_Color._--Winter pelage all white except tip of tail. In southern
part of range sometimes assumes a brown winter coat. Summer pelage
with upper parts ranging from near (16´) Cinnamon Brown to Vandyke
Brown. Chin and upper lips white. Remainder of underparts ranging
from near (a) Olive Ocher to Ochraceous Buff and Pale Orange
Yellow. Tip of tail at all times black. Upper parts of uniform
color except for occasional slight darkening of nose. Color of
underparts extends distally on posterior sides of forelegs over
toes onto antipalmar faces of feet and ankles, on medial sides of
hind limbs to ankle, over antiplantar faces of toes and
distomedial fourth of each tarsus, and over proximal fifth to
third of under side of tail. Least width of color of underparts
averaging (in 3 specimens from Elk River) 54 (47-59) per cent of
greatest width of color of upper parts. Black tip of tail
averaging same length as hind foot and 28 per cent of length of
tail-vertebrae. Save for the greater width of the light-colored
underparts and relatively short black tip of the tail, both
features of _M. f. longicauda_, _spadix_ is variously
intermediate, depending on locality, as between _noveboracensis_
and _longicauda_.
_Skull and teeth._--Male (based on 3 adults from Elk River,
Minn.): See measurements and plates 16-18. As described in
_Mustela frenata longicauda_ except that: Weight, 5.6 (5.0-6.5);
basilar length, 49.0 (48.7-49.2); zygomatic breadth sometimes less
than distance between anterior palatine foramen and anterior
margin of tympanic bulla; postorbital breadth more or less (about
equal to) width of basioccipital measured from medial margin of
one foramen lacerum posterior to its opposite; 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 4 to 5 upper
incisors; height of tympanic bulla more or less than distance from
its anterior margin to foramen ovale; length of tympanic bulla
less than length of rostrum; anterior margin of masseteric fossa
below talonid of m1.
Female (based on 4 adults from Elk River, Minn.): See measurements
and plates 31-33. As described in _Mustela frenata longicauda_
except that: Weight, 3.5 (3.3-4.0) grams; basilar length, 42.9
(42.3-43.2); least width of palate more or less than greatest
length of P4; tympanic bulla as far posterior to foramen ovale as
width of 3 to 5 upper incisors.
The skull of the female averages 33 per cent lighter than that of
the male.
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