106 
MOUNTAIN-BROOK MINK. 
Having one day detected one of these little Minks in an outhouse, closing 
the door immediately we captured it without its making any attempt either 
to get away or to defend itself. The frightened little marauder was pro- 
bably conscious that it was in a prison from which there was no possible 
chance of escape. 
The large species (P. Vison ) appears to be more plentiful than the Moun- 
tain-brook Mink, and is found about mill-ponds and large rivers quite as 
frequently as on the borders of small streams. 
The Mountain-brook Mink is quite as destructive to young poultry and 
to all the tenants of the farm-yard, when it happens to approach the 
precincts in which they may be thought to be safely ranging, as the larger 
species, or even the weasel. 
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. 
We have observed this species in the. mountains of the State of Pennsyl- 
vania, as well as in the northern part of the State of New York, in 
Vermont, and in Canada, but have not met with nor heard of it in Virginia 
or any of the Southern States, and consequently are inclined to regard it 
as a northern species. 
It was not seen by us on the Missouri river, although it probably exists 
some distance to the west, in the latitude of the great lakes. 
GENERAL REMARKS. 
In our article on the common Mink ( Putorius Vison, vol. i. p. 252) we 
referred to this smaller animal, but could not then find characters sufficient 
to separate the species. 
Since that time, however, we have had abundant opportunities of com- 
paring many specimens. We have seen some with their teeth much worn, 
and females which from the appearance of the teats had evidently suckled 
their young. They were all of the size and colour of the specimen above 
described, and we can no longer doubt that the latter is a distinct species 
from P. Vison. 
The comparison in fact is not required to be made between these species, 
but between the present species and P. lutreola of Europe. We enjoyed 
opportunities of comparing P. Vison (the common and well known Mink) 
with the latter species in the museums of Berlin, Dresden, and London ; 
but we had no opportunity of placing this little species by the side of the 
European. 
We are inclined to believe, however, that the distinctive marks will be 
