does not appear to lit' of very freqiiful oetuireiife. In 

 fact, quite a number of zoological students wlio are be- 

 lieved to be entirely competent to distinguish both 

 species report the Ijeast Weasel to be rare or unknown 

 in their localities. 



3Ir. Geoige 1'. Friant, taxidermist, of Scrantou. 

 Fenua., during the past ten years has had over one 

 hundred \\'easels taken within a radius of twenty-five 

 miles of his home, and of these not more tlian tliree or 

 four were the smaller species. The experience of Mr. 

 Ohas. H. Eldon, taxidermist, of Williamsport, Penna.. 

 is very similar to that of Jlr. Friant. During the past 

 eight years the writer has collected zoological speci- 

 mens in almost every county in the State, and in a col- 

 lection of seventy odd .sjieeimens at least six were of 

 the small kind. 



In 18S5 and ]SS(J thirty-seven Weasels, on which 

 bou7ity had been paid in Chester county, were ex- 

 amined and all were found to be the Ermine or Com- 

 mon Wea.<5el. From evidence at hand it seems that the 

 Least Weasel is to be found in the noi'thern and moun- 

 tainous regions of Pennsylvania, and I am inclined to 

 think it is moiv plentiful than some observers and 

 writers believe. Unfortunately a series of about sev- 

 enty-five skins of Pennsylvania Weasels which 1 had 

 were destroyed a couple of months ago when the con- 

 tents of ray office was burned with the State Capitol. 

 This loss and the destruction of my note books make it 

 imi)Ossible for me to specify the Inealities from which 

 the Ivcast Weasels 1 had came. 



THEY CH.A.NGE THEIR COAT.'^. 



In one way at least these sprightly animals are not 

 unlike some modern day politicians who have made 



