the result of infestation by parasites.
_Specimens examined._--Total number, 80, arranged within states by
counties from north to south. Unless otherwise indicated specimens
are in the United States National Museum.
=British Columbia.= _Chilliwack_, 1[74], Lihumption Park, 4750
ft., 2[77]; Cultus Lake, 1[77].
=Oregon.= _Clatsop County_: Old Fort Clatsop, 1[74]; Astoria, 1.
_Tillamook County_: Tillamook, 12 (7[14], 2[74], 2[2], 1[46]);
Netarts, 1[46]; Blaine, 16 (13[14], 1[93], 1[76], 1[59]). _Lane
County_: Reed, 1; Mercer, 1[46]. _Curry County_: Langlois, 1[46].
=Washington.= _Whatcom County_: Nooksack River, 2000 ft., 14 mi. E
Glacier, 1; Swamp Creek, 2050 ft., Nooksack River, 3[10]; Lookout,
4800 ft., Mt. Baker, 2[10]; Bellingham, 8[25]; 5 mi. S Bellingham,
1[49]. _Skagit County_: Rockport, 300 ft., 1. _King County_:
Bothell, 2[94]; N Seattle 1[51]; Seattle, 1[49]; Tye, 1[51], 2 mi.
E Skykomish, 1[51]; 7 mi. E Kent, 1[76]; Auburn, 3[94]. _Pierce
County_: Tacoma, 1[1]. _Clallam County_: Sequim, 1[49]; Soleduc
Riv., near [_sic._] Sappho, 1[49]; Happy Lake, 1[60]; mouth of
Boulder Creek, Elwha River, 560 ft., Olympic Mts., 1; Hume's
Ranch, 1000 ft., Elwha River, 1; Bogachiel Riv., 1[49]. _Mason
County_: Lake Cushman, 2; 4 mi. N Shelton, 1[51]. _Thurston
County_: Olympia, 2[49]; Tenino, 1[51]. _Pacific County_: 2-1/2
mi. SE Chinook, 3[74].
=Mustela frenata oregonensis= (Merriam)
Long-tailed Weasel
Plates 19, 20, 21, 30, 34, 35 and 36
_Putorius xanthogenys oregonensis_ Merriam, N. Amer. Fauna, 11:25,
June 30, 1896; Bangs, Proc. New England Zoöl. Club, 1:57, June 9,
1899.
_Mustela xanthogenys oregonensis_, Miller, U. S. Nat. Mus. Bull.,
79:99, December 31, 1912.
_Mustela xanthogenys munda_, Grinnell, Univ. California Publ.
Zoöl., 40:102, September 26, 1933 (part).
_Mustela frenata oregonensis_, Hall, Carnegie Instit. Washington
Publ. 473:107, November 20, 1936.
_Type._--Male, subadult, skull and skin; no. 32019/43828, U. S.
Nat. Mus., Biol. Surv. Coll.; Grants Pass, Rogue River Valley,
Josephine County, Oregon; December 19, 1891; obtained by C. P.
Streator; original no. 1404.
The skull (plates 19-21, 30) is complete and unbroken. P3 on the
left side is missing. Otherwise the teeth all are present although
worn probably as a result of gnawing at the trap which captured
the specimen. The skin, in brown, winter pelage, is fairly well
made.
Although the label on the skin and the label in the skull vial
each give the sex of the specimen as female, and although Merriam
(1896:25) regarded the specimen as a female, the present writer
regards the specimen as a male.
It is as large as other undoubted males and larger than any known
female of this subspecies. The labels with the skull and skin give
the locality as "Rogue River Valley, Oregon." The listing here of
the more restricted locality, Grants Pass, is made on the basis of
Merriam's (1896:25) original description of the subspecies.
_Range._--Transition and Canadian life-zones along coast of
northern California and southern Oregon from Humboldt County,
California, north through Curry County, Oregon, thence inland,
west of the Cascades, north to the Columbia River. See figures 29
and 30 on pages 221 and 314.
_Characters for ready recognition._--Differs from _M. f.
altifrontalis_ in presence of frontonasal white patch, lighter
color above (tone 2 to 3 of Raw Umber, pl. 301, rather than tone 4
of Brownish Drab, pl. 302, Oberthür and Dauthenay), wider extent
of light color of underparts which is extended distally beyond
knee, and in females, longer tooth-row which amounts to more than
38 per cent of basilar length; from _M. f. munda_ in shorter hind
foot of males which is less than 50, and in both sexes, smaller,
less rugose skull (see measurements and plates); from _M. f.
saturata_ in presence of frontonasal white patch, in having color
of underparts extended uninterruptedly over ankle onto foot; from
_M. f. nevadensis_ in presence of frontonasal white patch, lack of
light color of underparts on ventral face of tail, and longer
skull, which relative to its length in males, is shallower through
braincase; from _M. f. effera_ in presence of frontonasal white
patch, lack of light color of underparts on ventral face of tail,
and larger skull with basilar length averaging more than 41.7 in
males; from _M. f. washingtoni_ in presence of frontonasal white
patch, shorter skull in males, which in percentage of basilar
length has, on the average, orbitonasal length amounting to less
than 35, mastoid breadth more than 55, and zygomatic breadth more
than 63; and in females larger skull with least width of palate
more than length of P4, upper tooth-rows more than 38-1/2 per cent
of basilar length, bullae larger and averaging more than 13.4
long.
_Description._--_Size._--Male: Five males (3 adults and 2
subadults from Eureka, Ferndale, and Carlotta, California) yield
average and extreme measurements as follows: Total length, 392
(347-430); length of tail, 138 (110-160); length of hind foot, 46
(43-50). Tail averages 54 (46-61) per cent as long as head and
body. Length of hind foot more or less than basal length. The type
specimen, and an adult from Goldbeach measure, respectively, as
follows: Total length, 412, 386; length of tail, 155, 137; length
of hind foot, 44, 46.
Female: Three adults (2 from Fortuna and 1 from Carlotta,
California) yield average and extreme measurements as follows:
Total length, 367 (360-374); length of tail, 130 (123-134); length
of hind foot, 40 (39-40). Tail averages 55 (52-57) per cent as
long as head and body. Length of hind foot less than basal length.
A subadult from Goldbeach, an adult from 13 mi. SW Grants Pass,
and an adult from Medford, measure, respectively, as follows:
Total length, 316, 344, 294; length of tail, 114, 120, 122; length
of hind foot, 36, 40, 38.
The average differences in external measurements of the two sexes
in the vicinity of Carlotta, are: Total length, 25; length of
tail, 8; length of hind foot, 6. Corresponding differences, at
Goldbeach, are: 70, 23, 10. Probably the females at Fortuna
reflect the large size of _munda_ more than do the males at
Carlotta and the differences between the measurements of the two
sexes probably, therefore, are actually more than are indicated by
the figures above.
_Externals._--Longest facial vibrissae black, brown or white
(often all three colors in same specimen) and extending beyond
ear; carpal vibrissae same color as underparts and extending to
apical pad of fifth digit; hairiness of foot-soles, in summer
pelage, as shown in figure 20.
_Color._--Upper parts, in summer, near (16 _l_) Brussels Brown or
tone 2 of Raw Umber of Oberthür and Dauthenay, pl. 301, to
slightly darker than tone 3 of same plate. Darker on nose and top
of head, usually with frontonasal white patch but lacking white
bar in front of each ear, except in the type and 2 specimens from
Salem. Chin, lower lips, angle of mouth, and usually posterior
seventh of upper lip white. Remainder of underparts Pale
Orange-Yellow. In winter usually lighter above with underparts
Warm Buff to Straw Yellow. Tip of tail at all times black. Color
of underparts extends distally on posterior sides of forelegs over
toes onto antipalmar faces of feet and wrists, on medial side of
hind leg, typically over ankle in extremely narrow line which
widens out over distal phalanges of antiplantar faces of toes but
sometimes interrupted at ankle. Least width of color of underparts
averaging, in twenty available specimens, 39 (27-54) per cent of
greatest width of color of upper parts. Black tip of tail in five
adults averaging 50 (43-60) mm. long; thus averaging longer than
hind foot and 33 per cent of length of tail-vertebrae.
_Skull and teeth._--Male (based on 4 adults and subadults from
Eureka, Requa, Goldbeach, and Grant Pass): See measurements and
plates 19-21, 30. As described in _Mustela frenata nevadensis_
except that: Weight, 3.5 (3.5-4.1) grams; basilar length, 42.9
(41.8-44.0); least width of palate more or less than medial length
of P4.
Female (based on 2 adults, one from Carlotta and one from 13 mi.
SW Grants Pass): See measurements and plates 34-36. As described
in _Mustela frenata nevadensis_ except that: Weight, 2.4 (2.2-2.6)
grams; basilar length, 37.7 and 39.5; zygomatic breadth less than
distance between condylar foramen and M1 and less than distance
between anterior palatine foramen and anterior margin of tympanic
bulla. See under "_Remarks_" for additional data on variation in
size of skulls of females.
The skulls of the female averages 31 per cent lighter than that of
the average male.
Because there is much geographic variation between specimens here
referred to _oregonensis_, the person who is guided by the present
account should keep in mind that results, here reported, of comparisons
of the skull with those of other races, were obtained by employing
specimens of _oregonensis_ from Carlotta and Eureka, California. These
specimens from California are judged to have more of the characters of
the subspecies _munda_ than do specimens of _oregonensis_ from more
northern localities.
Compared with that of _M. f. washingtoni_ the skull of the male is
shorter, especially in the preorbital region and is relatively broader
across the mastoidal processes and zygomatic arches. The skull of the
female is longer in the preorbital region, has a less cylindrical
braincase and differs less from the male skull than is the case in _M.
f. washingtoni_. Compared with _M. f. effera_, the skull of the male is
smaller in every part measured and relative to the basilar length is
broader across the mastoids and has relatively shorter tympanic bullae.
From _M. f. nevadensis_ the skull of the male differs in the same way
except that size is about the same. The skull of the female
_oregonensis_ is more heavily ridged and is relatively broader across
the mastoids than that of _effera_. From _M. f. saturata_,
_oregonensis_ is not surely known to differ in cranial characters. From
_M. f. munda_, _oregonensis_ differs in having the skull of both sexes
smaller, and on the average, in all parts measured, has a less marked
postorbital constriction, relatively narrower interorbital region and
relatively more expanded zygomata. From _M. f. altifrontalis_, males of
_oregonensis_ differ on the average, in having larger teeth, and
relative to the basilar length, a greater mastoid breadth and a
shallower braincase as measured at the anterior margin of the
basioccipital. Females of _oregonensis_ differ in larger average size
of skull, except for breadth of rostrum and interorbital breadth which,
therefore, are relatively less in _oregonensis_, as also is the
relative depth of the skull measured at the posterior borders of the
upper molars and at the anterior margin of the basioccipital. However,
skulls of females of _oregonensis_ have relatively longer tooth-rows
and are relatively broader across the zygomata and mastoidal processes.
_Remarks._--In 1896, Merriam named _oregonensis_ as a subspecies of the
California bridled weasel on the basis of a single specimen taken by
Clark P. Streator. Three additional specimens were acquired in later
years, by workers of Dr. Merriam's bureau, from near the type locality
and specimens from farther north in Oregon have been accumulated at the
University of Oregon. The most satisfactory material is that saved from
Humboldt County by the late H. E. Wilder, which, when brought together,
is adequate to give some idea of the range of variation that can be
expected in a given population.
Of two specimens from Goldbeach, one shows approach to _altifrontalis_
in that the color of the underparts stops at the ankle, and in one, the
angle of the mouth is dark colored. Specimens from Eugene and vicinity
lack the white facial markings, and in this feature approach the
adjoining _washingtoni-effera-nevadensis_ stock. A specimen from 6
miles south of Medford shows approach to _saturata_ in the
interruption, on the ankle and lower tibial region, of the color of the
underparts. One adult female, no. 1413, Univ. Oregon, from the Rogue
River Valley, 13 miles southwest of Grants Pass, stands out
prominently, among the other specimens from extreme southern Oregon and
northwestern California, by reason of the near (18) Apricot Yellow
color of the underparts, but this same color occurs in specimens from
the more northerly localities of Buchanan, Eugene, Vida Fish Hatchery,
and McKenzie Bridge, as well as in no. 2178, Univ. Oregon, from Cresent
Lake. The last mentioned specimen is here referred to _nevadensis_.
Two females referred to _oregonensis_ from southern Oregon differ so
greatly in size of skull that they challenge one's imagination in any
attempt to provide an explanation for so wide a range of variation in
one subspecies. One of these, no. 244520, U. S. Nat. Mus., is an adult
female from Medford. The other, no. 224034, U. S. Nat. Mus., is a
subadult female (though labeled male) from 43 miles northeast of Grants
Pass. The skull of the adult from Medford has a basilar length of 41.5,
upper tooth-rows, 16.1 in length, and a weight of 2.75 grams, whereas
corresponding figures for the subadult are only 33.8, 12.9, and 1.4.
Two other adult females are intermediate in size: No. 1413, Univ.
Oregon, from 13 miles southwest of Grants Pass, Oregon, approaches the
specimen from Medford in size, and the second specimen, no. 34325, Mus.
Vert. Zoöl., from Carlotta, California, is smaller.
Not only is there a difference in length between the skulls of the two
extremes of the females but this difference extends to all other
dimensions of their skulls, and is most pronounced in the preorbital
region. The differences in breadth of the braincase and other parts of
the skull are relatively less than the differences in length.
Differences of the same nature, although of lesser degree than found in
the females, are to be seen in two males. The skull of an adult no.
51590, Mus. Vert. Zoöl., from 6 miles south of Medford, has a basilar
length of 46.4, upper tooth-rows, 17.6 mm. long, and a weight of 4.0
grams, whereas corresponding figures for the subadult type specimen
from Grants Pass, are only 43.0, 16.2, and 3.3.
The wide range of variation in size of skull of both sexes, together
with the considerable variation in color pattern of the specimens here
referred to _oregonensis_ raises the suspicion that we are using the
name in a composite sense; nevertheless, to recognize more than one
subspecies with the material now available would be unwise.
A subadult female, of abnormal color, no. 47149, Mus. Vert. Zoöl.,
taken by Mr. H. E. Wilder at Carlotta, California, on December 20,
1930, in a region where weasels do not turn white in winter, is white,
except for the black tip of the tail, but has a suffusion of orange.
This specimen, discussed at greater length on page 43, is instructive
in that it suggests that there are separate determiners for the brown
and red elements of the pelage. It is interesting also as suggesting
how natural selection may tend to eliminate from the population a
conspicuous color-variation of this kind. At any rate, Mr. Wilder (Ms.)
states: "This specimen was picked up in a field, where it evidently had
been dropped by a hawk or an owl." The braincase of the skull is
crushed in three places as though by a raptor's beak. None of the
several other weasels, all normally colored, saved by Mr. Wilder from
this general locality gives evidence of having fallen a victim to a
raptor.
Only 2 skulls of the 12 adults and subadults examined show malformation
of the frontal sinuses such as results from the presence of parasites.
_Specimens examined._--Total number, 29, arranged within states
from north to south by counties. Unless otherwise indicated
specimens are in the collection of the United States National
Museum.
=California.= _Del Norte County_: Requa, 1[8]. _Humholdt County_:
Eureka, 2 (1[74], 1[75]); Ferndale, 1[74]; Fortuna, 2[63];
Carlotta, 6 (3[74], 3[59]); 12 mi. E Bridgeville, 1[59]; 2 mi. W
Bridgeville, 1[59].
=Oregon.= _Washington County_: Forest Grove, 1. _Marion County_:
Salem, 2. _Benton County_: Buchanan, 1. _Lane County_: McKenzie
Bridge, 1[101]; Vida Fish Hatchery, 1[101]; Eugene, 1[101].
_Douglas County_: Anchor, 1. _Curry County_: Gold Beach, 2[60].
_Josephine County_: Rogue River Valley (Grants Pass), 1; 13 mi. SW
Grants Pass, 1[101]. _Jackson County_: Medford, 2; 6 mi. S
Medford, 1[74].
=Mustela frenata munda= (Bangs)
Long-tailed Weasel
Plates 1, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 30, 34, 35, 36 and 40
_Putorius xanthogenys mundus_ Bangs, Proc. New England Zoöl. Club,
1:56, June 9, 1899; Stephens, California mammals, p. 247, 1906.
_Mustela frenata_, Audubon and Bachman, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci.
Philadelphia, 8 (Pt. 2):291, 1842 (North California about 40°
latitude).
_Mustela xanthogenys munda_, Miller, U. S. Nat. Mus. Bull., 79:99,
December 31, 1912.
_Mustela frenata munda_, Hall, Carnegie Instit. Washington Publ.
473:107, November 20, 1936.
_Type._--Male, adult, skull, os penis and skin; no. 5459,
collection of E. A. and O. Bangs, but now in collection of Mus.
Comp. Zoöl.; Point Reyes, Marin County, California; June 19,
1896; obtained by C. A. Allen; original no. 931. (See comments
under "Remarks," below, on places in California to which the name
Point Reyes has been applied.)
The skull (pls. 19-21, 30) is complete and unbroken. I1 on each
side and right I2 are broken away; p2 and p3 on each side have
been aborted and the only alveoli remaining are two for the right
p3. Otherwise all teeth are present and entire. The skin is fairly
well made and in good condition.
Cranially, the type is a "runt"; its small size and the
circumstance that the tympanic bulla is longer than the lower
molar and premolar tooth-row and longer than the rostrum are
features which differentiate the type from any other specimen seen
of this race.
_Range._--Sea level to at least 6,000 feet (South Yolla Bolly
Mountain, Trinity County, California); Upper Sonoran and
Transition life-zones of the coast and Coast Range of northwestern
California from the Golden Gate northward into southern Humboldt
and Trinity counties. See figures 29 and 30 on pages 221 and 314.
_Characters for ready recognition._--Differs from _M. f.
oregonensis_ in longer hind foot of males which is more than 50
mm., and in both sexes, larger, more prominently ridged skull (see
measurements and plates); from _M. f. saturata_ by presence of
nasofrontal white spot, larger and relatively shallower skull of
males and larger skull of female; from _M. f. nevadensis_ by
presence of well-developed, white, facial markings; absence of
color of underparts on ventral face of proximal third of tail; and
hind foot of males more than 50; from _M. f. xanthogenys_ by near
(_l_) Sudan Brown to near (_l_) Antique Brown rather than
Buckthorn Brown colors of upper parts and greater size, and in
adult male basilar length more than 45 and hind foot more than 47;
from _M. f. nigriauris_ by having inside of ears same color as
back rather than much darker than back.
_Description._--_Size._--Male: Three adults and two young from
Point Arena and Gualala, Mendocino County, yield average and
extreme measurements as follows: Total length, 447 (434-470);
length of tail, 167 (150-185); length of hind foot, 53 (50-60).
Corresponding measurements of three adults from 5 and 6 miles west
of Inverness, Marin County, are: 430 (420-440), 154 (141-160), 48
(48-49). Corresponding measurements of four individuals (3 adults
and 1 young of large size) from South Yolla Bolly Mountain,
Trinity County, are: 383 (374-400), 134 (130-138); 44 (43-44). The
tail averages 60 per cent as long as the head and body in the
series from Point Arena, 56 per cent in the series from Point
Reyes, and 53 per cent in the series from South Yolla Bolly
Mountain. In every specimen except two, length of hind foot less
than basal length. The two exceptions are no. 19720, M.V.Z., male
adult from Point Arena in which the hind foot is recorded as 60
(probably an error in measurement), and no. 19721, M.V.Z., from
the same place, in which the skull has not yet attained its full
growth.
Female: One adult from Point Arena measures as follows: Total
length, 383; length of tail, 134; length of hind foot, 43.
Corresponding measurements of an adult from seven miles north of
Laytonville, Mendocino County, are: 336, 121, 33 (= 36 on dried
skin). Corresponding measurements of an adult from South Yolla
Bolly Mountain, Trinity County, are, 326, 113, 37. In these three
specimens, the tail is, in the order given, 54, 56, and 53 per
cent as long as the head and body. Length of hind foot more than
basal length.
Differences in external measurements of the two sexes as indicated
by the five males and one female from Point Arena, are: Total
length, 64; length of tail, 33; length of hind foot, 10. Weights
of 2 adult males are 265 and 221 grams and of one adult female 155
grams.
_Externals._--As described in _Mustela frenata nigriauris_.
_Color._--Spot between eyes, narrow band or spot confluent with
color of underparts on each side of head anterior to each ear,
chin, lower lips, and rarely posterior third or less of each upper
lip white; dark spot posterior to each angle of mouth uniformly
present and of large size; tip of tail black; remainder of upper
parts near (14 _l_) Sudan Brown and tone 4 of Raw Umber of
Oberthür and Dauthenay, pl. 301; occasionally, slightly darker
brown on forehead, nose, and about eyes. Underparts near (_a_ to
_c_) Ochraceous-Buff and sometimes Orange-Buff. Color of
underparts extends distally on posterior sides of forelegs over
toes onto antipalmar faces of feet and wrists, on medial sides of
hind limbs over antiplantar faces of toes. Least width of color of
underparts averaging, in a series of 5 males from Mendocino
County, 57 (46-67) per cent of greatest width of color of upper
parts; 38 (35-40) in 3 males from Point Reyes, Marin County. Black
tip of tail in Mendocino County series averaging 53 (46-60) mm.,
which is same length as hind foot and 32 per cent of length of
tail. In Point Reyes males, black tip of tail averages 44 (34-52)
mm., which is less than length of hind foot and 45 per cent as
long as tail-vertebrae.
Several specimens of the smaller, inland variant (see under
"_Remarks_") are near (_l_) Antique Brown rather than near (14
_l_) Sudan Brown above and hence do not differ in this respect
from _nigriauris_.
_Skull and teeth._--Male (based on 3 adults from Mendocino
County): See measurements and plates 19-23, 30. As described in
_Mustela frenata nigriauris_ except that: Weight, 6.0 (5.4-6.3)
grams; basilar length, 47.6 (46.5-48.2); length of tympanic bulla
more than length of lower molar and premolar tooth-row.
Female (based on no. 19723, M.V.Z., from Point Arena): See
measurements and plates 34-36, 40. As described in _M. f.
nigriauris_ except that: Weight, 3.0 grams; basilar length, 42.3.
The skull of the female is 50 per cent lighter than that of the
average male.