>From: "David J. Ellis" <[log in to unmask]> >Subject: Question for any UK readers or those familiar with UK weasels I believe that that North American and European versions of these are about the same This is a partial list of animals from a web site on Olympic National park... Marten, Martes americana Fisher, Martes pennanti Short tailed weasel, Mustela erminea Long tailed weasel, Mustela frenata This is from a German web site a list of 14 mustella family members... M. altaica (alpine weasel) M. erminea (Hermelin. stoat or ermine) M. eversmanni (Steppeniltis) M. flavigula (yellow-throated marten) M. frenata (long-tailed weasel) M. kathiath (yellow-bellied weasel) M. lutreola (Europ=E4ischer Nerz. European mink) M. lutreolina (Java weasel. Indonesian mountain weasel) M. nigripes (Schwarzfu=DFiltis. black-footed ferret) M. nivalis (Mauswiesel. weasel) M. putorius furo (Frettchen) M. nudipes (bare-foot weasel) M. putorius (Europ=E4ischer Iltis. polecat) M. rixosa (least weasel or pygmy weasel) M. sibirica (Siberian weasel) M. strigidorsa (back-striped weasel) M. vison (Amerikanischer Nerz. American mink) and of the 8 martes... M. americana (Fichtenmarder. American marten) M. flavigula (yellow-throated marten) M. foina (Steinmarder. stone marten) M. gwatkinsi (south Indian yellow-throated marten) M. martes (Edelmarder. Baummarder. pine marten) M. melampus (Japanese marten) M. pennanti (fisher) M. zibellina (Zobel. sable) Part of the confusion is that the short tailed weasel is also called the stoat and also called the ermine in its white winter coat. The name short tailed weasel is the one I grew up with. Knew it was the ermine in winter. Only learned the stoat name relatively recently. I think the pine marten is the only marten I've seen in the wild. Seen others in zoos and such though. The marten was sitting in a pine tree as I paddled a canoe right past him/her. Seen both long and short tailed weasels. There are a bunch more mustelids some even called weasels... bill and diane killian zen and the art of ferrets http://www.zenferret.com/ mailto:[log in to unmask] [Posted in FML issue 1879]