Some characters of the skulls and skins of the European Polecat, the Asiatic Polecat and the domestic Ferret.

Abstract

SUMMARY Certain characters of the skins and skulls of (a) the European polecat Putorius putorius putorius, (b) the Asiatic polecat Putorius putorius eversmanni and (c) the domestic ferret Putorius putorius furo have been compared. The ferret resembles the European polecat more closely than the Asiatic in:(a) the extent of the black area of the tail;(b) the overall size and shape of the skull;(c) the position of the postorbital constriction;(d) the proportions of the pre‐ and post‐zygomatic parts of the skull:(e) the shape of the nasal bones;(f) the hooking of the hamular process. It resembles the Asiatic polecat more closely than the European in:(a) the proportion of individuals in which the frontal band is continuous;(b) the degree of constriction of the postorbital region. The skull of the ferret is more variable than that of either the European or Asiatic polecat. The data are inadequate to decide whether or not the differences between the ferret and European polecat are too great, to permit the view that the ferret of today is merely the descendant, of a domesticated variety of European polecat. It is suggested that the changed breeding system and selective forces which operate on the captive animal, may be conducive to the origin of differences of this type.