Part 40

_Color._--Spot between eyes, band confluent with color of underparts, on each side of head extending anterodorsally anterior to each ear, posterior third of each upper lip, lower lips and chin white or more often darker than Ochraceous-Buff and therefore same color as belly; dark spot posterior to each angle of mouth present but small; tip of tail black; remainder of upper parts near (16 _j_) Buckthorn Brown to near (_h_) Yellow Ocher and from tone 2 to 4 of Brown Pink of Oberthür and Dauthenay, pl. 297, but with a trifle more reddish brown. Upper parts of uniform color except for occasional slight darkening of nose, forehead, and areas around eyes. Underparts darker (_a_) than Ochraceous-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, tarsal region and sometimes in diluted fashion on proximal third of underside of tail. Least width of color of underparts averaging, in 6 male topotypes, 55 (43-81) per cent of greatest width of color of upper parts. Black tip of tail in same series of males averaging 58 (53-63) mm. long; thus averaging longer than hind foot and 33 per cent of length of tail-vertebrae.

_Skull and teeth._--Male (based on 6 ads., type and 5 topotypes): See measurements and plates 22-24. As described in _M. f. nigriauris_ except that: Weight (6 ads.), 5.3 (4.5-6.1) grams; basilar length, 47.6 (46.0-48.6); (one skull, no. 335, with postorbital breadth more than distance between posterior borders of P4 and P2); interorbital breadth more or less than distance between foramen opticum and anterior margin of tympanic bulla; anterior margin of tympanic bulla as far posterior to foramen ovale as width of 2 to 3-1/2 (including I3) upper incisors; length of tympanic bulla more than length of lower molar and premolar tooth-row and shorter than rostrum.

Female: Adult skull of typical female not seen.

As compared with the skull of the type specimen of _inyoensis_, skulls of adult males of _pulchra_ are larger throughout, relatively broader, especially in the preorbital part of the skull, have more inflated tympanic bullae, and are less convex in dorsal outline. Comparison of the skull with that of _latirostra_ has been made in discussion of that subspecies. Comparison of skulls of adult males of _nigriauris_ and _pulchra_ shows that those of _pulchra_ average larger in every measurement taken except those of m1, M1, P4, and depth of skull at posterior borders of upper molars. The basilar length is only slightly more and it follows that, relative to this length, other measurements of the skull are relatively, as well as actually, larger. In no one measurement is there an entire lack of overlap, but the skulls of adult males, and probably adult females, may be distinguished from those of _nigriauris_ by the combination of the following mentioned, average differences: Tympanic bullae larger in each of three dimensions; preorbital and interorbital parts of skull broader and notably heavier; interorbital breadth greater; zygomatic arches more expanded laterally; mastoid processes more prominent. As compared with _xanthogenys_, differences of similar nature, but of greater degree, distinguish _pulchra_. As compared with those of _nevadensis_ (represented by specimens from Mono Co., Calif.), skulls of adult males of _pulchra_ average larger in every measurement taken and no overlap exists in basilar length, orbitonasal length, mastoid breadth, zygomatic breadth, length of tympanic bulla, or depth of skull at either the anterior margin of the basioccipital or at the posterior margins of the upper molars. Relatively, the preorbital portion is about the same size in the two forms.

_Remarks._--The best material of this big weasel was obtained in 1910 and 1911 by John Wimmer and forwarded to the California Academy of Sciences through John R. Rowley, although in 1905, one specimen had been obtained by A. S. Bunnell for the collections of the United States Bureau of Biological Survey, another by J. Grinnell for the Museum of Vertebrate Zoölogy in 1912, and in 1933, another by L. M. Huey, for the San Diego Society of Natural History.

The males from the type locality are relatively uniform in size and shape of skull. The one exception is no. 137935, U. S. Nat. Mus., slightly younger than the others. Its skull is relatively more slender than any of the others and does not display several of the differential characters. The male, no. 127566, U. S. Nat. Mus., from Alila (= Earlimart) is intermediate in cranial features between _pulchra_ and _xanthogenys_ as known from specimens taken in the vicinity of Fresno. The skull of the female, no. 127565, from the same place, is too young to provide diagnostic characters. Since the skull of an adult female of topotypical _pulchra_ is unknown, doubt attaches to the identification of the adult, female specimen, no. 115895, U. S. Nat. Mus., from Delano. It has a relatively broad skull in comparison with the adult female of _xanthogenys_ from Los Banos. The adult female, no. 9998, San Diego Soc. Nat. Hist., from 2 mi. SW Simmler, shows approach to _nigriauris_ in slightly reduced size. The skin alone from Coalinga, a male, taken on April 10, 1935, measures 462, 179, 47. The adult female, with crushed skull, from 4 miles east of Coalinga, measures 350, 129, 40. In size, these specimens agree better with _pulchra_ than with _xanthogenys_. The skin alone from 3 miles south of Coalinga is unsexed and without external measurements. Skulls of adults from Coalinga are needed to permit of more positive identification of the subspecies found there. The female from 4 miles east of Coalinga, taken on February 21, 1936, is in process of molt on the underparts, and the longer hair which is near (20´) Naples Yellow contrasts strongly with the incoming shorter hair which is near (10 _c_) Salmon-Orange. The skin alone, no. 16270, Mus. Vert. Zoöl., from Isabella, was made up from a decayed animal and is of but little use. It is referred to _pulchra_ purely because of geographic nearness of Isabella to the type locality of _pulchra_. The most that can be told from the specimen is that it is a relatively light-colored, bridled weasel. The fact that the color is slightly darker than in _pulchra_ may or may not indicate intergradation with _nevadensis_. No. 54103/41042, U. S. Nat. Mus., consisting of crushed bits of skull and the skin of the head, is from Willow Spring, Kern County. This marginal locality is really in the Mojave Desert rather than in the San Joaquin Valley. The light color of the skin of the head suggests _pulchra_, but it is realized that a complete specimen might show the animal there to be unlike _pulchra_.

None of the skulls shows evidence of having had the frontal sinuses infested by parasites.

_Specimens examined._--Total number, 18, listed by counties from north to south. Unless otherwise indicated, specimens are in the Museum of Vertebrate Zoölogy.

=California.= _Fresno County_: Coalinga, 1[23]; 4 mi. E Coalinga, 1; 3 mi. S Coalinga, 1[8]. _Tulare County_: Alila (= Earlimart), 2[91]. _Kern County_: Delano, 1[91]; Buttonwillow, 9 (6[8], 2[91]); Isabella, 1; Willow Spring, 1[91] _San Luis Obispo County_: 2 mi. SW Simmler, 1[87].

=Mustela frenata inyoensis= Hall

Long-tailed Weasel

Plates 22, 23 and 24

_Mustela frenata inyoensis_ Hall, Carnegie Instit. Washington Publ. 473:99, November 20, 1936.

_Putorius xanthogenys_, Merriam, N. Amer. Fauna, 11:25, June 30, 1896 (part).

_Mustela xanthogenys xanthogenys_, Miller, U. S. Nat. Mus. Bull., 79:99, December 31, 1912.

_Type._--Male, adult, skull (with skeleton) and skin; no. 25907, Mus. Vert. Zoöl.; Carl Walter's Ranch, 2 mi. N Independence, Inyo County, California; June 26, 1917; obtained by A. C. Shelton; original no. 3143.

The skull (plates 22-24) is complete and unbroken. All teeth are present and entire. The skin is well made and in good condition.

_Range._--From 3700 feet (Lone Pine) to at least 4000 feet (Alvord); Lower Sonoran Life-zone of the floor of Owens Valley in Inyo County, California. See figures 29 and 30 on pages 221 and 314.

_Characters for ready recognition._--Differs from _M. f. nevadensis_ in presence of white facial markings; from _M. f. pulchra_ in near (_l_) Brussels Brown rather than near (16 _j_) Buckthorn Brown to near (_h_) Yellow Ocher color of upper parts and basilar length of less than 45 in males; from _M. f. latirostra_ in brownish rather than blackish color of inside of ear and orbitonasal length of more than 15.

_Description._--_Size._--Male: Two adults, the type specimen and no. 25392/32805, measure, respectively, as follows: Total length, 423 and 390; length of tail, 170 and 145; length of hind foot, 42 and 44. Tail is 67 and 59 per cent as long as head and body. Length of hind foot less than basal length.

Female: No. 12400, Field Mus. Nat. Hist., which is young, has the following measurements: Total length, 390; length of tail, 150; length of hind foot, 39. Tail is 63 per cent as long as head and body. Length of hind foot less than basal length.

The differences in external measurements between the two sexes, as represented by the male type specimen and by the young female, are: Total length, 33, length of tail, 20; length of hind foot, 3.

_Externals._--Longest facial vibrissae black or dark brown and reaching beyond ear; carpal vibrissae same color as underparts and extending to apical pad of fifth digit; hairiness of foot-soles (in summer pelage) slightly less than shown in figure 19.

_Color._--Large spot between eyes, band confluent with color of underparts, on each side of head extending anterodorsally anterior to each ear, upper throat, chin, lower lips and in some specimens part or all of upper lips white; patch between eyes and bars in front of ears tinged with some shade of yellowish in one specimen; dark spot posterior to each angle of mouth present in four of five specimens; tip of tail black; remainder of upper parts, in summer, near (_l_) Brussels Brown or tones 1 to 2 of Raw Umber of Oberthür and Dauthenay, pl. 301; slightly darker brown on forehead, nose and about eyes. In winter near (_j_) Snuff Brown or lighter than Brussels Brown with a smoked effect. Underparts Buff-Yellow, winter and summer. Color of underparts extends distally on posterior sides of forelegs over toes onto antipalmar faces of feet and wrists and on medial sides of hind legs over antiplantar faces of toes. Least width of color of underparts averaging, in 5 available specimens 34 (24-42) per cent of greatest width of color of upper parts. Black tip of tail, in two adult males, averaging 53 (45 and 60) mm. Thus longer than hind foot and averaging 34 per cent of length of tail-vertebrae.

_Skull and teeth._--Male (based on the type): See measurements and plates 22-24. As described in _M. f. nigriauris_ except that: Weight, 4.4 grams; basilar length, 44.7; postorbital breadth not less than width of basioccipital measured from medial margin of one foramen lacerum posterior to its opposite; length of tympanic bulla less than length of lower molar and premolar tooth-row.

Female: Adult unknown.

Compared with the skull of the male of _nevadensis_, no single difference not covered by individual variation in _nevadensis_ has been detected. Selected differences of _inyoensis_ in comparison with _latirostra_ are larger size, less inflated tympanic bullae and relative narrowness of the postorbital, interorbital and preorbital parts of the skull. Comparison of the skull with that of _M. f. pulchra_ is made in the account of that subspecies.

_Remarks._--Although two specimens of this subspecies were taken during the Death Valley Survey conducted by Dr. C. Hart Merriam, only three additional individuals are known to have been saved as study specimens since that time.

_M. f. inyoensis_ as now known may be thought of as closely similar to _M. f. nevadensis_ except for the presence of well-developed white facial markings like those found in the weasels of the San Joaquin Valley and coastal region of California south of San Francisco Bay. The nonwhite areas of the head are almost the same color as the back and not distinctly blackish as in _M. f. latirostra_ and _M. f. nigriauris_. The one specimen in the winter coat, no. 25392/32805, U. S. Nat. Mus., from Lone Pine, is brown rather than white. The brown has the pale smoke-tinge common in the winter pelage of subspecies whose members are either brown or white in winter. The range of this subspecies is thought to include the floor and lower elevations of Owens Valley although it may occur in limited numbers southwestward along the base of the Sierra Nevada and through the mountains in places of low elevation like Walker Pass its range may meet that of _pulchra_.

The type specimen was taken in an alfalfa field by ranch hands, who, according to A. C. Shelton (MS), stated that the species was common at the type locality. None of the five specimens shows infestation of the frontal sinuses by parasites.

_Specimens examined._--Total number, 5, listed by localities from north to south.

=California.= _Inyo County_: Alvord, 4000 ft., 1 (U. S. Nat. Mus.); 2 mi. N Independence, 1 (Mus. Vert. Zoöl.); Lone Pine, 3 (2 in Field Mus. Nat. Hist. and 1 in U. S. Nat. Mus.).

=Mustela frenata neomexicana= (Barber and Cockerell)

Long-tailed Weasel

Plates 1, 22, 23, 24, 34, 35 and 36

_Putorius frenatus neomexicanus_ Barber and Cockerell, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 1898:188; Lantz, Trans. Kansas Acad. Sci., 19:178, 1905.

_Mustela frenata neomexicana_, Miller, U. S. Nat. Mus. Bull., 79:100, December 31, 1912; Bailey, Animal Life of Carlsbad Cavern, p. 97, 1928; Hall, Carnegie Instit. Washington Publ. 473:108, November 20, 1936.

_Mustela frenatus neomexicanus_, Bailey, N. Amer. Fauna, 35:19, September 5, 1913.

_Type._--Male, adult, skull and skin; no. 10475, Mus. Comp. Zoöl.; Armstrong's Lake, Mesilla Park, Dona Ana County, New Mexico; February 1, 1898; obtained by A. C. Tryson; original no. 58 of C. M. Barber.

The skull is imperfectly cleaned but unbroken. The right upper incisors, right P2 and left p3 are broken away. The skin is indifferently stuffed but in a good state of preservation except that the distal part of the tail is missing. The animal's coat is ragged, and this imperfect appearance is heightened by injury to the posterior part of the body, probably at the time of capture.

_Range._--From 3800 feet (type locality) to 9000 feet (Cloudcroft, N. Mex.); Upper Sonoran and Lower Sonoran life-zones of northern México, southeastern Arizona, New Mexico and western Texas, panhandle of Oklahoma, southeastern Colorado and southwestern Kansas. See figure 29 on page 221.

_Characters for ready recognition._--Differs from _M. f. frenata_ and _M. f. texensis_ by Buckthorn Brown rather than Brussels Brown color of upper parts, mastoid breadth of adult males ordinarily more, rather than less, than postpalatal length; from _M. f. leucoparia_ by Buckthorn Brown rather than Argus Brown color of upper parts, distance from anterior margin of tympanic bulla to foramen ovale less, rather than more, than four-fifths height of tympanic bulla; from _M. f. arizonensis_ and _M. f. nevadensis_ by Buckthorn Brown, rather than near (14 _n_) Brussels Brown or, in winter, white color of upper parts, in presence of white frontal spot continuous with color of underparts, in basilar length of more than 46 mm. in males and 40 mm. in females; from _M. f. longicauda_ by Buckthorn Brown rather than near (_h_) Clay Color of upper parts, by presence of white facial markings on Argus Brown head, and by length of tooth-rows amounting to less than 37 per cent of basilar length; from _M. f. primulina_ by Buckthorn Brown rather than Brussels Brown color of upper parts, in presence of white frontal spot and broad white bands on side of head, in anteriorly truncate rather than anterolaterally rounded bullae and zygomatic breadth of more than 30 in males and 24 in females.

_Description._--_Size._--Male: The type specimen (see Barber and Cockerell, 1898:188) measured: Total length, 500; length of tail, 205; length of hind foot, 50. Tail 70 per cent as long as head and body. Length of hind foot less than basal length.

Female: No. 21779 from Tombstone, Arizona, measured: Total length, 419; length of tail, 165; length of hind foot from dried skin, 41 (probably 43 in flesh). Tail 65 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 known from these two individuals, are: Total length, 81; length of tail, 40; length of hind foot, 7.

Compared with _M. f. frenata_, the size, proportions of parts and difference in size of the two sexes, appears to be about the same.

_Externals._--Longest facial vibrissae colored like upper parts [in the type specimen some of the "long bristles of the upper lip" are white as pointed out by Barber and Cockerell (_op. cit._: 188)] and extending beyond ear; carpal vibrissae colored like underparts and extending to apical pad of fifth digit; hairiness of foot-soles as shown in figure 20.

_Color._--Broad white bands on sides of head, extending anterodorsally anterior to each ear, confluent with white spot between eyes and with color of underparts; posterior half or all of each upper lip edged with white; usually few white hairs on top of head between ears; remainder of top of head near Argus Brown of Ridgway and Chocolate, tone 4, of Oberthür and Dauthenay; dark spot posterior to each angle of mouth usually absent; tip of tail black; remainder of upper parts varying, in different specimens, from Buckthorn Brown to Dresden Brown of Ridgway, and Brown Pink (tones 3 to 4, pl. 297, of Oberthür and Dauthenay); underparts Antimony Yellow or near (_c_) Warm Buff of Ridgway, and Brown Pink (tone 1, pl. 297, of Oberthür and Dauthenay); color of underparts extends distally on legs over forefeet and hind feet. Least width of color of underparts averaging 46 (41-55) per cent of greatest width of color of upper parts; black tip of tail 35 to 45 mm. long in females; 43 to 68 mm. long in males and averaging 21 (20-36) per cent as long as tail-vertebrae.

No specimen of this subspecies in the white winter coat has been seen. Animals taken in midwinter are available from Mesilla Park, Willcox, and 10 miles east of Roswell.

From _M. f. frenata_, _neomexicana_ differs in: upper parts and underparts much lighter colored; white facial markings more extensive; color of underparts more extended onto feet. From _M. f. leucoparia_, _neomexicana_ differs as follows: above and below, much lighter colored, but white facial markings less extensive and color of underparts less extended onto feet and legs.

_Skull and teeth._--Male (based on adults: the type; no. 131582 from Berino, New Mexico; and no. 1485 from Seward Co., Kansas): See measurements and plates 22-24. As described in _Mustela frenata frenata_ except that: Weight, 6.2 (4.9 and 7.5); basilar length, 49.3 (48 and 50.5); mastoid breadth more than postpalatal length; least width of palate less than length of P4; anterior margin of masseteric fossa directly below m2 or heel of ml.

Female (based on three adults): See measurements and plates 34-36. As described in _Mustela frenata frenata_ except that: Weight, 3.1 (2.6-3.5) grams; basilar length, 42.7 (40.8-45.5); zygomatic breadth less than distance between condylar foramen and M1 and more or less than distance between anterior palatine foramen and anterior margin of tympanic bulla.

The skull of the female averages 50 per cent lighter than that of the male.

As compared with the skull of the male of _M. f. frenata_, that of _neomexicana_ is decidedly more angular and ridged. The postorbital constriction is narrower, the mastoid breadth greater (it is less than the postpalatal length in some subadult males), the sagittal crest much higher with impressions of the temporal and masseter muscles carried farther forward on the frontals, rostrum shorter and tympanic bullae wider and more inflated. Similar, though less marked, differences exist between the females. As compared with _M. f. leucoparia_ and _perotae_, the same differences as noted above between _frenata_ and _neomexicana_ exist. In addition the tympanic bullae are so far removed from the foramen ovale that the distance from the anterior end of each bulla to the foramen ovale, instead of being less than the height of tympanic bullae, is in _leucoparia_ more than four-fifths this height and in _perotae_ more than the entire height. Also, in _perotae_, the squamosal, anterior to each tympanic bulla, is ventrally convex rather than ventrally concave as in _neomexicana_. Compared with _M. f. longicauda_, _neomexicana_ is relatively narrower in the interorbital region, has relatively shorter tooth-rows, a V-shaped rather than a U-shaped interpterygoid space and in males has the interorbital region flat rather than convex and the sagittal crest is higher. The same differences are to be noted in comparison with _nevadensis_ but here the difference in relative length of tooth-row is less. The same differences exist also in comparison with _M. f. arizonensis_ except that its interorbital breadth, relative to the rest of the skull, is about the same. Difference in size is especially marked here; even females of _neomexicana_ average larger than males of _arizonensis_.

_Remarks._--When Barber and Cockerell named this subspecies in 1898, they had three specimens. Only two others are known to have been taken before this time. These are a skeleton, without corresponding skin, taken at Lozier, Texas, in 1890 by Wm. Lloyd, and no. 21779/36482, U. S. Nat. Mus., taken on April 6, 1893, by R. D. Lusk at Tombstone, Arizona. On the back of a label recently attached to the last mentioned specimen the name C. K. Worthen appears and probably signifies that the specimen was purchased from this dealer in vertebrate specimens.