averages larger in every part measured and specimens from Point Arena
are nearly as heavy again, have relatively more expanded zygomata and
mastoid processes but are relatively narrower anteriorly as shown by
the breadth of the rostrum, interorbital breadth and postorbital
breadth. Also the braincase is less inflated anteriorly, the tympanic
bullae are lower and the skull is more angular. Females show the same
differences although in different degree. Compared with the skull of
the male of _M. f. nigriauris_, that of _munda_ from Point Arena
averages larger in every part measured except for the length of the
upper tooth-rows. Relative to the basilar length, the skull of _munda_
averages broader across the mastoids and across the zygomata, is deeper
through the braincase at the anterior end of the basioccipital, and
has a greater development of the lambdoidal crest.
_Remarks._--The skin and part skull, no. 536/1849, U. S. Nat. Mus.,
taken by Lieutenant W. P. Trowbridge at San Pablo Bay, is the first
specimen known to have been saved of this subspecies. Since 1899 when
O. Bangs diagnosed _munda_ as of small size, the weasel of the humid
costal belt north of San Francisco Bay has been regarded as smaller
than bridled weasels from farther south in the State. Actually,
however, the weasel of the humid costal belt shares with _M. f.
pulchra_ the distinction of being one of the two largest weasels in
California.
_M. f. munda_ may be a composite subspecies, for the variation in
facial markings, in coloration otherwise, in external measurements and
in size and shape of skull is great. At one time in the course of the
present study, manuscript accounts of two subspecies were prepared for
the animals now all called _munda_ and there is still much
justification for recognizing two subspecies, one, along the coast
proper, the larger, darker-colored animal with reduced white facial
markings and large, wide, heavily ridged skull from Point Arena, and 6
miles south of Laytonville, Mendocino County, along with the specimens
from 5 and 6 miles west of Inverness, Marin County, and the other, an
inland race, which is a smaller, lighter-colored animal with more
extensive white facial markings and a smaller, narrower, skull, known
by specimens from Point Reyes [station?], Nicasio, 15 mi. north of San
Rafael, Freestone, Vallejo, and Mount Sanhedrin. The differences
between these two lots of specimens are of great degree. However, a
female from Fort Bragg proves to be no larger than three females
labeled as from Point Reyes. Also, a male from 2 miles south and one
mile east of Stewarts Point on the coast has a skull no larger than the
animal from Vallejo, whereas the skin alone of an adult female from 3
miles south of Stewarts Point is large and agrees with the specimens
from Point Arena. Consequently, no logical ranges can be worked out for
the two variants with the material now available.
Finally, the type specimen of _munda_ is a "runt," smaller than any
other male seen. This specimen, purchased by E. A. and O. Bangs from C.
A. Allen, who collected and sold specimens widely, was labeled as from
Point Reyes. So far as this place-name is concerned, it might refer to:
(1) The point of land by that name which projects out into the Pacific
Ocean, (2) an abandoned ranch house bearing that name at the head of
Drakes Bay, 6 miles north and 3-3/4 miles east of the actual point, or
(3) the railway station by the same name at the head of Tomales Bay,
12 miles east and 4-3/4 miles north of the actual point. Allen,
himself, lived near San Geronimo (then Nicasio) about nine miles
southeast of the Point Reyes railway station. All these places are in
Marin County, but differ markedly as regards climate and flora. The
first two are treeless, windswept and have much fog, whereas Point
Reyes Station is more often sunny, and is situated in a shallow valley,
inland, where the open grass-covered west-facing slopes meet the
east-facing wooded ones. From which one of these three places the type
specimen came, I do not know. The same may be said of the three female
specimens labeled Point Reyes; two of these are in the United States
National Museum and one in the Field Museum.
The specimens in the Museum of Vertebrate Zoölogy from 5 and 6 miles
west of Inverness and those from near the same place in the collection
of John Cushing come from within a couple of miles or less of the Point
Reyes represented by the abandoned ranch house. These specimens, as
remarked above, agree with those from Point Arena in large size,
reduced facial markings and wide skull. These are points of difference
from the smaller variant suspected of being a recognizable subspecies.
It is the smaller variant which the type specimen approaches in size,
and with which it agrees in relatively well-developed white facial
markings. This suggests that the type specimen came from Point Reyes
Station rather than from either of the two other places bearing the
name "Point Reyes," from one of which, as just stated, the variant of
large size is known. The three females labeled "Point Reyes" also have
well-developed white facial markings and are of lesser size than the
female of similar age from Point Arena, Mendocino County. The
presumption is that these three females also came from Point Reyes
Station.
The smaller, inland variant seems to agree in size, cranial characters,
and coloration with _M. f. nigriauris_ to the southward of San
Francisco Bay, but lacks the black on the head which characterizes
_nigriauris_. The larger variant, on which the description here used
for _munda_ is based, comprises animals which differ from _nigriauris_
in larger size, darker color, reduced white facial markings, and
larger, relatively wider skull. Both of the variants mentioned above
are sharply distinct from _nigriauris_ on the basis of coloration of
the inside of the ear which is blackish in nigriauris like the dark
facial markings, and in _munda_ is colored like the back. _M. f. munda_
lacks the dark facial markings; an occasional specimen has at most, a
trace of the markings but this does not extend back so far as the ears.
This difference, blackish versus non-blackish face, persists eastward
of San Francisco Bay to at least as far as the Carquinez Straits, where
a specimen of _munda_ is available from 4 miles north of Vallejo and
one of _nigriauris_ from Glen Frazer Station on the south shore
opposite Vallejo.
[Illustration: FIG. 30. Map showing the geographic distribution of
subspecies of _Mustela frenata_ in California]
Intergradation with _M. f. nevadensis_ and possibly with _M. f.
saturata_ is indicated by specimens from South Yolla Bolly Mountain,
Trinity County. In them the external measurements and measurements of
the skull are intermediate. Also the white frontal spot is much reduced
in size. The white bars in front of the ears are absent in three
specimens, and weakly developed in the other two. The relative
proportions of the skulls as a whole are nearer those of _nevadensis_
or _saturata_ than _munda_. The skull of one of the three adult males
and the skull of the adult female suggests _M. f. oregonensis_ in
certain features; for example, the dorsal outline of the skull in
longitudinal axis is slightly convex as it is in _oregonensis_.
None of the specimens shows malformation of the frontal sinuses such as
results from infestation by parasites.
_Specimens examined._--Total number, 37, arranged by counties from
north to south. Unless otherwise indicated specimens are in the
Museum of Vertebrate Zoölogy.
=California.= _Trinity County_: S. Yolla Bolly Mt., 3[91]; 1/2 mi.
S S. Yolla Bolly Mt., 1. _Tehama County_: 2 mi. S S. Yolla Bolly
Mt., 1. _Mendocino County_: 6 mi. N Laytonville, 1; Mt. Sanhedrin,
1[87]; Ft. Bragg, 1; Gualala, 1; Point Arena, 5. _Sonoma County_:
2 mi. S and 1 mi. E Stewarts Point, 1; 3 mi. S Stewarts Point P.
O., 1; Freestone, 1. _Napa County_: 6 mi. SSW, Napa, 1; 4 mi. N
Vallejo, 1. County in question: San Pablo Bay, 1[91]. _Marin
County_: 6 mi. W Inverness, 2; 5 mi. W Inverness, 2(1[28]); Point
Reyes, 4 (2[91] 1[60], 1[75]); Nicasio, 2 (1[60], 1[75]); Kehoes
Ranch, Pierce Point, 1[28]; Drakes Bay, 1[28]; Tomales Point,
about 1/2 mi. SW White Gulch, 1; Point Reyes School, 3-3/4 mi. W
Inverness, 1; 15 mi. (by road) N San Rafael, 1[52]; Hurley Ranch,
2 mi. W Tomales, 1. No locality more definite than California,
1[7].
=Mustela frenata xanthogenys= Gray
Long-tailed Weasel
Plates 21, 22, 23, 28, 30, 34, 35 and 36
_Mustela xanthogenys_ Gray, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., 11:118, 1843.
_Putorius (Gale) brasiliensis frenatus_, Coues, Fur-bearing
animals, p. 142, 1877 (part).
_Putorius xanthogenys_, Merriam, N. Amer. Fauna, 11:25, June 30,
1896; Bangs, Proc. New England Zoöl. Club, 1:56, June 9, 1899.
_Mustela xanthogenys xanthogenys_, Miller, U. S. Nat. Mus. Bull.,
79:99, December 31, 1912.
_Mustela frenata xanthogenys_, Hall, Carnegie Instit. Washington
Publ. 473:107, November 20, 1936.
_Type._--Male, adult, skull and skin; skull no. 197a-43.6.4.55,
skin no. 234a-42.11.21.4, British Museum (Nat. Hist.); from the
bank of Sacramento River below mouth of Feather River, or from
north shore of San Francisco Bay, California; taken in "1837 or
1838"; presented by Captain Edward Belcher.
The skull (plate 28) lacks the occiput, the right mandible
posterior to m1, and the right pterygoid; the right zygomatic arch
is fractured. The teeth are not greatly worn. The skin was
originally mounted for exhibition (R. I. Pocock in Litt.) but in
1937 when I saw the skin, it was prepared as a conventional study
skin. The skin is in fairly good condition; some hair is missing
on the hind quarters and the skin of the tail is torn at one
place.
_Range._--Altitudinally, less than 600 feet (Fair Oaks); Lower
Sonoran and Upper Sonoran life-zones of all but southern end of
the San Joaquin Valley, and probably Sacramento Valley,
California. See figures 29 and 30 on pages 221 and 314.
_Characters for ready recognition._--Differs from _M. f.
nevadensis_ by presence of light facial markings and Buckthorn
Brown rather than near (14_n_ to _l_) Brussels Brown color of
upper parts; from _M. f. munda_ by Buckthorn Brown rather than
near (_l_) Sudan Brown, or near (_l_) Antique Brown color of upper
parts and lesser size, in adult males basilar length less than 45
and hind foot less than 47; from _M. f. nigriauris_ by lighter
color in same way as from _munda_ and also by having inside of
ears same color as back rather than much darker than back; from
_M. f. pulchra_ in hind foot of males less than 46 and narrower
skull, in males having breadth of rostrum less than 13.9 and
mastoid breadth less than 26.0, see comparison of skulls in the
account of _pulchra_.
_Description._--_Size._--Male: Three adults, from Fresno, Selma
and Los Banos, measure, respectively as follows: Total length,
425, 417, 450; length of tail, 152, 154, 180; length of hind
foot,--, 43, 44. Tail averages 61 per cent as long as head and
body. Length of hind foot less than basal length.
Female: Adults from Selma, Los Banos, and 4 mi. SW Turlock,
measure respectively as follows: Total length, 357, 365, 395;
length of tail, 133, 132, 145; length of hind foot, 40, 38, 41.
Tail averages 58 per cent as long as head and body. Length of hind
foot less than basal length.
The average differences in external measurements between the two
sexes, as represented by these six specimens, are: Total length,
65; length of tail, 25; length of hind foot, 3.5. One adult male
weighs 274 grams and 2 adult females 182 and 214 grams.
_Externals._--As described in _Mustela frenata nigriauris_.
_Color._--Spot between eyes, band confluent with color of
underparts on each side of head extending anterodorsally anterior
to each ear, and posterior half to third of each upper lip white,
or whitish tinged with some shade of yellowish; chin and lower lip
white; dark spot posterior to each angle of mouth of varying size
but uniformly present; tip of tail black; remainder of upper parts
Buckthorn Brown of Ridgway or a trifle browner than tone 4 of
Brown Pink of Oberthür and Dauthenay, pl. 297. Upper parts of
uniform color except for slight darkening of head-markings
anterior to ears. Underparts Ochraceous-Buff to Warm 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 and sometimes tarsal
region. Least width of color of underparts averaging, in 9
specimens from Fresno, Selma and Los Banos, 54 (32-74) per cent of
greatest width of color of upper parts. Black tip of tail in three
males (one subadult and 3 adults) averages 55 (50-60) mm. long.
Thus longer than hind foot and averaging 34 per cent of length of
tail-vertebrae.
_Skull and teeth._--Male (based on 2 adults from Fresno and one
from Selma): See measurements and plates 21-23, 30. As described
in _M. f. nigriauris_ except that: Weight 3.8 grams; basilar
length, 43.7 (43.4-43.9); least width of palate more or less than
lateral length of P4; length of tympanic bulla more than length of
lower molar and premolar tooth-rows.
Female (no. 2626 W. E. Snyder, from Selma): See measurements and
plates 34-36. As described in _M. f. nigriauris_ except that:
Weight, 2.5 grams; basilar length, 39.4.
The skull of the female is 34 per cent lighter than the average
for the three males.
Compared with skulls of _nevadensis_ from the Sierra Nevada, those of
the two adult males from Fresno differ as follows: M1 wider
(transversely); tympanic bullae narrower; preorbital part of skull
smaller. Comparison with _pulchra_ is made in the account of that
subspecies. Compared with skulls of adult males of _nigriauris_, from
Santa Clara County, the two skulls from Fresno are generally smaller
and in basilar length, length of tooth-rows and measurements of the
teeth fall below the minimum for _nigriauris_. Relative proportions of
the skulls are approximately the same. Comparison with _munda_ reveals
essentially the same differences as does comparison with _nigriauris_
except that the difference in size is greater.
_Remarks._--The name _Mustela xanthogenys_ Gray was long applied to all
the weasels of the interior valleys of California and of the coast of
that state south of San Francisco Bay. Gray, when he named the species
and when referring to it in later accounts, never defined the locality
whence the specimen came more definitely than "California." In 1896,
Merriam (1896:25) gave the type locality as "Southern California,
probably vicinity of San Diego" and later writers have not contradicted
him. The type specimen was obtained in the course of the voyage of the
British ship Sulphur, under command of Sir Edward Belcher. Examination
of Belcher's (1843, vol. 1, p. 129) narrative of the voyage indicates
the following places in California at which the specimen of weasel,
described by Gray, could have been obtained: Fort Ross, Bodega,
vicinity of San Francisco Bay and up Sacramento River to the mouth of
the Feather River, Monterey, Santa Barbara, Buenaventura, San Pedro,
San Juan, and San Diego.
Reginald I. Pocock has kindly compared the type specimen in the British
Museum with several specimens sent for that purpose. In the first
place, comparison of skulls shows that the type specimen is a member of
one of the races north of San Diego. In the second place, comparison of
skins shows that the inside of the ears are not blackish but similar in
color to the back. In fact, Pocock writes under date of February 12,
1929, regarding the type specimen, that "It is practically uniformly
colored from the snout to the base of the tail, there being scarcely a
trace of the darkening of the head, or muzzle, observable in your
specimens [those sent for comparison]." This character of coloration of
the ear excludes all the weasels of the Coast region of California from
San Francisco Bay southward, namely, _M. f. latirostra_ and _M. f.
nigriauris_. My own examination of this type specimen at a date later
than that on which Pocock compared it satisfies me as to the accuracy
of his statement above.
Accordingly, the name _xanthogenys_ would seem to apply to one of the
two subspecies here called _munda_ and _xanthogenys_. Perusal of
Belcher's narrative of the voyage (_loc. cit._) shows that little, if
any, opportunity was afforded to obtain vertebrate specimens at Fort
Ross or Bodega, both localities within the range of the subspecies here
called _munda_. Furthermore, the type specimen is smaller than
individuals of _munda_ from 5 to 6 miles west of Inverness and from
Point Arena with which the animals from Fort Ross and Bodega would be
expected to agree in size. Weasels from along the north shore of San
Francisco Bay are smaller than those on the coast north of the bay.
Possibly the type specimen of _xanthogenys_ came from the north side of
San Francisco Bay but probably it came from the bank of the Sacramento
River and almost certainly not farther up stream from San Francisco Bay
than the junction of the Sacramento and Feather rivers. The statement
of Belcher (1843, vol. 1, p. 129), regarding the trip up the Sacramento
River as far as Point Victoria, lat. 38°46´47" north, and return to
San Francisco Bay, that "Cuyote or jackal--fox, racoon, land otter,
weasel, and squirrel were obtained" lends strong probability to the
idea that this type specimen was taken along the Sacramento River,
possibly in the vicinity of the existing city of Sacramento.
Unfortunately no specimens are available from the Sacramento Valley. If
some were available, a comparison of them and specimens of _munda_ from
along the north side of San Francisco Bay and Carquinez Straits with
the type specimen of _xanthogenys_ should determine the correct
application of the name. For the present it seems best to retain the
name _munda_ and apply the name _xanthogenys_ to the weasels inhabiting
the northern part of the San Joaquin Valley and presumably the southern
part of the Sacramento Valley.
Efforts to obtain specimens of weasels from the Sacramento Valley have
been in vain. A juvenal specimen taken five miles south of Fair Oaks,
Sacramento County, by Mr. John Fitzgerald, Jr., in December, 1927, was
examined at his home and found to agree in coloration with specimens
from farther south. Geographically, this specimen probably is more
nearly a topotype than any other examined.
Most of the specimens examined are immature and adequate adult cranial
material has not been seen. Two adults, one of each sex, from Los Banos
have skulls of large size which agree with those of _nigriauris_. The
same is true of one adult and one young female from 4 miles southwest
of Turlock, which, unlike the animals from Los Banos, show a darkening
of the head extending in reduced degree even to the inside of the ears,
as in _nigriauris_. The slightly darker than average (for
_xanthogenys_) color on the back may indicate intergradation with
_nevadensis_. Intergradation with _M. f. nevadensis_ is shown by
specimens, from the southern part of the Sierra Nevada, mentioned in
the account of _nevadensis_.
None of the skulls shows malformation of the frontal sinuses such as
result from infestation by parasites.
_Specimens examined._--Total number 30, arranged by counties from
north to south.
=California.= _Sacramento County_: Bank of Sacramento River, 1[7];
5 mi. S Fair Oaks, 1[29]. _San Joaquin County_: 4 mi. W Stockton,
1[74]. _Merced County_: Tegner School, 4 mi. SW Turlock, 2; Los
Banos, 4 (2[74], 1[91] 1[87]). _Fresno County_: Mendota, 1[74];
Biola, 1[30]; Clovis, 1[55]; Fresno, 5 (1[74], 1[91], 2[55],
1[1]); 5 mi. W Fresno, 1[14]; Selma, 3 (2[50], 1[104]); 4 mi. NW
Sanger, 1[55]; 5 mi. S Selma, 1[62]. _Tulare County_: Monson,
1[74]; 1-1/2 mi. N Goshen, 1[74]; Milo, 1[91]; 2 mi. N Tipton,
1[74]; Poplar, 2[53]. No locality more definite than California,
1[4].
=Mustela frenata nigriauris= Hall
Long-tailed Weasel
Plates 22, 23, 24, 34, 35, 36 and 41
_Mustela frenata nigriauris_ Hall, Carnegie Instit. Washington
Publ. 473:95, November 20, 1936.
_Putorius xanthogenys_, Baird, Mamm. N. Amer., 1858, p. 176 (part).
_Mustela xanthogenys_ Gray, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., 14(ser.
4):375, 1874 (part?).
_Putorius (Gale) brasiliensis frenatus_, Coues, Fur-bearing
animals, p. 142, 1877 (part).
_Putorius xanthogenys xanthogenys_, Grinnel, Proc. California Acad.
Sciences, fourth series, 3:292, August 28, 1913.
_Mustela xanthogenys xanthogenys_, Miller, U. S. Nat. Mus. Bull.,
79:99, December 31, 1912; Grinnell, Univ. California Publ. Zoöl.,
40:102, September 26, 1933.
_Type._--Male, adult, skeleton and skin; no. 32820, Mus. Vert.
Zoöl.; Half Moon Bay, San Mateo County, California; received at
Museum of Vertebrate Zoölogy, May 4, 1922, through A. L.
Hagedoorn, after having been in captivity a few days where death
occurred owing to injuries received in trap; original no. 1590.
The skull has each of the zygomatic arches and the anterior end of
the nasals broken through. The only part missing is the central
two millimeters of the left zygomatic arch. The teeth all are
present and entire. The skeleton appears to be complete except for
the bones of the feet, which are preserved within the skin. The
skin is well made and in good condition.
_Range._--Altitudinally, sea level to more than 4000 feet; Sonoran
and Transition life-zones of Coast Range and coast of California
from San Francisco Bay south to Point Conception, Santa Barbara
County, California. See figures 29 and 30 on pages 221 and 314.
_Characters for ready recognition._--Differs from _M. f. munda_,
_xanthogenys_, and _pulchra_ by having inside of ears darker than
back rather than same color as back, and from _xanthogenys_ and
_pulchra_ in near (_l_) Antique Brown color of upper parts rather
than Buckthorn Brown or near (16 _j_) Buckthorn Brown to near
(_h_) Yellow Ocher respectively; from _M. f. latirostra_ by
postorbital breadth, of adult males and females, less, rather than
more, than width of basioccipital measured from medial margin of
one foramen lacerum posterior to its opposite.
_Description._--_Size._--Male: Five adults from Palo Alto, Santa
Clara County, yield average and extreme measurements as follows:
Total length, 447 (412-465); length of tail, 167 (147-175); length
of hind foot, 46 (45-47). Corresponding measurements of four
adults from San Francisco are: 412 (394-435); 153 (145-160); 43.5
(41-46). Corresponding measurements of five adults and subadults
from Berkeley, Alameda County, are: 419 (390-448); 148 (135-160);
44 (42-47). Tail averages 59 per cent as long as head and body in
series from Palo Alto and in one from San Francisco. The average
of 55 for the Berkeley series probably reflects a lesser average
age. Length of hind foot less than basal length. The type specimen
measures, 415, 150, 43. It is smaller than the mean.
Female: A subadult from Palo Alto measures: Total length, 368;
length of tail, 126; length of hind foot, 39. An adult and two
subadults from Berkeley measure, respectively, as follows: Total
length, 347, 365, 340; length of tail, 134, 123, 125; length of
hind foot, 37, 38.4, 36.5. In these four females the tail averages
55 per cent as long as head and body. Length of hind foot less
than basal length.
The average differences in external measurements of the two sexes,
as represented by specimens from Berkeley, Alameda County, are:
Total length, 68; length of tail, 21; length of hind foot, 7.
Eight adult males weigh 249 (217-335) grams and one adult female
123 grams.
_Externals._--Longest facial vibrissae brownish like dark color of
head and extending beyond ear; carpal vibrissae mostly color of
underparts and extending to apical pad of fifth digit; hairiness
of foot-soles slightly more than shown in figure 20.