The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-07-10
BLAcK-FooTED FERRET.

specialized Old World form. and in accordance
with law or relationship illustrated In other
instances, is confined to the area nearest 10 that
IL which its cOngeners exist. But recently,
geologcaliy speaking INSTRUMENTATION be-
tween TIE cOntinets was easy; nothing in ma
ture are, perhaps, more permanent than the
essential features Of race, and while the surface
geography and climates Of the earth have
changed these traits, as 10 this case, persisted.
Amid external and anatomical contrasts, how
ever. there appears 70 be great similarity Of
disposition aud character among fernets, who
as q rule, seem incapable Of complete domesti-
cation, aud are uniformly ferOci0us and blood
thirsty.
ST. John describes bis captives, and the wild
specimens he had observed, Of the European
species, as fully a. anyone and the description
entirely substautiates this statement All the
tribe, be asserts, are fierce aud sangninary.
. Tire more blood they spill the more they long
for. and are not content until every animal
they can get az Is slain" A she ferret Of his,
aud her SIX kittens mot nearly half grown,
Oh one occasion destroyed seven hens and a
number u tame rabbits. Every animal, not
wIthstaBding its weight aud size, was dragged
O. the hutch in which the ferrets were kept"
and although il was impossible toget them into
H. tie young, whose eyes were scarcely open,
seemed 70 glOat over the slain, and, covered with
blood, made the most persistent efforts to re-
sumo their destructive work when they were
again confined. This reminds one Of Bells ac-
count Of the nest Of wild ferret in which 30
frogs bitten through the brain 50 as 70 paralyzc
them, were found. 81. John goes on to say
that sitting opposite 70 4 rabbit-hoIe one day
be saw tiny creature Of this kind bring out
four young rabbits, one after the other, aud
carry. OF rather drag them away one by one 10
us home under a c4irn Of loose stones.p III the
reader viii for the time discharge his mind Of
pfeccnceptiOHE, such examples Of
PERsIsTKST ASD USELESS MURDER,
q proves aud persistence, must appear. as
they really are, FAR more impressive than any
thinP that IL recorded Of the tiger. Strength
GINNING cruelty, witness energy, are, fortu-
Batelg for mankind, generally ia an inverse
proportion % the bulk Of the creatures who
posses these qualities IN the highest degree
hiih reference 70 cur own icrret-the black
footed Epecies-its existence was for some time
doubted by various naturalists, notwithstand-
ing the fact that Audubon had both seen and
figured it. An Irrational tendency toward
denial belongs 10 the same temper and cOngti-
tuition Of mind that prompts 70 the construction
q SPECIFIC forms On an irrational basis. Many
specimens u this animal are now preserved in
tie National Museum at Washington, aud al
though us habits are but little known, the
general traits 81 nigrpes may be fully de-
scriDed. IN the hfst place COUes has given the
creature Us somewhat cumbersome title because
IN conformation il is partly ferret, partly
weasel aud partly polecat
The ferret indigenous here las the same
oenta! formula as the weasel tribe at large, viz,
three lHclsOrs aud one canine on either side OF
both jaws three premolars placed correspond
lngly 10 the iDcisOrE, a pair Of mOlars on both
lower Jaws, and one On each side Of the upper
that il 10 say, "a teeth-One prem0lar less above
and below Than the wolverine and marten But
while tic dentiton corresponds with that Of the
weasel, both IN the general carniyorOug pattern
81 the teeth and, 10 great extent. in details
Of e. aentaluTe, the skull Of our black footed
American ferret differs entirely from the era
mum OF the former. In bulk il is about euua
with that Of
THE OTTER AND P0LEcAT.
bot unlike their crania the brain-cage is yer,
much CONSTRUCTED behind the orbits 50 that I'D
width is less than that Of the face Externally
tyncmyenaX seems TO be Intermediate between
tie weasel and pOlecat but IL Is more specialized
1oT aquatic habits than they. For the rest
DlgTipes exhibits the same EiuuOus. cylindTica
body, long neck, short limbs, slim tail
large, round ears and cl0se coat Of Putorius
bot, on the other hand, except the black
tipped tail the color pattern Is different
Aigripes ipLaDIts the region Of the Platte an,
is generally distributed over the central cont
mental plateau; being found IN Kansas. Ne
braska, Wyoming, in Montana as far north a
The Milk River, aud in Colorado The aniina
Dc an example Of bicolOr. On the upper part
Of the body the coat IL Of pale-broWnish hue
iDterspersed with some scattered blaekish-t tin
ped hairs, and IL Is dusLy-White below. Their,
ls broad black stripe across the forehead, anC
the feet and tip Of the tail arc black Prob
ably this animal will average IS inches il
length the tail yertcbra measuring about four
and, therefore, among MusDclid8, its relatiV,
size is considerable. Beyond stating, on th,
authority Of those few naturalists who havi
impeTiecty observed the habits Of our ferret
shat il is highly carniYorOus, bold, cunning