WEASEL FAMILY

(Must elide), a family of Carnivora, the members of which are distinguished by their long, slim, cylindrical bodies, slung between short legs, their long necks and slender heads, and their mode of walking on their toes and not on the sole of the foot proper. Their species, to the number of about 175, are found all over the world, except in the Australian region. The true weasels (Put or i us) are perhaps the most familiar of Brit. species, the small common weasel (P. vulgar is) and its close relative, the larger stoat or ermine (P. ermine a), being found throughout Hurope, N. Asia, and northern N. America. Both are ferocious and bloodthirsty animals, feeding on small mammals, such as rats, mice, moles, and on birds and frogs, and in their northern ranges the fur of both becomes white in winter, that of the latter forming the royal ermine. Similar in habits and distribution is the closely related polecat (P. fetid us), an albino variety of which has been domesticated as the ferret, used in rabbit-hunting. The mink (P. lutreola), which furnishes valuable fur, is semi-aquatic, and has partially webbed feet.. Larger than these, and of stouter build, is the wolverine or glutton (Gulo luscus), found in the woods of N. Europe, Asia, and America. It is exceedingly strong, and has been known to attack reindeer and even horses. The martens (Mustela) form another group, le active than true weasels, though none the le bloodthirsty. They are arboreal in habit, and the fur of some—such as the N. Asiatic sable and the Amer. sable—is very valuable. Martens are confined to the N. hemisphere, the pine marten being a native of Britain. Still another group includes the badgers (Meles) of Europe and Asia, the Amer. skunks (Mephitis and Conepatus), and the Ind. and African ratels (Mellivora). These are heavily built nocturnal animals, given to burrowing, and in the colder areas to hibernation. The badger is a disappearing member of the Brit. fauna, and like its relatives is carnivorous, insectivorous, or even vegetarian, as nece ity arises. Lastly come the otters, with webbed feet and aquatic habits, whose depredations cause much damage to well-stocked trout and salmon streams, and whose fur is of considerable value. True otters (Lutra) are found almost all the world over, except in Australia, Madagascar, and some smaller islands, but the sea otter (ZLatax) occurs only on the shores of the N. Pacific.