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Show 1897.] MR. E. C TAYLOR ON MUSTELA SUBPALMATA. 601 Two specimens that died on their way to London were captured in Cairo. The natives say that it is most useful to them in destroying the rats and mice with which their houses are infested, and it seems to m e probable that its services in this respect may account for the difficulty that is experienced in getting them either to capture it or kill it. "Hemprich and Ehrenberg, in their description of it (Symb. Fhys., M a m m . sig. K ) , under the specific term Mustela suhpalmata, also state1 that it frequents houses, attracted to them by the presence of rats and mice. The term suhpalmata has reference to the rather marked palmation of the digits ; but how it compares in this respect with Putorius boccamela I cannot at present say. I have never met with the Weasel in m y wanderings in Egypt, and I have never learned of any one who has. The natives say that they only see it at night. The material at present existing in London is not sufficient to enable the question of ther elation in which the Egyptian Weasel stands to Putorius boccamela, Bechstein, and P. africanus, Desm., to be settled. The six specimens that have come under m y observation are unquestionably of one species and are examples of M. suhpalmata, Hempr. & Ehrenb., but whether this species differs from P. boccamela has yet to be ascertained. I therefore prefer to speak of the Egyptian Weasel tentatively as M. suhpalmata, Hempr. & Ehrenb. I hope, however, soon to obtain additional materials for the solution of this question. " I have the pleasure to submit a coloured drawing made from life of the largest specimen in the Society's Gardens, as this is the first time that this most interesting animal has been seen alive out of its own country. " It is thus a most valuable addition to the Gardens, and we are much indebted to Mr. Birdwood, our Corresponding Member in Egypt, for the three specimens. " The drawing has been made by Mr. E. J. Smit for m y work on the Mammals of Egypt, now in progress." Mr. E. Cavendish Taylor, E.Z.S., exhibited a skin of the Egyptian Weasel (Mustela suhpalmata), on which he made the following remarks :-" This Weasel was obtained by m e at Cairo about the end of January 1896. It was caught close to Cairo by an Arab, who sold it alive to M r . Brandy, the then Curator of the Cairo Zoological Gardens. O n the first day of its arrival at the Gardens it killed and ate a rat, but unfortunately died the next day. Mr. Bramly kindly sent m e the dead body to m y hotel, and I made of it the skin I now exhibit. The animal is a male, very large in size, with the tail very long and the throat very yellow. These characters are, I believe, constant in the Egyptian Weasel. In one respect I have been more fortunate than Dr. Anderson, for I have once met with the Weasel alive in Egypt. I well remember 1 " Quarta Mustelinorum forma Mustela vulgari admodum affinis est. In itinere Mustclw subpalmatce nomine eam distinximus, digiti enim membrana latius coniuncti erant, statura minor. In domibus segyptiacis Cahirte et Alexandrian murium vulgaris socius." |
