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PUTORIUS FUSCUS.-Aud. and Bach. 
Tawny Weasel. 
PLATE CXLVIII. Male.— Natural Size. 
P. Corpore inter putorius crminius et P. vulgaris intermedio ; cauda 
illius breviore, sed hujus longiore ; apice nigro ; vellere supra fusco ; 
subtus albo. 
CHARACTERS. 
Intermediate in size between the ermine and the common weasel of Europe ; 
tail, shorter than in the former, but longer than in the latter, with the extremity 
black ; body, brown above, white beneath. 
SYNONYMES. 
Mustela Fusca. Aud. and Bach., Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phil., October 5, 1841, p. 94. 
“ “ DeKay, Nat. Hist. State of New York, p. 35. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Body and neck, rather short in proportion to others of this genus, and 
far more robust than the common European Weasel. The feet especially 
appear a third larger, and are more thickly clothed with fur, which covers 
the palms and toes, and conceals the nails completely ; ears, a little longer 
and more pointed than those of either the ermine or common Weasel. 
In writing this description we have several specimens of the European 
common Weasel (P. vulgaris) before us, and the ends of the tails in that 
species are uniformly brown, with here and there a black hair interspersed. 
Although the hair of the present species is black at the extremity of the 
tail, like that of the ermine, yet these hairs are short and soft, and more 
like long fur, and do not present the long and coarse appearance of those 
of the latter species, but lie closer along the vertebrae, and form a sharp 
point at the extremity. 
Claws, short and stout ; incisors equally large with those of the ermine, 
but shorter ; ears, large, obtusely pointed at tip, and thinly clothed with 
short adpressed hairs ; tail, cylindrical, and narrowed down to a point of 
fine hairs, the tip somewhat resembling a large water-colour pencil or brush. 
Whiskers, as long as the head, and rather numerous. The hairs on the 
