals, eggs, 
and various insects, and is a bold and cunning foe to the rabbits, hares, 
grouse, and other game of our western regions. 
I'he specimen from which we made our drawing was received by us 
from Mr. J. G. Bell, to whom it was forwarded from the outskirts or out- 
posts of the fur traders on the Platte river, by Mr. Culbertson. It was 
stuffed with the wormwood so abundant in parts of that country, and was 
rather a poor specimen, although in tolerable preservation. We shall 
have occasion in a future article to thank Mr. Bell for the use of other 
new specimens, this being only one of several instances of his kind ser- 
vices to us, and the zoology of our country, in this way manifested. 
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. 
As before stated, the specimen which we have figured and described 
was obtained on the lower waters of the Platte river. We are not aware 
that another specimen exists in any cabinet 
