Animal Kingdom V.1

Page 74

100 MAMMALIA. is more broad than long; there are only two false molars above and three below. These animals are externally recognised by their muzzle, which is shorter and thicker than that of the Weasel. They all diffuse a most horrible stench. Mustela putorius, L., Buff. VII, :x.iii. (The Common Pole­cat.) Brown; flanks yellowish; white spots on the head; the terror of poultry-yards and warrens. M.furo, L., Buff. VII, :x.:x.v and :x.:x.vi. (The Ferret.) Yel­lowish, with rose-coloured eyes, and is perhaps a mere variety of the Polecat. It is only found in France in a domesticated state, and is employed to ferret out the rabbits from their holes. It comes from Spain and Barbary. M. sarmatica; The Perouasca; Pall. Spic. Zoo!. XIV, iv, I; Schreb. CXXXII. (The Sarmatian Weasel.) Brown ; every­where spotted with yellow and white. So beautifully is the skin mottled, that it is in high request among furriers. It is found throughout all southern Russia, Asia Minor, and the coast of the Caspian sea. M. sibirica, Pall. Spic. Zoo!. XIV, iv, 2. (The Siberian Polecat.) A uniform light fawn colour; nose and circumfe. rence of the eyes brown ; end of the muzzle and the under part of the lower jaw white. It is also to this subdivision that we must refer two small European species: M. vulgaris, L., Buff. VII, xxix, 1. (The Weasel.) Of a uniform red, and the M. ,erminea, L., Buff. VII, xxix, 2, and xxxi, 1. (The Stoat.) Red in summer, white in winter; end of the tail always black. Skin much used by furriers. We should also place near it the M. lutreola, Pall. Spic. Zool. XI, 1; Leche, Stock. Mem., 1739, . pl. xi; Schreb. CXXVII. (The Mink or Norek.) It frequents the shores of rivers, &c., in the north and east of Eu· rope from the Arctic Ocean to the Black Sea, and lives on frogs and crabs. The feet are slightly palmated at the base of the toes, but the teeth and round tail approximate it nearer to the Polecat than the Otter. It is of a reddish brown; the circumference of the lips and the under part of the jaw white; it exhales a musky odour, and is much esteemed for its well known fur. The above animal is considered by some to be the same as the Polecat of the North .!l.merican rivers, also called the Mink, whose feet are likewise semi-palmated ; but the only white CARNARIA. 101 about it is on the point of the chin, and sometimes a na.rrow line under the throat-it is a different species.( 1) Warm climates also have their Polecats or Weasels. , Put. nudipes, Fred. Cuy, Mammif. (The Javanese Ferret.) Golden-yellow; head and tip of the tail white. Put. africanus, Desm. (The African Ferret.) Reddish fawn colour above; yellowish white below; a red band reach­ing longitudinally along the middle of the belly from the fore to the hind legs. Put. striatus, Cuv. (The Striped Madagascar Ferret.) Size of the European Weasel; reddish brown, with five longi­tudinal white stripes; beneath and the tail nearly all white. Put. zorilla; Zorille, Buff.; Viverra zorrilla, Gm.; Buff. XIII, xl, 1 •. (Cape Polecat.) Irregularly striped with black and white; an ammal that has been so far confounded with the mephitic :weasels as to receive the name of Zorillo, or little Fox, which the Spaniards have applied to those fetid American animals. It approaches them in its claws, which are fitted for digging, but in every thing else resembles the Polecats. They indicate a subterraneous habit, which might induce us to separate it from the other species. MusTELA, Cuv. The true Weasels differ frotn the Polecats in having an additional false molar above and below, and in the existence of a small internal tubercle on their inferior cat·nivorous tooth, two characters which somewhat diminish the cruelty of their nature. There are two species in Europe closely allied to each other ilie ' M. martes, L.; Buff. VII, xviii. (The Common Marten.) Brown; a yellow spot under the throat. Inhabits the woods. M.foina, L.; Buff. VII,xviii. (The Beech Marten.) Brown; the whole under part of the throat and neck white. Inhabits houses. Both species are very destructive. Siberia produces the M. zibellina, Pall. Spic. Zool. XIV, iii, 2; Schreb. CXXXVI. (The Sable.) Highly valued for its rich fur; brown, spot- .(1) When this page was written, 1 had no other knowledge of the Norek, or Mmk of Europe, than what the description of Pallas afforded me. Having since :hen procured some specimens, I have ascertained that the white about the jaws 18 not pennanent, and that very frequently the only white to be seen is at the end ~~the lower jaw, as in the American Mink. I now think they are both one spe­Cies.