A strikingly marked black and white weasel, males gen­erally larger than females. Elongated with rather bushy tail. Shaggy coated. Above white with three distinct black stripes running along the back joined at the head behind the ears and again at the base of the tail. Central stripe broadens toward the rear. After meeting at the base of the tail, the stripe contin­ues along the top edge of the tail. Below, legs and feet black. Small, white ears with black tips. Band runs across forehead between eyes and ears, often incomplete. Claws of front feet long and strong. Tail shaggy, black at base and often at tip. Remainder black and white but propor­tions variable.