The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-07-17

their allies Of the weasel tribe and specifically
these creatures bear greater resemblance TO
the cats and foxes than 10 the former. The
coat is Wh0le-colored, or nearly so, aud whitens
during Winter in high ATTITUDES. 1t is long
sRd soft without being shaggy, and very yaiu-
able All Mustela are toe-sieppers, all ter
restrial Ia their habits, and none are aquatic
They are equally productions, but apparently
less bloOdthirsty than wcasels. and their mo-
tiOns seem TO be more free and light, and their
ACTIVITY CONSEQUENTLY GREATER.
II IS chiefly IN the skull, however. that ana
tomical differences between martens on the one
side and the allied group just mentioned, taken
together with wolverines, on the other, appear
20 be most marked. Omitting technical de-
tails the former have much less massive head
than either Of their relatives the face skele-
Ton Is likewise more elongated, the brain-case
Enthusiastically CONSTRUCTED IN the middle, the
nasal bones similarly contracted, and the yer
Der moderately elevated.
Both martens aud sabies are arctic or sub
arctic IN ihcir distribution on both continents,
aud their species are so closely identified that
many naturalists have COMPOUNDED them but
the animal now 10 be described is peculiar 10
America. N. penuanti. Peunant's marten-
the pekan, black cat, or fisher, as it is variousy
called-is of larger size and stouter frame than
any other species Of the genus, and its body
looks more like that Of fox than these 10,
however. wants the acute muzzle and pointed
ears Of the latter. and has a rather dog-like
physi0gnomy IT. head and body viii measure
about two feet and the tail, or caudal yerie-
brse-Hhich arc "cylindric comic" from before
bacEward-balf as much more The black.
short, naked muzzlc hears T-shapcd nosc-pad,
aud IL beset with stiG, short, scant black wills
kers while similar hairs also grow AT the corners
Of the mouth, over the eyes aud on the cheeks
aud chin. For the most part, the eye in this
snb-fzmily is small. but in the black eat il is
large and full. The ears arc low, rounded,
and fuFrcd on both sides, as are the broad feet
also except that the pads on their plantar and
PalmaT surfaces are bare. Pennant's martCn
has likewise light-cOiorcd, curved, strong. and
compressed claws, and its coat. which consists
Of an under for intermiXed with longer, bright
fnd bristly hairs. is much eOarser than any Of
Dts congeners. In color. however the fisher is
very variable, according as age, season, or
other circumstances modify its hue, while as
q rule il i darkest below which is the reverse
OF tie general style Of c0ioratiOn in the division
% which ii belongs. On the legs abdomen
hind quarters, and tai, the tint Is black. or a
biaczlsh- brown but On its head, where the
hair is short and upon tho back. tie pelagc
exhibits varying mixture Of these shades,
mingled with gray aud light brown. Both
Richardson and Audubon saw specimens Of
n. peunanu that were nearly white as the
borders Of it's ears usually are, aud 81 would
be very difficult and tedious task 10 describe
ninnteiy those endless changes which the pelt
exhibits. This
WAIT or UNIFORMITY II COLOR
Dr. accompanied by corresponding absence OF
similarity in weight and size throughout the
species. and 80 great IL the variation in fact
that DR.. COues gives the former At from 81 u
IL pounds. ia average bulk, however, the pc
kan exceeds not only the martens but all
species oi the Austeline group except the VOL.
ycreHc aud grison; aud as in size, 50 also in
form, yigor, aud fcrOeity IL approaches the
former, aud may he looked upon as connecting
the American glutton with Mustela Being re-
Etricted TO this continent, instead Of having
eircump0lar range ike the ermine, aud, ad
ditiOuaiiy, possessing marked geological char
actcHs, there is ever reason why the disposition
and way 81 life Of the fnarfcn bearing Pen
nants name although very probmatically 50 fa
a. that distinction rests upon priority of de
scripti0nl should be understood. IL may b.
Eaid. IL the first place that the various specie
which have been established in connection will
this form arc merely nominal" The desig
nation fisher" Is moreover, q InisnOmer du
either 70 a miscOnceptOn Of its habit or be
cause the black-fOoted ferret had been con
founded with the mink. an emincntly aquati
EDd lctby0pbagOus animal. Bertram, C0ue
and other naturalists have pointed out is inap
plicablllty % a creature that does not fish, no
habitually eat fish, and that Hearne assert
dislikes water as much as q cat DR. Godma
states that it will feed on this kind Of foo
when found on shore, bat has never been know
70 catch fish for itself The etymology Of il
name. pekan, is altogether obscure, but thi
Creature was doubtless called black cat ia ia
Northeastern British Provinces on account {
its supposed feline rescmblances. Sir job
Richardson compares n. pennanti with the pin
marten, but IL must be admitted that its climl
Ing powers, arbOreal habits and propensity
hunt mice, give some color 10 the feline tit
that common observation has suggested
Further, the pekaB is very unlike marten
IN prefcrring damp localities 70 dry ones, an
yet more so In ranging as it does in some II
gions, beyond the limits Of forest land
The American ferret is a comparatively larg
aud extremely active, bold and vogacious an
NAL, who deYOurs mice because they are easil
come by, but by no means confines itself TO Tia
diet All the smaller mammals, together wit
birds and their eggs and frogs in Summer, al
PTeyed upon, and il is likewise the inyeteral