29 
American References: 
1772. Mustela erminea, Forst., Phil. Trans., lxii, 1772, 373.—Harlan, Fn. 
Amer., 1825, 62.-Godman, Am. Nat. Hist., i, 1831, 193.—Hall, 
Canad. Nat. and Geol., vi, 1861, 296. 
1851. Mustela erminea, var. americana, Gray, P. Z. S., 1865, 111. 
1851, Putorius erminea, A. & B., Quad. N. A., ii, 1851, 56, pl. 59.~Allen, 
Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., xiii, 1869, 183.~-Jordan, Man. Vert., 
1878, 18, 2d ed. | 
1840. Putorius noveboracensis, DeKay, N. Y. Zool., ii, 1842, 36, pl. 12, f. 2 
(winter), and pl. 14, f. 2 Gummer).—-Emmons, Rep. Quad. Mass., 
1840, 45.—Baird, M.N.A., 1857, 166, pl. 36, f. 3, skull—~Kennicott, 
Tr. Ill. State Agr. Soc., 1853=4, 578.—Sam., Ann. Rep. Mass. 
Agr., for 1861, 1862, 156, pl. 1, f. t. 
Distribution.—The Ermine inhabits Europe, Asia, and America, ex- 
tending north to the limit of existence of terrestrial mammals. It exe 
tends south to very nearly the southern border of the United States; no 
specimens, however, are recorded from the Gulf States, or from New 
Mexico, Arizona, or Southern California. The range south meets that 
of P. brasiliensis, which conducts the genus into South America. 
Specific Character:—The Ermine is about ten inches (8=11) to root of 
tail; the tail vertebrae, two to five, averaging three and a half to four 
inches. ‘ail at all seasons bushy, conspicuously black tipped for about 
‘two-fifths, genera!ly, of its length. Outstretched hind feet do not quite . 
reach tothe middle of the vertebrae. In summer, dull mahogany or chest- 
nut brown alone; fall, sulphury-yellow or whitish beneath; edges of 
upper lip white; in winter, pure white all over, except tinges of sulphur- 
yellow, particularly on the belly and hind quarters, and end of tail 
black. Weight of male, five to eight ounces ; of the female, scareely four. 
Relationshiy.—Dz. Coues, in the ‘North American Mustelidz,” ad- 
mits six species of Putorius ; P. vulgaris, Least Weasel; P. longicauda, Long- 
tailed Weasel; P. brasiliensis frenaius, Bridled Weasel; P. nigripes, Black- 
footed Weasel; P. vison, Common Mink; and the present species, 
P. erminea. HWxtralimital species are P. fotidus, the well-known “ Fitch ” 
of commerce, or “‘ Polecat”’ (Polish Cat?) of Hurope; P. fetidus var. furo, 
the well-known Hunting Ferret, only recognized in a state of domes- 
tication ; P. fetidus var. eversmannt, the Asiatic Polecat, possibly the same 
as P. jetidus. — 
The Ermines of Hurope, Asia and America are specifically identical. 
The author above cited, after a careful review of the three currently 
