166 
U. S. P. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS—ZOOLOGY-GENERAL REPORT. 
Measurements. 
Current 
Locality. 
Tip of nose to- 
Tail to end of— 
Length of— 
Black tip 
Nature of 
number. 
Eye. 
Ear. 
Occip. 
Tail. 
Verteb. 
Hairs. 
Fore ft. 
Hind ft. 
to tail. 
specimen. 
2316 
Middleboro’, Mass_ 
.55 
1. 05 
1.90 
8.00 
4. 00 
5.10 
.90 
1. 35 
2.15 
Alcohol ... 
Boston__ 
.56 
1. 05 
1. 83 
8.25 
4. 25 
5.25 
.95 
1. 42 
do 
List of specimens. 
Catalogue 
number. 
Sex & 
age. 
Locality. 
When collected. 
Whence obtained. 
Original 
number. 
Nature of specimen. 
2316 
2 
Middlehnro’ Mas« 
April, 1855 ... 
Spring, 1855... 
Winter__ 
J. W. P. Jenks. 
In alcohol 5 hr own 
Boston, Mass__. 
T. M. Brewer __ 
? ? 2054 
654 
Halifax, N. S. 
Dr. J. B. Gilpin __ 
Dry skin: white 
Fort Steilacoom_ 
Summer, 1854. 
Dr. George Suckley .. 
20 
Dry skin; brown.. 
PUTORIUS NOVEBORACENSIS. 
Common Weasel; White Weasel. 
Puloriws noveboracensis, Dekay, N. Y. ZooI. I, 1842, 36 ; pi. xii, f. 2 ; pi. xiv, f. 2. 
* Putorius erminea , Aud. & Bacii. N. A. Quad. II, 1851, 56 ; pi. lix. 
Sr. Ch. —Length to tail about ten inches. Tail vertebrae about half this length. Black of tail, one-third its length. Out¬ 
stretched hind feet reach not quite to the middle of the vertebra. In summer, chestnut brown above, whitish beneath. Edge of 
upper lip white. In winter, white, tail with black tip. 
The precise determination of the North American weasels is a matter of very considerable 
difficulty, owing to the close relationship existing between them and the absence of any minute 
comparisons of the allied species, both American and European. It is by no means improbable 
that an examination of large numbers of specimens from remote localities will bring to light 
several additional species, while at the same time greatly extending the range of those at present 
known. 
I am not now prepared to say whether the true ermine, Putorius erminea, is found in any part 
of North America, hut doubt very much whether it exists even in high northern localities. All 
the specimens collected within the limits of the United States by the different expeditions are 
clearly distinct from P. erminea, as will hereafter be shown. 
None of the specimens at my command admit of any very nice distinctions as to proportion of toes, 
number and extent of naked pads on the feet, length of tail and ears, &c. The head is depressed 
and acute; the ears large and extending far around the auditory aperture. The tail, as well as 
can be ascertained from the skin, has the vertebrae about, half the length of the body, the hairs 
