g4 A. L. V. Manniche. 



In manners as in appearance the ermine in Greenland is very 

 much like the European animal. Curiosity and a strongly marked 

 taste for merry diversion characterizes the nimble and graceful little 

 animal. When the weather was fine, most frequently in the late 

 afternoon hours, I often saw it playing outside its dwelling which 

 was generally to be found among heaps of stones lying close to 

 low, perpendicular mountain walls. In the traps set up by me, 

 where I used shot ptarmigans, snow-buntings or rats — the latter 

 being present in great numbers on board the ship — as a bait, the 

 ermines would appear more out of curiositj'^ than just to satisfy 

 their hunger. As a rule the captive animals would content them- 

 selves with eating the brains of the birds that were laid out; the 

 rats they did not touch. Even in captivity the ermines showed an 

 extraordinary fearlessness, and in spite of my presence they would 

 often lie down close to the grating of the trap, enjoying the heat of 

 the sun with half-closed eyes. Only when I was rummaging too 

 much with the trap, the prisoner showed his displeasure through a 

 loud hissing. 



No young or not quite full-grown animals were seen. 



As far as I was able to judge from the sexual organs of the 

 killed animals and from other circumstances, the pairing takes place 

 in the end of March. I was not able to ascertain if the two sexes 

 keep together all the year round. The fact that at most times of 

 the year I only found traces of singly walking animals, might seem 

 to prove the reverse. 



In the beginning of May the white winter dress is changed for 

 the summer dress which is somewhat more short-haired. A big, 

 probably very old male, killed on May 3''^^ 1908, already wears the 

 summer coat. On this specimen the latter has on the upper side a 

 greyish brown colour with a faint bluish tint; on the under side it 

 is white with a greenish yellow touch on the neck and the upper 

 part of the breast. Long, white hairs from the winter dress are 

 still to be found along the sides, on the belly and the tail. 



A young, very small female from May 2P' 1907 is in full sum- 

 mer dress: the upper side brown, the under side white with a faint 

 touch of yellow. 



Adult male from August IT'^^ 1906 in full summer dress: strong- 

 ly faded, tawny upper side, the under side white with a stronger, 

 sulphur-coloured tint. 



Adult male from Septbr. 4*^^ 1906 is in summer dress as well, 

 commencing to shed his coat along the left side: Strongly golden 

 brown upper side, faintly yellowish under side. 



After the middle of September the animal again appears in the 



