_Remarks._--Among the earliest specimens preserved was one by Edward W.
Nelson in the course of his explorations of the Upper Yukon, and one in
1874 by L. T. Turner from St. Michaels, Alaska. Bangs, in 1896 (p. 22)
mentioned the occurrence of the species in Alaska, but it was not until
1900 (p. 44) that Stone named the subspecies, and then principally on
the basis of specimens obtained two years before by E. A. McIlhenny.
The large size, broad skull, light color and short tail are the
distinguishing subspecific characters of the race _eskimo_, and the
three characters first mentioned are distinguishing features also of
the subspecies of _Mustela erminea_, namely _arctica_, which inhabits
the same region. Possibly _eskimo_ also will be found on Banks Island
and the other Arctic islands between Alaska and Greenland, as is _M. e.
arctica_; at the present time no specimens of _Mustela rixosa_ are
known from these islands although some race of rixosa would be expected
to occur there.
Animals from southern Alaska average slightly smaller than those from
northern Alaska, and this decrease in size toward the south probably
represents intergradation with _M. r. rixosa_. Further evidence of
intergradation is furnished by the short tail of the specimen from 15
miles east of Atlin; in other particulars this specimen agrees with the
subspecies _rixosa_ to which it is here referred. Nevertheless, the
short tail, and color pattern, namely reëntrant angle of white behind
the eye, is to be seen in all Alaskan specimens examined in the brown
pelage, even in no. 107591, from Tyonek on Cook Inlet, which Osgood
(1901:69) and Swenk (1926:323) thought might not differ from the
subspecies _M. r. rixosa_.
Each of four male topotypes, hardly subadult in age, probably of a
single litter, is much larger than any other specimen seen from Point
Barrow. The basilar length, for example, is 31.9 as against 29.5, and
the weight of the skull (with lower jaws) is as much as 1.5 grams, as
against 0.93 in the heaviest of the other males. Initial examination of
materials from Point Barrow raised the suspicion that two distinct
species were represented--_rixosa_ and a larger one possibly allied to
_M. nivalis_ of the Old World. Nevertheless, further study almost
completely allayed the suspicion because the only difference
discernible is one of size, and it is supposed that additional
specimens will bridge the gap in size and show that _M. r. eskimo_ at
Point Barrow averages larger than the adult specimens now available
indicate. The four large males of subadult age are nos. 42814-42816 and
42818 of the American Museum of Natural History.
Of the fourteen adult and subadult skulls examined, two display lesions
resulting from infestation of the frontal sinuses by nematode
parasites. None of the young skulls show such infestation.
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