outside the limits of individual variation for other known subspecies.
Other specimens are much to be desired to ascertain what the "average"
individual is like and to learn the characters of the female.
_Specimen examined._--One, the holotype.
=Mustela erminea haidarum= (Preble)
Ermine
Plates 5, 6, 7, 11, 12 and 13
_Putorius haidarum_ Preble, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 12:169,
August 10, 1898.
_Mustela haidarum_, Miller, U. S. Nat. Mus. Bull., 79:97, December
31, 1912.
_Mustela erminea haidarum_, Hall, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington,
57:38, June 28, 1944; Hall, Journ. Mamm., 26:181, July 19, 1945.
_Type._--Male, adult, skull, skeleton and skin; no. 94430, U. S.
Nat. Mus., Biol. Surv. Coll.; Massett, Queen Charlotte Islands,
British Columbia; March 17, 1898; obtained by J. H. Keen; original
no. 1800x.
The skull is unbroken and complete except for osseous tissue
destroyed in the region of each postorbital process; this is the
result of infestation of the frontal sinuses by parasites. The
skeleton is complete down to the distal ends of the tibiae; the
more distal bones are in the skin. The first, right, upper incisor
is missing. Otherwise the teeth all are present and entire.
The skin is in the white, winter pelage but the new under fur is
visible along the back and on the head although mostly covered
with white hair.
_Range._--Queen Charlotte Islands. See figure 25, page 95.
_Characters for ready recognition._--Differs from _M. e. celenda_
in chest white (not mostly covered by brown patch), proximal
two-thirds of under side of tail colored like underparts instead
of upper parts, in males basilar length less than 38.2; from _M.
e. seclusa_, in male, in zygomatic breadth less than distance
between last upper molar and jugular foramen; from _M. e.
richardsonii_ and _alascensis_, in both sexes, in proximal
two-thirds of under side of tail colored like underparts instead
of upper parts, interorbital breadth not less than distance from
glenoid fossa to posterior margin of external auditory meatus;
from _M. e. anguinae_ and _fallenda_, in both sexes, in
light-colored underparts more than half the width of dark-colored
upper parts, proximal two-thirds of under surface of tail colored
like underparts instead of upper parts, interorbital breadth equal
to or more than distance between glenoid fossa and posterior
margin of external auditory meatus.
_Description.--Size._--Male: Two adults, U.S.N.M., no. 100622,
from Cumsheva Inlet, and Amer. Mus. N. H., no. 37411, and the
type, measure, respectively, as follows: Total length, 283, 290,
275; length of tail, 70, 75, 60; length of hind foot, 39, 40, 37.
Female: Corresponding measurements of an adult, no. 100624, and a
young individual, no. 100623, each from Cumsheva Inlet, are: 252,
250; 63, 61; 31, 32.
_Color._--As described in _Mustela erminea richardsonii_ except
that underparts not Sulphur Yellow but ranging from near (_e_)
Colonial Buff through Marguerite Yellow to almost pure white;
color of underparts extends distally on posterior sides of
forelegs and onto toes but in many specimens interrupted at wrist
by color of upper parts; color of underparts extends onto proximal
three-fourths of under side of tail as length of tail is measured
along tail-vertebrae; least width of color of underparts
averaging, in 5 males, 79 (66-130) per cent of greatest width of
color of upper parts. Black tip of tail in same males averaging 62
(60-70) mm. which is 92 (83-115) per cent of length of
tail-vertebrae.
The close correspondence in color-pattern of this weasel with the
Arctic races, _arctica_, _polaris_, _semplei_ and _kadiacensis_ is
noteworthy, and distinguishes it from weasels on the adjacent
mainland and adjoining islands to the north and south. The color
of the upper parts is darker than in the four Arctic races named.
_Skull._--Male (7 adults): See measurements and plates 5-7. As
described in _Mustela erminea richardsonii_ except that: Weight,
1.9 (1.7-2.0) grams; basilar length, 36.7 (35.6-37.5); length of
tooth-rows more than length of tympanic bullae; breadth of rostrum
measured across lacrimal processes more than a third of basilar
length; interorbital breadth more than distance between glenoid
fossa and posterior margin of external auditory meatus; zygomatic
breadth barely less than distance between last upper molar and
jugular foramen.
Female (2 adults): See measurements and plates 11-13. As described
in _Mustela erminea richardsonii_ except that: Weight, 1.3 and 1.4
grams; basilar length, 34.2; length of tooth-rows more or less
than (about equal to) length of tympanic bulla; breadth of rostrum
more than 30 per cent of basilar length; interorbital breadth not
less than distance between glenoid fossa and posterior margin of
external auditory meatus.
From _richardsonii_, _haidarum_ differs in that skull of the male is
actually larger in its anterior part (breadth of rostrum, interorbital
breadth and orbitonasal length) but all measurements of other parts
average less. In relation to the basilar length, the tympanic bulla is
shorter but all other measurements are more. In the skull of the
female, which is 23 per cent heavier, the width of the tympanic bulla
and anteroposterior extent of the inner lobe of M1 are the same; in all
other measurements the female of _haidarum_ is larger, and in relation
to the basilar length all measurements are more except the depth of the
skull at the anterior margin of the basioccipital and the width of the
tympanic bulla, which are less. By actual weight the skull of the male
is 25 per cent lighter and the skull of the female 24 per cent heavier
than in _richardsonii_. From _fallenda_ and _anguinae_, _haidarum_
differs in that measurements of the skulls of both sexes either average
more, or are uniformly more, with two exceptions. These are the lesser
length and breadth of the tympanic bulla, in comparison with males of
_fallenda_, and the dimensions of M1 which are about the same in all
three races concerned. The pre-and interorbital parts are larger in
relation to the remainder of the skull. The postorbital breadth is
actually a third more than in _fallenda_. In relation to the basilar
length, the tympanic bulla is shorter and the braincase deeper than in
males of _anguinae_. The skull of the male is 27 per cent heavier than
that of _fallenda_ and 58 per cent heavier than that of _anguinae_. The
skull of the female is 59 and 50 per cent heavier than those of
_fallenda_ and _anguinae_, respectively. Comparison of the skull with
those of _alascensis_, _celenda_ and _seclusa_ has been made in the
accounts of those subspecies.
_Remarks._--The available specimens of this ermine were obtained by J.
H. Keen in 1898, Wilfred H. Osgood and E. A. Lewis in 1900, W. W. Brown
in 1914, J. A. Munro in 1917 and 1918, and Allan Brooks in 1920. _M. e.
haidarum_ has more claim to full specific status than any other race of
ermine because the diagnostic structural features are numerous and
individually of relatively great degree. Indeed, individual variation
appears not to bridge the gap between any population of _haidarum_ and
other subspecies and strong reasons could be advanced for according
_haidarum_ the status of a full species. It differs from the subspecies
of _erminea_ on the adjoining mainland and adjoining islands to the
north and south and agrees with the Arctic races (_arctica_, _polaris_,
_semplei_ and _kadiacensis_) in great extent of the color of the
underparts, extension of this color onto the underneath side of the
tail, long black tip of the tail and general form of the skull
including the relatively heavy preorbital region. The color although
darker than in the Arctic subspecies, is lighter than in the insular
races immediately to the north and south. In combination, the features
mentioned could be taken as indication that _haidarum_ is a relict
population from a former glacial period. Assuming that it is a relict
population, the color may have become slightly darker since that period
but the main response appears to have been a decrease in size for this
is a much smaller animal than the Arctic ermines. The size is about
what would be expected if one were to judge by the slightly larger
ermines on the islands of southeastern Alaska to the north and the
smaller ermine on Vancouver Island to the south.
The ermines of the islands of southeastern Alaska, excepting possibly
the incompletely known _seclusa_, have fewer characters of the Arctic
races and more characters of the races of the adjoining mainland.
Therefore, a possible inference is that the distinctive characters of
ermines of the Alaskan islands developed with the aid of isolation from
stocks which reached the islands after the glacial period. _M. e.
haidarum_ may have found its way to the Queen Charlotte Islands in the
glacial period.
_Specimens examined._--Total number, 17, as follows. Arranged by
locality from north to south. Unless otherwise indicated,
specimens are in the U. S. National Museum.
=British Columbia.= Queen Charlotte Islands. Masset, 7 (4[74],
1[2], 1[59]); Skidegate, 1; Graham Island, 5 (2[94], 1[77], 1[2]);
Cumsheva Inlet, 3; no locality more definite than Queen Charlotte
Islands, 1[2].
=Mustela erminea anguinae= Hall
Ermine
Plates 5, 6, 7, 11, 12 and 13
_Mustela cicognanii anguinae_ Hall, Univ. California Publ. Zoöl.,
38:417, November 8, 1932.
_Putorius cicognanii_, Baird, Mamm. N. Amer., p. 161, 1858 (part).
_Putorius streatori_, Swarth, Univ. California Publ. Zoöl., 10:102,
February 13, 1912.
_Mustela erminea anguinae_ Hall, Journ. Mamm., 26:79, February 27,
1945; Hall, Journ. Mamm., 26:181, July 19, 1945.
_Type._--Male, adult, complete skeleton (no skin); no. 12482, Mus.
Vert. Zoöl., French Creek, Vancouver Island, British Columbia;
found as a desiccated carcass on May 1, 1910; obtained by Harry S.
Swarth.
_Range._--Vancouver Island, British Columbia. See figures 25, 27
pages 95, 149.
_Characters for ready recognition._--Differs from _M. e.
haidarum_, in both sexes, in light-colored underparts less than
half the width of dark-colored upper parts, proximal two-thirds of
under surface of tail colored like upper parts instead of
underparts, interorbital breadth less than distance between
glenoid fossa and posterior margin of external auditory meatus;
from _M. e. fallenda_, in both sexes, anterior margin of tympanic
bullae flush with squamosal rather than projecting from floor of
braincase, in males by sagittal crest absent, in females by total
length more than 238 and tooth-rows about same length as, instead
of longer than, tympanic bulla; from _M. e. streatori_, in male,
by sagittal crest absent and hind foot ordinarily more than 33.5,
in female by hind foot more than 27.5, basilar length more than
30.2; from _M. e. olympica_, in males, by greater average size,
hind foot ordinarily more than 33.4 and interorbital breadth
ordinarily more than 8.5, in females by larger size, total length
more than 235, tail more than 65, hind foot more than 27.5,
basilar length more than 30.2.
_Description._--_Size._--Male: Sixteen adults and subadults yield
average and extreme measurements as follows: Total length, 272
(261-284) mm.; length of tail, 81 (74-86); length of hind foot,
35.0 (33.5-36).
Female: Five adults and subadults have corresponding measurements
as follows: 247 (241-257); 69 (66-73); 30.0 (28.0-32.0).
_Color._--As described in _Mustela erminea streatori_ except that:
occasionally white in winter; upper parts about tone 2 of Dark
Chocolate of Oberthür and Dauthenay; least width of color of
underparts averaging, in 7 adult males, 6 (0-15) per cent of
greatest width of color of upper parts. Black tip of tail in same
series averaging 37 (26-46) mm. which is 46 (32-54) per cent of
length of tail-vertebrae.
_Skull._--Male (based on 13 adults): See measurements and plates
5-7. As described in _Mustela erminea richardsonii_ except that:
Weight, 1.2 (1.0-1.3) grams; basilar length, 34.0 (32.5-35.6);
length of tooth-rows more or less (usually less) than length of
tympanic bulla.
Female (based on 5 adults): See measurements and plates 11-13. As
described in _Mustela erminea richardsonii_ except that: Weight
0.9 (0.77-1.06) grams; basilar length, 31.5 (30.9-31.8) grams;
length of tooth-rows more or less than (approximately same as)
length of tympanic bulla; breadth of rostrum more than 30 per cent
of basilar length.
The sexual dimorphism in the skull is slight, the skull of the male
being only a third heavier than that of the female. In _fallenda_ of
the adjacent mainland to the east the male is three-fourths heavier
than the female. In comparison with _fallenda_, males are smaller,
averaging less in every cranial and dental measurement taken and by
weight are a fifth lighter; sagittal crest absent rather than present;
tympanic bullae flush with squamosal rather than projecting below floor
of braincase; in relation to basilar length, tympanic bullae smaller,
braincase deeper and broader, skull wider interorbitally and across
zygomata. Females are larger than in _fallenda_, and with one exception
average larger in every cranial and dental measurement taken, being 6
per cent heavier. The one exception mentioned is the lesser actual
length of the tympanic bulla in _anguinae_, in which the length of the
tooth-rows is about the same as, rather than less than, the length of
the tympanic bulla. The postorbital breadth is greater than in
_fallenda_ and the anterior edges of the tympanic bullae are flush with
the squamosals rather than projecting below the floor of braincase. In
relation to the skull as a whole the preorbital and interorbital parts
are larger.
In comparison with _streatori_, skulls of males are of about the same
size, _anguinae_ being only 9 per cent heavier. The length of the
tooth-rows is ordinarily less than, rather than about equal to, the
length of the tympanic bulla; sagittal crest wanting rather than
present since in _anguinae_ the temporal muscles meet usually only at
the posterior end of the braincase instead of all along the midline on
its top; tympanic bullae narrower and more nearly flush with squamosal
(less protruded from braincase). Relative to the basilar length, the
zygomatic breadth is more, the tympanic bullae are narrower, and the
braincase is deeper at the anterior end of the basioccipital. The
female is 41 per cent heavier than _streatori_, there being no overlap
in most cranial and dental measurements. M1, however, is approximately
the same size in each subspecies. The tooth-rows and tympanic bulla are
of almost equal length whereas in _streatori_ the length of the
tooth-rows is less than that of the bulla.
Differences from _olympica_, in males, are: M1 shorter; all other
measurements of teeth and parts of skull averaging larger; skull 20 per
cent heavier; tooth-rows averaging shorter than tympanic bulla rather
than about the same; relative to basilar length, braincase deeper at
anterior end of basioccipital and tooth-rows shorter. The skull of the
female is 64 per cent heavier, larger in every measurement taken
without overlap; temporal ridges meeting, rather than separated, at
lambdoidal crest; length of tooth-rows about equal to, rather than
shorter than, tympanic bulla; in relation to basilar length, skull
deeper, orbitonasal length more, mastoid and zygomatic breadths more,
and tympanic bullae shorter.
_Remarks._--References in the literature to this insular race mostly
were under the name _streatori_ until 1932 when in the course of the
present study the name _anguinae_ was proposed. A few specimens have
been taken by nearly every student of small mammals who has collected
on Vancouver Island. Arthur Peake and Herbert Laing have probably
collected more specimens than any other two zoölogists.
_M. c. anguinae_ is noteworthy for the slight secondary sexual
variation in size; the disparity between the two sexes is less than in
any other American subspecies of _erminea_. By linear measurement the
body of the female is only 7 per cent shorter than in the male (178
versus 191 mm.). Linear measurements and weights of the skulls of the
two sexes are further indicative of this approximation in size. By
weight the skull of the female is only a fourth lighter than that of
the male, or, stated in another way, the male's skull is only a third
heavier (1.2 versus 0.9 grams).
No geographic variation has been detected between lots of specimens
from different parts of Vancouver Island. The one specimen available
from Salt Spring Island presents no obvious differences from selected
individuals from Vancouver Island.
The winter pelage is more often brown than white. Of 17 specimens seen
in winter pelage or in transition pelage, only 6 are white. These 6 are
from Comox, Stamp River, Hilliers, Jeune Landing and Port Alice. Of the
34 specimens in brown pelage, 7 have the dark color of the upper parts
meeting on the abdomen. Six of the 34 have brown color on the pectoral
region. In two, this is a separate patch but in the other four the dark
color is a continuation of the upper parts and extends in front of each
foreleg over part of the pectoral region, but the two extensions, one
from either side, do not meet on the underparts. The color of the lips
was recorded in 22 individuals: one had both the upper and lower-lips
white; 7 had the upper lips brown and the lower lips white; in 14 both
the upper and lower-lips were brown.
_Specimens examined._--Total number, 40, listed by localities from
north to south as follows. Unless otherwise indicated, specimens
are in the National Museum of Canada.
=British Columbia.= Vancouver Island: Cape Scott, 4; Shushartie,
1; Quatsino, 1[74]; Jeune Landing, 1[74]; Port Alice, 5[15];
Marble Creek, Quatsino Sound, 1[22]; Port Hardy, 5; Sayward, 2;
Bear Lake, 4; Bear River, 1; Comox, 4(3[85]); Stamp River,
Alberni, 1[31]; Errington, 1[74]; French Creek, 1[74]; Hilliers,
1[74]; Craigs Crossing, 1[74]; Nanaimo, 2[22]; Cowichan Lake,
1[22]; Duncan, 2[85]; Salt Spring Island, 1[85].
=Mustela erminea fallenda= Hall
Ermine
Plates 5, 6, 7, 11, 12 and 13
_Mustela erminea fallenda_ Hall, Journ. Mamm., 26:79, February 27,
1945; Hall, Journ. Mamm., 26:181, July 19, 1945.
_Putorius streatori_ Merriam, N. Amer. Fauna, 11:13, June 30, 1896
(part-Sumas).
[Illustration: FIG. 27. Map showing known occurrences and probable
geographic ranges of the subspecies of _Mustela erminea_ in Washington
and parts of British Columbia and Oregon.]
_Type._--Male, adult, skull and skin; no. 7096, Nat. Mus. Canada;
Huntingdon, British Columbia; May 21, 1927; obtained by C. H.
Young, original no. 317.
The brown summer skin is well made. The skull (plates 5-7) is
complete. Right p2 has the crown broken away; otherwise the teeth
all are present and entire.
_Range._--On mainland in immediate vicinity of coast from probably
opposite Texada Island, British Columbia, south to Lake Whatcom,
Washington, and east to Mount Baker Range on International
boundary. See figures 25, 27 on pages 95, 149.
_Characters for ready recognition._--Differs from _M. e.
haidarum_, in both sexes, in light-colored underparts less than
half the width of dark-colored upper parts, proximal two-thirds of
under surface of tail colored like upper parts instead of
underparts, interorbital breadth less than distance between
glenoid fossa and posterior margin of external auditory meatus;
from _M. e. richardsonii_ in both sexes, by upper lips brown
rather than white, in males hind foot less than 41 and basilar
length less than 38.3, in females hind foot less than 29, basilar
length less than 31.4 and breadth of rostrum more, instead of
less, than 30 per cent of basilar length; from _M. e. invicta_, in
both sexes, by upper lips brown (not white); in males by skull
averaging shorter (basilar length 35.7 versus 37.0); in females by
breadth of rostrum more, instead of less, than 30 per cent of
basilar length; from _M. e. anguinae_, in both sexes, by anterior
margin of tympanic bulla projecting from floor of braincase rather
than flush with squamosal (the difference is slight in females),
in males by sagittal crest present, in females by total length
less than 238 and tooth-rows longer than, instead of about same
length as, tympanic bulla; from _M. e. streatori_, in both sexes,
by black tip of tail more than half of length of tail-vertebrae,
in males hind foot more than 33.7, tympanic bulla longer than,
instead of about same length as, upper tooth-rows; weight of skull
more than 1-1/4 grams, in females weight of skull more than 0.7
grams, length of lateral side of P4, 4 mm. or more; from _M. e.
olympica_, in males, length of hind foot more than 33, black tip
of tail more than 36.5 mm., weight of skull more than 1.2 grams,
basilar length more than 33.5, in females length of hind foot more
than 25.5, weight of skull more than 0.66 grams, basilar length
more than 28.4; from _M. e. gulosa_, in both sexes, by anterior
margin of tympanic bulla projecting below floor of braincase
rather than flush with squamosal (the difference is slight in
females), in males hind foot more than 33.5, weight of skull more
than 1-1/4 grams, basilar length more than 33.9, in females by
total length more than 222, hind foot longer than 26, weight of
skull more than 0.7 grams, basilar length more than 29.
_Description.--Size._--Male: Seven adult topotypes yield average
and extreme measurements as follows: Total length, 278 (249-305);
length of tail, 77 (69-81); length of hind foot, 36.5 (34-40). A
male topotype of unknown age weighed 113 grams.
Female: Two adult topotypes, with actual measurements in
parentheses, average as follows: Total length, 232 (228-236);
length of tail, 60 (57-62); length of hind foot, 27 (27-27). An
adult from Morovitz Guard Station, Wash., weighed 54 grams.
_Color._--Winter pelage rarely white, brown pelage
indistinguishable from summer pelage except for slightly more
smoky tinge in winter in specimens from some localities; otherwise
as described in _Mustela erminea streatori_ except that least
width of color of underparts averaging, in seven adult topotypes,
18 (0-37) per cent of greatest width of color of upper parts.
Black tip of tail averaging, in same series, 45 (38-52) mm. which
is 58 (53-65) per cent of length of tail-vertebrae.
In comparison with _richardsonii_ and _invicta_, _fallenda_
differs in darker color of upper parts and their extension at the
expense of the light-colored underparts which are narrower by a
half. In correlation with this restriction in area of the
light-colored underparts, the upper lips are brown instead of
white. In comparison with _anguinae_, _olympica_ and _streatori_,
the longer black tip on the tail is the principal difference in
color. From _gulosa_, _fallenda_ differs in slightly darker color
of upper parts and in narrow underparts, the width of the same
being only about a fifth instead of a third of the width of the
dark-colored upper parts.
_Skull._--Male (based on 7 adults): See measurements and plates
5-7. As described in _Mustela erminea richardsonii_ except that:
Weight, 1.5 (1.3-1.7) grams; basilar length, 35.7 (34.3-38.2).
Female (based on 6 ads.): See measurements and plates 11-13. As
described in _Mustela erminea richardsonii_ except that: Weight,
0.85 (0.73-1.0) grams; basilar length, 30.6 (29.4-31.7); breadth
of rostrum more than 30 per cent of basilar length.