Wolverene, although it is reported to defend itself with boldness and success
against the attack of other quadrupeds, flies from the face of man, and makes
but a poor fight with a hunter, who requires no other arms than a stick to kill it.
. It brings' forth from two to four young once a year. The cubs are covered
with a downy fur, of a pale or cream colour. It is found throughout the whole
northern parts of the American continent, from the coast of Labrador and Davis’
Straits to the shores of the Pacific and the islands of Alaska. It even visits the
islands of the Polar sea, its bones having been found in Melville island, nearly in
latitude 75°. It is not rare in Canada, but the extent of its range to the southward
is not mentioned by American writers.
DESCRIPTION.
This animal has a broad compact head, which is suddenly rounded off on every side to
form the nose. In the shape of its jaws it resembles a dog. Its ears are low, rounded,
and much hid by the surrounding fur. The back is arched j the tail low and bushy; the
legs thick and short, and the whole aspect of the animal indicates strength, without much
activity. The f u r bears a great similarity to that of the black bear, but is not so long, nor
of so much valuer^ It is in general of a dark brown colour, passing in the height of winter
almost into black. A pale reddish-brown band, more or less distinct in different individuals,
and sometimes fading into soiled brownish-white, commences behind the shoulder, and running
along; the 'flanks, turns up oh the hip and unites with its fellow on the rump. The
short tail is thickly covered with long black hair. There are some white markings on the
throat and between the fore-legs, which are not constant in size or number. The legs are
brownish-black. This animal places its feet on the ground much in the manner of a bear,
and imprints a track on the snow or sand, which is often mistaken for that of the bear
by Europeans on their first arrival in the fur countries. The Indians distinguish the .tracks
at the first glance by the length of the steps. The claws are strong and sharp.
Dimexsioxs.
t , Feet. Inches.
.Length, of head and body . . . 2 6
„ tail (vertebrae) . . 0 7
[14.] 1. M u s t e l a ( P u t o r iu s ) v u l g a r i s . (Lin.) The Common
Weasel.
Gexus. Mustela. L ix x . Sub-genus. Putorius. Cuvier.
Mustela vulgaris. L ix. Gmeeix, i., p. 99.
Mustela nivalis. L ix . Fauna S u e c ii.,p. 7»
Common Weasel. Pexxaxt, Arctic Zool. i., p. 75.
Putorius vulgaris. Cuvier, Rtgne An.
Mustela vulgaris. Hareax. Faun., i., p. 61.
No. 49. Museum Zooe. Society.
It is stated in Arctic Zoology, that this species inhabits the Hudson’s Bay countries,
Newfoundland, and the United States, as far south as Carolina, becoming in
cold districts white in winter, like the Ermine. It is omitted in Godman s account
of the animals of the United States; and the Prince of Musignano is of opinion
that what has been considered as the common weasel in the United States, is
merely the ermine in its summer dress. Both species, however, are indubitably
inhabitants of the American continent, the ermine extending to the most remote
arctic districts, and the Weasel as far to the north, at least, as the Saskatchewan
river. Captain Bayfield presented the Zoological Society with specimens of the
Common Weasel, killed on the borders of Lake Superior, which agree in all
respects with the European species, and I obtained similar specimens at Carlton
House.
DESCRIPTION.
The Weasel very much resembles the ermine; but it is a much smaller animal, has a flatter
forehead, a narrower and longer nose, and a much shorter ta il.. Its fur, short and of inferior,
quality, has, in summer, a dull yellowish-brown colour, deepening into chestnut brown on-
the upper part of the head and nose, and pt the tip of the tail into blackish-brown. The
under parts are yellowish-white, as are also the whole of the feet, and the interior of the legs
and thighs. The entire of the under jaw is pure white, and thé white extends' half along the
upper lip, terminating opposite the anterior part of thé orbit, or at the posterior row of
whiskers. The upper part of thé cheek, between the white at the angle of the mouth, and the
orbit, is included in the brown colour of the head. The tail is of the same colour above and
below. The brown and white colours join by a straight well-defined line on the sides of the
neck and belly, the latter colour occupying nearly one-third less of the circumference of the
body than the brown. The claws, are smaller and more curved than those of the ermine, and
the extremities are more slender, but longer in proportion to its size. .