The dark color of the upper parts occurs far westward in animals which otherwise display characters of longicauda. Among these intergrades, the larger size of longicauda generally is combined with this dark color. This geographic behavior of the dark color of the upper parts is analogous to the condition described in M. f. spadix. Stated in another way, the dark color of the upper parts is the character, of the eastern animal, last to disappear as one goes westward across the Mississippi Valley toward the range of longicauda which is a subspecies of markedly different size, shape of skull, and coloration.
Only two of 29 specimens from Kansas show infestation of the frontal sinuses. All four of the specimens from Missouri have the frontal sinuses malformed as do 9 of the 14 from Arkansas examined in this respect.
An adult female from Boone County, Iowa, bears the date May 9, 1938, and the annotation by T. G. Scott, "Fox-killed."
Specimens examined.—Total number, 131, arranged alphabetically by states and from north to south by counties in each state. Except as otherwise indicated, specimens are in the University of Kansas, Museum of Natural History.
Arkansas. Boone County: 3 mi. E Bergman, 4[74]; 3 mi. SE Bergman, 1[74]; 3 mi. S Bergman, 1[74]; 3 mi. SW Bergman, 1[74]; 4 mi. SE Bergman, 2[74]; 5 mi. SE Bergman, 1[74]; 4-1/2 mi. SE Bergman, 3[74]; 5 mi. SE Bergman, 1[74]; 5 mi. S Bergman, 2[74]; 5 mi. SW Bergman, 2[74]. Washington County: Fayetteville, 1[96]. Crawford County: 10 mi. S Winslow, 1. Sebastian County: Fort Smith, 1[91].
Iowa. Fayette County: Fayette, 3[12]. Dubuque County: Dubuque, 1[12]; Green's Island, 1[65]. Butler County: New Hartford, 1[12]. Hardin County: Union, 1[65]. Benton County: Vinton, 5[12]. Linn County: Cedar Rapids, 1[12]. Boone County: Worth Township, Sec. 21, 1[65]; 2 mi. E Ledges St. Park, 1[65]. Story County: Kelley, 1[65]. Cedar County: Tipton, 3[12]. Scott County: Davenport, 2[12]. Muscatine County: Muscatine, 4[12]. Henry County: Hillsboro, 5[91]. Van Buren County: Keosaqua, 1[65]; no locality more definite than county, 1[50]. Taylor County, 1.
Kansas. Riley County: near Winkler, 1. Pottawatomie County: Onaga, 1[83]. Atchison County: Doniphan Lake, 1; 5 mi. NE Muscotah, 1; no locality more definite than county, 1. Douglas County: Lawrence, 8; 6 mi. NW Lawrence, 1; 1-1/2 mi. W Lawrence, 1; 6 mi. S Lawrence, 1; 7 to 7-1/2 mi. SW Lawrence, 14; 10 mi. W Lawrence, 1; Clinton, 4; Baldwin, 1; no locality more than county, 29 (2[74]). Woodson County: 1-1/2 mi. S Neosho Falls, 1[59]. Greenwood County: 8 mi. SW Toronto, 2. Pratt County: Pratt, 1.
Louisiana. Quachita Parish: Swartz, 1[71].
Missouri. Carroll County: Bridge Creek, 1[91]. Lincoln County: Silex, 1[74]; 1 mi. E Silex, 1[74]. Reynolds County: 4 mi. S Lesterville, 1[74]. Jasper County: 5 mi. NE Avilla, 1[91]; 7-1/2 mi. SE Carthage, 1[74].
Oklahoma. Payne County: 8 mi. NW Stillwater, 1[82]. Cleveland County: Norman, 1[100].
Texas. Hopkins County: 10 mi. S Sulphur Springs, 1[43].
Mustela frenata arthuri Hall
Long-tailed Weasel
Mustela noveboracensis arthuri Hall, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 40:193, December 2, 1927.
Mustela frenata arthuri Hall, Carnegie Instit. Washington Publ. 473:105, November 20, 1936.
Type.—Male, subadult, skull and skin; no. 37515, Mus. Vert. Zoöl.; Remy, St. James Parish, Louisiana; December 15, 1926; obtained by Stanley C. Arthur.
The skin is stuffed and well preserved. The skull (plates [16]-[18]) is unbroken. The teeth all are present and entire. The presence of a well-developed scrotal pouch shows the specimen to be a male. Contrary to what was stated in the original description the specimen was taken in 1926 and not in 1925.
Range.—Lower Austral Life-zone of southeastern Texas, Louisiana, and into Mississippi. See figure [29] on page [221].
Characters for ready recognition (of males).—Differs from M. f. olivacea in smaller size (adult males with hind foot and basilar length less than 45), depth of skull at anterior margin of basioccipital, ignoring sagittal crest, amounting to more than 63 per cent of mastoid breadth, and greater convexity of dorsal outline of skull in longitudinal axis (see pls. 16-18); from M. f. noveboracensis, in males, by zygomatic breadth not less than distance between anterior palatine foramen and anterior margin of tympanic bulla and by convex dorsal outline of skull in longitudinal axis; from M. f. primulina by evenly spreading zygomatic arches, lesser inflation of tympanic bullae anteromedially than posteromedially, and convex dorsal outline of skull in longitudinal axis; from M. f. texensis and M. f. frenata by absence of white facial markings and postorbital breadth more than distance between posterior borders of P4 and P2.
Description.—Size.—Male: The type, a subadult male, measures (inches and quarter fractions thereof, transposed into millimeters) as follows: Total length, 390; length of tail, 113; length of hind foot, 44. Tail is 41 per cent as long as head and body. Length of hind foot less than basal length.
Typical female unknown.
Externals.—Longest facial vibrissae black, or dark brown (both colors in the type) and extending beyond ear; carpal vibrissae same color as underparts and extending to within 3.5 millimeters of apical pad of fifth digit. Hairiness of foot-soles in type slightly less than shown in figure [20].
Color.—Upper parts in summer tone 4 of Burnt Umber of Oberthür and Dauthenay, pl. 304; underparts as described in M. f. olivacea. In winter, upper parts (based on type) near (1) Brussels Brown or grayer than tone 4 of Burnt Umber of Oberthür and Dauthenay, pl. 304, darker on top of head from nose to a line connecting posterior margins of ears. Chin and posterior third of each upper lip white. Remainder of underparts white with wash of Warm Buff. Tip of tail black. Color of underparts extends distally on posterior sides of forelegs over toes but represented on antipalmar faces of feet by only a few scattered hairs. Color of underparts extends distally on medial sides of hind limbs only to knees. Least width of color of underparts amounting to 15 per cent of greatest width of color of upper parts. Black tip of tail 50 mm. long; thus longer than hind foot and 44 per cent as long as tail-vertebrae.
Skull and teeth.—Male (based on type and 2 subadults): See measurements and plates [16]-[18]. As described in M. f. noveboracensis except that: Weight, 4.0 (3.7-4.3) grams; basilar length, 43.5 (43.3-43.6); zygomatic breadth not less than distance between anterior palatine foramen and anterior margin of tympanic bulla; postorbital breadth more than length of upper premolars; interorbital breadth more than distance between foramen opticum and anterior margin of tympanic bulla; least width of palate more or less than length of P4; tympanic bulla longer than rostrum.
Female: Typical skull unknown. The skull from 12 miles east of Eagle Lake, Texas, lacks the convexity in the dorsal longitudinal axis and the skull agrees with those of larger individuals of primulina except that the anteromedial faces of the tympanic bullae are less inflated, and the mastoid and zygomatic breadths are greater than in any female seen of primulina. Probably this greater breadth is the result of intergradation with M. f. frenata to the westward.