go A. L. V. Manniche. 



^/r.. A small one year old bear shot. 



(Jarner's journey proceeded west of Store Koldewey and farther 

 southward along the coast to Ardencaple Inlet and Shannon 0.) 



Ermine. Mustela erminea L. 



In Greenland the ermine as well as the lemming, on which it 

 almost exclusively lives, is bound to the northernmost and north- 

 eastern parts of the country. 



About the appearance of the species in the country comparati- 

 vely scarce informations exist however, and of Greenland ermines 



— according to "Grønlands Pattedyr" by H. Winge — no more 

 than seven specimens had been collected until the year 1902 — 6 

 from the east coast, 1 from the north coast. 



Though surely the ermine does not appear in great numbers 

 anywhere in Greenland, yet it is hardly so rare as might be expect- 

 ed according to the investigations hitherto made. 



The ermine is in Greenland a rather obstinately stationary ani- 

 mal which will only now and then wander some distance away 

 from the once chosen hunting ground. Thus the observers are ob- 

 liged to await the appearance of the animal here. As a rule this 

 demands rather a good deal of time and patience. Add to this that 

 in winter the Greenland ermine will be stirring about very little 

 altogether in the open air. Otherwise at this season the animal 

 would most easily betray its presence by the traces left on the snow. 



— Probably these circumstances may explain the reason why the 

 species has been able to escape the attention of former travellers 

 to such an extraordinary extent. 



In the tracts visited by the "Danmark Expedition", the species 

 must be considered rather common, though it did not appear in 

 great numbers anywhere. Ermines or sure signs of their presence 

 were met with in many places, yet most frequently in the tracts 

 where thorough and continuous investigations were made possible, 

 as for instance in the territory near the ship's harbour, and at the 

 metereological station at Pustervig. 



No less than nine adult animals, shot or caught at different 

 times of the year, were brought home. 



Localities especially attractive to the ermines were the low coast 

 mountains west of the ship's harbour, as well as the two mountain 



