^2 FAUNA AMERICANA. 



Char. Essent. Universal colour of the animal 

 a ferruginous brown, rather darkest on the poste- 

 rior half of the tail. 



Description. Head proportionably broader, 

 thicker, and shorter than the head of the ermines ; 

 opening of the nostrils curved backwards inferior- 

 ly, forming a lateral slit ; ears short, broad, round- 

 ed; hands and feet covered with hair on their 

 upper surface; hair at the extremity of the fin- 

 gers projecting beyond the nails, which are short, 

 strong and hooked. 



Habit. Like its congeners, carnivorous, vora- 

 cious, very destructive to eggs and poultry ; ex- 

 ceedingly alert and rapid in its motions, producing 

 two or three times a year three or five at a birth. 

 Inhabits North America, abounds in the Atlantic 

 states — and northern parts of the old continent. 



Species. 



2. Mustela erminea^ Linn. Gmel. Bodd. Encyc. 

 pi. 83. fig. 2. (Philad. Mus. ermine, No. 750) Sab. 

 append. 



Char. Essent. General colour during the sum- 

 mer, pale chesnut brown above, and white be- 

 neath ; general colour during winter, white ; tail 

 always black or reddish-brown at the extremity. 



Dimensions. Total length, about twelve inches ; 

 length of the tail, nearly five inches. 



Description. (From a prepared specimen in a 

 winter dress,) general colour white, slightly tinged 



