measurements and plates 31-33; weight, 3.1 (2.8-3.5) grams;
basilar length, 42.3 (40.0-43.7); zygomatic breadth more or less
(approximately equal to) than distance between condylar foramen
and M1 or that between anterior palatine foramen and anterior
margin of tympanic bulla; postorbital breadth less than length of
upper premolars and more or less than width of basioccipital
measured from medial margin of one foramen lacerum posterior to
its opposite; least width of palate not more than greatest length
of P4; tympanic bulla as far posterior to foramen ovale as width
of 3 to 4 (including I3) upper incisors; height of tympanic bulla
not less than distance from its anterior margin to foramen ovale;
length of tympanic bulla more than length of lower molar and
premolar tooth-rows and longer or shorter than rostrum.
The skull of the female averages 34 per cent lighter than that of
the male.
Comparisons of the skull with those of _M. f. primulina_, _M. f.
spadix_, _M. f. oribasus_, _M. f. alleni_, _M. f. nevadensis_, and
_M. f. neomexicana_ are made in accounts of those subspecies.
_Remarks._--Richardson's (1829:47) account on which Bonaparte may be
said to have based his name, records measurements in inches and lines
which I transpose into millimeters as follows: Total length, 440 mm.;
length of head and body, 305; length of tail (vertebrae), 135; length
of tail (including fur), 164 mm. Specimen no. 43.3.3.3 in the British
Museum, which has by some persons been regarded as the type, yields
measurements as follows: Total length, 408 (which allows for 15 mm.
loss of the fleshy part of the end of the tail); length of head and
body, 272; length of tail (vertebrae), 136 (= 121 + 15); length of tail
(including fur), 162 (142 + 20 mm. that appears to have been lost).
Richardson's specimen would appear to have been of unusual proportions
and to have been larger than no. 43.3.3.3. Some reasons for and reasons
against regarding this specimen as the holotype are given in the
account of _M. erminea cicognanii_.
The name _longicauda_ was applied to practically all long-tailed
weasels of the western United States at one time but as one after
another of the geographic variants in the mountainous regions were
designated as separable, the name _longicauda_ came to be restricted to
the light-colored, relatively large, animal of the Great Plains.
The intergradation of _longicauda_ with _spadix_ and _oribasus_ has
been commented on in the discussions of those subspecies. The larger
size and darker color of specimens referred to _longicauda_ from Devils
Lake and Grafton, North Dakota, are features indicative of
intergradation there with _spadix_. Two young females from Waterton
Lake Park, Alberta, by their darker than average color, suggest
intergradation with _oribasus_, as, for that matter, does the specimen
from Waterton Lake [= Chief Mountain Lake, in Montana] itself, which,
however, is even darker than the two specimens taken on the Canadian
side of the line and hence is referred to _oribasus_. An adult female,
no. 175586, U. S. Nat. Mus., from Moose Pass, Alberta, examined after
the above was written, is larger than any other female seen of
_longicauda_ and in this respect may show approach to _oribasus_, which
in the northern part of its range is of large size as judged by males
from the Bowron Lake region.
One male, no. 8564, Nat. Mus. Canada, from Max Lake, Turtle Mountain,
Manitoba, presents puzzling characters. The external measurements of
465, 170, and 57, are in keeping with the great length of the skull
which has a basilar length of 48.8. The tooth-rows are 19.3 in length
and the mastoid breadth, 25.4. The relative narrowness indicated by the
mastoid breadth is maintained throughout the skull. The only other
specimens relating to the Turtle Mountains that have been seen are two
male, skins without measurements or corresponding skulls, nos. 38902
and 38903, Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., labeled as from either "Stump Lake or
Turtle Mts.," North Dakota. One of these, no. 38902, is much darker
than the other. Possibly it is from the Turtle Mountains and the other,
lighter-colored one, is from Stump Lake. Study of additional specimens
from the Turtle Mountains might show the existence there of a distinct
race.
Four specimens, in the collection of Myron Swenk, from Inland, Clay
County, Nebraska, are instructive as showing how intergradation occurs
between _primulina_ and _longicauda_. A subadult male, no. 10, is
intermediate in external measurements and in color but in each instance
is nearer _primulina_. The same is true of the least width of the color
of the underparts. The color of the underparts extends uninterruptedly
over the hind legs to the toes as in _longicauda_, but is absent from
the underside of the tail as in _primulina_. In the skull, the basilar
length, breadth of bulla, and size of teeth are nearer _longicauda_, as
are also the ratios to the basilar length of the length of tooth-rows,
breadth of the rostrum, length of the tympanic bulla, and depth of the
braincase at the anterior margin of the basioccipital. Ratios to the
basilar length of the interorbital breadth, mastoid breadth, zygomatic
breadth, and depth of the skull at the posterior borders of the upper
molars are nearer to those of _primulina_. The relatively long rostrum,
as represented by the orbitonasal length, is nearest to that of
_spadix_. A young, almost subadult, female, no. 7, agrees with
_primulina_ in color, color pattern, and length of hind foot. The other
external measurements are intermediate, but nearer those of
_primulina_. Size of skull and teeth are as in _longicauda_. Relative
proportions of parts of the skull are not diagnostic in specimens as
young as this female. An adult female, skull only, no. 8, agrees with,
or approaches nearer to, _longicauda_ in size of skull and teeth and in
relative proportion of every part studied. A juvenile, skull only, of
questionable sex, no. 9, provides no diagnostic characters. On the
basis of color, these specimens from Inland are distinctly nearer
_primulina_. On the basis of cranial characters they are distinctly
nearer _longicauda_. External measurements are intermediate and are a
little nearer those of _primulina_. By placing the most weight on the
cranial characters, the animals may be referred to _longicauda_. The
same may be said of 2 skins, one skin with a skull, from Hastings,
Nebraska. In each skin the color-pattern is as in _primulina_; in one
the under side of the tail is nevertheless lighter-colored more as in
_longicauda_ and the skull, adult male 121651 American Museum of
Natural History, approaches nearer to _primulina_ in narrowness but has
the large teeth of _longicauda_.
Intergradation with _neomexicana_ is suggested by one specimen, no.
7936, Univ. Kans., from Thomas County, Kansas, which has well-developed
white facial markings.
The specimen, no. 180, Kansas Agric. College, from Glasco, is mounted,
of large size, in white winter pelage, and lacks external measurements.
On the basis of its obvious large size, and a hind foot measurement of
49 millimeters obtained from the mounted skin, the animal is
provisionally referred to _longicauda_ rather than to _primulina_.
_Putorius culbertsoni_ is a name now credited to Coues (1877:136).
Although Coues probably intended only to indicate that Baird wrote this
name on the labels of two specimens in the mammal collection of the
Smithsonian Institution, Coues gave an "indication" of the application
of the name by publishing at the same time the catalogue numbers of
specimens whose labels bore the name and thus, in accordance with
article 21 of the International Rules of Zoölogical Nomenclature,
himself becomes the author of the name. Of the two specimens mentioned
by Coues, only the first recorded by him, no. 4320 (with skull no.
37995, U. S. Nat. Mus.), can now be found.
Fortunately, the skull of this specimen labeled (see Lyon and Osgood,
1909:218) as taken at Fort Laramie, Wyoming, is well preserved. Its
only defects are a fracture in the left zygomatic arch and the absence
of parts of each of the first lower molars. In deciding on the
subspecific application of the name _Putorius culbertsoni_ Coues, the
skull of the type must be principally relied upon, for there is
available only one other specimen, a skin only (no. 12596, U. S. Nat.
Mus.), from the same place, and it, like the type, is in white winter
pelage and lacks flesh measurements.
The ranges as now known of three subspecies of _Mustela frenata_
approach near to Fort Laramie. These are _M. f. longicauda_, _M. f.
alleni_, and _M. f. nevadensis_. The skull of the type of _culbertsoni_
is not typical of any one of the three mentioned races. The small size
of its teeth and relative (to basilar length) shallowness of the
frontal region of the skull through the postorbital processes of the
frontal are as in _nevadensis_. The zygomatic arches are not so greatly
expanded as in some specimens of _longicauda_ and are more like the
average for _nevadensis_ or _alleni_, as also is the relatively (to
basilar length) long orbitonasal length. However, each of these
characters is subject to variation and alone is not surely diagnostic,
especially toward the margin of the range of any one of the subspecies
concerned. The same may be said of the relatively great breadth of the
skull interorbitally--a feature typically found in _longicauda_. More
important, in my estimation, is the large size of the skull; all parts
measured (excepting the teeth, the depth at the posterior border of the
last upper molars, the zygomatic breadth, and the depth of the tympanic
bullae) equal or approach nearest to the average for males of
_longicauda_ of similar age.
The small size of _alleni_ prevents its identification with
_culbertsoni_. The question of application lies between _nevadensis_
and _longicauda_. If the long-tailed weasel at Fort Laramie is found to
be referable to the race earlier named _longicauda_, no change in
current nomenclature will be effected. If, on the other hand, the
long-tailed weasel from Fort Laramie is found to be referable to
_nevadensis_ this name will have to fall before the earlier proposed
name _culbertsoni_. There is, however, a third possibility, namely,
that the long-tailed weasel of the Transition and Upper Sonoran zones
of southern Wyoming and northern Colorado, as for example, at Lay,
Colorado, may represent a recognizable race characterized by size about
as in _longicauda_, relative proportions of skull about as in
_nevadensis_ and coloration intermediate, to which the name
_culbertsoni_ may apply. For more detailed discussion of this
possibility, see remarks under _M. f. nevadensis_.
Satisfactory application of the name _Putorius culbertsoni_ Coues
requires an adequate series of adult specimens, of both sexes in the
summer coat with external measurements taken in the flesh, from the
type locality and like material from elsewhere in southern Wyoming. On
the evidence furnished by the skull of the type of _culbertsoni_, that
name tentatively is placed in the synonomy of _longicauda_.
Only 2 of 25 adults examined for malformation of the frontal sinuses by
parasites showed evidence of disease.
_Specimens examined._--Total number, 138, arranged alphabetically
by provinces and states and further by districts or counties from
north to south except as otherwise indicated. Unless otherwise
indicated specimens are in the collection of the United States
National Museum.
=Alberta.= St. Albert, 1; S. Edmonton, 3; Islay, 4[77]; Battle
River, south of Camrose, 1[77]; Daysland, 1[77]; Moose Pass, 1;
Blindman River, 2 (1[75], 1[2]); Red Deer, 3 (2[2], 1[60]);
Bearberry Creek near Sundre, 1[77]; Canad. Nat. Park, N.W.
Territory, 1[60]; Red Deer River, Didsbury, 1; Canmore, 1;
Calgary, 11 (6[60], 2[1], 1[86]); Red Deer River, 3[2]; Little
Sandhill Creek, Red Deer River, 1[77]; Waterton Lake Park, 2[77];
Sweetgrass Hills, 1[77]; Alberta, 1[14].
=Colorado.= _Yuma County_: Wray 4 (1[88], 3[74]).
=Kansas.= _Rawlins County_: 7 mi. N, 3 mi. W Beardsley, 1[74]; 6
mi. S and 2 mi. E Atwood, 1[74]; 15 mi. SE Atwood, 1[74]. _Thomas
County_: near Brewster, 2[93]; no locality more definite than
county, 2[93]. _Trego County_, 2 (1[2]). _Cloud County_: Glasco,
1[67].
=Manitoba.= Portage la Prairie, 3[75]; Carberry, 2 (1[2], 1[1]);
Carman, 1[60]; Max Lake, Turtle Mt., 1[77].
=Montana.= _Glacier County_: St. Marys Lake, 1; Blackfoot, 1:
Blackfoot Agency, 1. _Blaine County_: 6 mi. east Chinook, 1[74].
_Pondera County_: 1/2 mi. SE Conrad, 1[74]. _Toole County_: Shelby
Junction, 1. _Hill County_: Havre, 1. _Fergus County_: Moccasin
Mts., 5 mi. NW Hilger, 1; 7 mi. NE Hilger, 1. _Rosebud County_:
3/4 mi. N Ingomar, 1. _County_ in question, Milk River, 2.
=Nebraska.= _Dawes County_: Chadron, 2[35]. _Cherry County_:
Kennedy, 1; no locality more definite than county, 1. _Brown
County_: Long Pine, 1[68]. _Antelope County_: Neligh, 1[35].
_Adams County_: Hastings, 2[2]. _Clay County_: Inland, 4[35].
=North Dakota= (arranged by counties from west to east). _Divide
County_: Crosby, 1. _Mountrail County_: Lostwood, 1. Little
Missouri River, 1. _Golden Valley County_: Sentinel Butte, 1.
_Billings County_: Medora, 1[60]. _McLean County_: 3 mi. W
Elbowoods, 1. _Oliver County_: Ft. Clark, 2. _Morton County_:
Mandan, 1. _Sioux County_: 3 mi. N Cannonball, 1. _Logan County_:
6 mi. SW Napoleon, 1. _Rolette County_: Turtle Mts., 1[76]; Fish
Lake, 1. _Benson County_: Ft. Totten, 3[14]; Sully Hill Nat. Park,
1. _Ramsey County_: Devils Lake, 2. Stump Lake or Turtle Mts.,
2[2]. _Nelson County_: Stump Lake, 1. _Grand County_: Larimore, 1.
_Walsh County_: Grafton, 11 (4[76], 3[74], 2[2]). _Stutsman
County_: Jamestown, 1. _Barnes County_: Valley City, 1.
=Saskatchewan.= Wingard, 5; Osier, 2[75]; Simpson, 1[2]; Touchwood
Hills, 4[7]; South arm Last Mountain Lake, 1[77]; Rush Lake
(Assiniboia, N.W.T.), 2[75].
=South Dakota.= _Pennington County_: Rapid City, 1.
=Wyoming.= _Goshen County_: Fort Laramie, 2.
=Mustela frenata oribasus= (Bangs)
Long-tailed Weasel
Plates 16, 17, 18, 31, 32, 33 and 40
_Putorius (Arctogale) longicauda oribasus_ Bangs, Proc. New England
Zoöl. Club, 1:81, December 27, 1899.
_Putorius longicauda_, Coues, Fur-bearing animals, p. 136, 1877
(part).
_Mustela longicauda oribasus_, Miller, U. S. Nat. Mus. Bull.,
79:98, December 31, 1912.
_Mustela longicauda oribasa_, Hall, Univ. California Publ. Zoöl.,
40:368, November 5, 1934.
_Mustela frenata oribasa_, Hall, Carnegie Instit. Washington Publ.
437:105, November 20, 1936.
_Type._--Female, adult, skull and skin; no. 9058, collection of E.
A. and O. Bangs, but now in collection of Mus. Comp. Zoöl.; source
of Kettle River, 7500 feet [the summit between middle fork of
Kettle River and Cherry Creek at Pinnacles--oral information from
the collector, Feb. 12, 1936], British Columbia; September 10,
1898; obtained by Allan Brooks; original no. 1368.
The skull (plate 40) is complete and unbroken. The teeth all are
present and entire except right I^3 which has the anterior half
broken away. The skin is complete, fairly well made, and in summer
pelage.
_Range._--Canadian and Hudsonian life-zones from near 56°N in the
Rocky Mountains of British Columbia and Alberta and Ootsa Lake
along the Fraser and Chilcotin rivers south to Alta Lake, in the
Caribou and Monashee mountains, probably in the Selkirks and
Rockies, and through the Rockies of Montana into extreme northern
Wyoming. See figure 29 on page 221.
_Characters for ready recognition._--Differs from _M. f.
longicauda_ by near (14 _n_) Brussels Brown rather than near (_h_)
Clay Color of upper parts and in males by relatively shallower
occiput in which the depth of the skull, exclusive of the sagittal
crest and taken at the anterior border of the basioccipital,
amounts to less than 59 per cent of the mastoid breadth; from _M.
f. nevadensis_ by greater average size, see measurements.
_Description._--_Size._--Male: Two adults from Florence, Montana,
measure as follows: Total length, 440, 440; length of tail, 165,
161; length of hind foot, 47, 49. Corresponding measurements of an
adult male from Quesnel, British Columbia, are: 443; 168; 55. Tail
amounts to 60, 58, and 61 per cent as long as head and body.
Length of hind foot averages more than basal length.
Female: The type specimen, the only typical adult or subadult
specimen of this sex of which external measurements are available,
measures: Total length, 392, length of tail, 150, length of hind
foot, 46. Tail is 63 per cent as long as head and body. Length of
hind foot amounts to more than basal length.
The differences in external measurements, between the one female
and the average of the three males are: Total length, 49; length
of tail, 15; length of hind foot, 4.
_Externals._--Longest facial vibrissae brown or white (often both
colors in same specimen) and extending beyond ear; carpal
vibrissae same color as underparts and extending to or beyond
apical pad of fifth digit; hairiness of foot-soles (in summer
pelage) slightly less than shown in figure 19.
_Color._--Upper parts, in summer, near (14 _n_) Brussels Brown,
more blackish and less reddish than tone 4 of Burnt Umber of
Oberthür and Dauthenay, pl. 304; in type near tone 4, pl. 301 of
Oberthür and Dauthenay. Underparts, in summer, Buff Yellow or near
(20 _c_) Amber Yellow. In winter, all white except tip of tail
which is at all times black. Upper parts of uniform color except
for occasional slight darkening of top of head and along
mid-dorsal line of back. Color of underparts extends distally on
posterior sides of forelegs over feet, on medial sides of hind
limbs over antiplantar faces of toes and over proximal two-thirds
of ventral side of tail. Least width of color of underparts
amounting to 43 per cent of greatest width of color of upper
parts, 75 per cent in male from 4 miles northeast of Quesnel,
British Columbia, and 52 (33-66) in four males from Montana. Black
tip of tail in four males from Montana averaging 50 (44-60) mm.
long. Thus averaging approximately as long as hind foot and 33 per
cent of length of tail-vertebrae.
Color not different than in many specimens of _M. f. nevadensis_.
Color comparison with _M. f. longicauda_ has been made in the
account of that subspecies.
_Skull and teeth._--Male (based on 5 adults and 2 subadults from
British Columbia and 4 adults from Montana): See measurements and
plates 16-18. As described in _Mustela frenata longicauda_ except
that: Weight, 5.0 (3.8-6.0) grams; basilar length, 46.7
(43.6-48.8); postorbital breadth in one of nine instances less
than width of basioccipital measured from medial margin of one
foramen lacerum posterior to its opposite; interorbital breadth
more or less than distance between foramen opticum and anterior
margin of tympanic bulla; breadth of rostrum less than length of
tympanic bulla; anterior margin of tympanic bulla as far posterior
to foramen ovale as width of 2-1/2 to 5 upper incisors; length of
tympanic bulla not less than length of lower molar and premolar
tooth-row and shorter than rostrum.
Female (based on the type, specimen): See measurements and plates
31-33, 40. As described in _Mustela frenata longicauda_ except
that: Weight, 3.5 grams; basilar length, 41.6 mm.; zygomatic
breadth more than distance between anterior palatine foramen and
anterior margin of tympanic bulla; postorbital breadth more than
width of basioccipital measured from medial margin of one foramen
lacerum posterior to its opposite; least width of palate more than
outside length of P^{4}; tympanic bulla as far posterior to
foramen ovale as width of 4-1/2 upper incisors; height of tympanic
bulla less than distance from anterior margin of tympanic bulla to
foramen ovale; length of tympanic bulla less than length of
rostrum. If more than one skull were available of the female of
_oribasus_ it is believed that the description would agree with
that of _longicauda_ in nearly all features.
The skull of the female is 30 per cent lighter than that of the
average male.
Comparison with _longicauda_ reveals that, on the average, skulls of
males are larger, relative to the basilar length broader across the
mastoids, shallower through the braincase as measured at the anterior
end of the basioccipital exclusive of the sagittal crest, with longer
rostrum. Compared with _nevadensis_, the skull averages larger in all
measurements taken, and has a relatively broader rostrum, relatively
greater mastoid breadth and a braincase which is shallower relative to
the basilar length. By weight, the skull of _nevadensis_ is a fourth
lighter, and in linear measurements 5 to 18 per cent smaller.
_Remarks._--Some of the specimens from Montana, which here are referred
to _oribasus_, more than half a century ago were listed by Coues
(1877:138) under the name _longicauda_. It was not until 1899 that this
race was given a name by Bangs, who at that time (1899B:81) accurately
made out the distinctive color features. Distinctive cranial characters
cannot be described with assurance even now because there still are too
few specimens.
The type specimen, at one time examined by the present writer, has on
the stuffed skin no well-developed mammae, scrotal pouch, or other
visible sexual part. Probably the collector's sex mark for female is
correct.
As judged by the two skulls of subadult males from the Barkerville
region, individuals of this race attain larger size than do those of
_longicauda_. On the basis of larger size than either _longicauda_ or
_nevadensis_, the specimens from the Rocky Mountains of Montana and two
from northern Wyoming are referred to this race. The short, wide, flat,
tympanic bullae, relatively great mastoidal breadth, and some other
features of the specimen from Donovan, Montana, point toward
_oribasus_, whereas nearly as many more cranial features, in this
instance mainly differences in size, are indicative of _nevadensis_ to
which race the specimen might almost equally well be referred. Another
male from Darby, in the Bitterroot Valley of Montana, has a slightly
longer hind foot than those from Florence, but a female from Hamilton,
agrees more nearly with _nevadensis_. The average of all the specimens
from the Bitterroot Valley is a little nearer _oribasus_. Four skulls
from Buffalo, Wyoming, here referred to _nevadensis_ show approach to
_oribasus_ in size of skull. The specimens from Big Snowy Mountains,
and the Highwood Mountains of Montana are too young clearly to show
size of the adult skull, but are distinctly darker colored than
_longicauda_ of the plains country proper. Of two subadult females from
Tacy, Montana, the color of the one in summer pelage is distinctly
nearer that of _oribasus_ and _nevadensis_ than it is to that of
_longicauda_ to which some approach in color might be expected. The
reduced size of both of the specimens is further suggestive of
_nevadensis_ and it may be that adult specimens from these more eastern
mountainous areas in Montana will show that _nevadensis_ is the name
proper to apply to animals of this region.
Intergradation with _nevadensis_ is suggested by specimens collected
from along the upper reaches of Okanagan Lake, British Columbia, by
Major Allan Brooks and Mr. J. A. Munro and by a series of skulls from
Ione, Pend Orielle County, Washington, lent me by Mr. Walter Dalquest.
At each place, the average of all specimens is nearest to that of
_nevadensis_.