WEARMOUTH WEASEL. 



WEARMOUTH, BISHOP'S, AND MONK 

 WEARMOUTH. See Sunderland. 



WEASEL (mustela) ; a natural group of carni- 

 vorous quadrupeds, recognised by the slender, elon- 

 gated form of the body, and the shortness of the 

 legs. The activity of these animals is astonishing ; 

 and their flexibility is such that they are enabled to 

 pass through extremely narrow apertures. They 

 run with great rapidity; and the form of their 

 nails also permits their climbing on trees. Not- 

 withstanding their small size, they are the most 

 sanguinary of all beasts of prey, and seem rather to 

 seek the blood than the flesh of their victims. 

 They will leap upon the necks of animals even 

 larger than themselves, and never quit their hold 

 till satiated. Many are extremely destructive to 

 poultry, and, when they gain access to them, com- 

 mence an indiscriminate slaughter. They are noc- 

 turnal and solitary animals. Some of them take 

 up their residence in the vicinity of habitations ; 

 others pass their lives altogether in the forests; and 

 others, again, frequent the borders of streams. 

 Their anatomical structure corresponds, in every 

 respect, with their habits and disposition. The 

 canines are long and pointed : the other teeth have 

 cutting edges, and bear a general resemblance to 

 those of the dog. The whiskers are long and 

 coarse. The ears are small and rounded. There 

 are five toes on each foot. The neck is almost as 

 large as the head. The fur is usually composed of 

 two sorts of hairs. The skins of such as inhabit 

 northern climates are in great demand, and form 

 one of the principal objects of the fur trade. 



The European pole-cat (M. putorius), is fifteen 

 or eighteen inches in length from the nose to the 

 origin of the tail. The general colour is blackish- 

 brown, paler on the sides, with white spots on the 

 head. It lives in the vicinity of farm-houses, and 

 is very destructive to poultry, rabbits, &c. It 

 emits a strong and very disagreeable odour, but 

 not at all comparable to that of the skunk. 



The ferret {M. /arc), is perhaps only a variety. 

 The colour is yellowish, or sometimes white, 

 with the eyes red. It is only known in the do- 

 mesticated state, and is employed to drive rabbits 

 out of their burrows. According to Strabo, it was 

 brought originally from Africa. 



The ermine (M. ermznea), is about nine inches 

 in length from the nose to the base of the tail ; 

 and the latter measures about four inches. In 

 summer, the colour is chestnut-brown above, and 

 yellowish-white beneatli ; arid in this state, the 

 animal is sometimes called the stoat; but, in win- 

 ter, it is entirely pure white, with the exception 

 of the tip of the tail, which is black at all seasons. 

 It is fond of wild and rocky situations, and is found 

 in all the extreme northern parts of the globe. 

 The winter skins form a well-known article of 

 commerce. It is very abundant in the vicinity of 

 Hudson's bay. 



The true weasel {M. vulgar is), is only about 

 six inches in length to the base of the tail, and the 

 tail an inch and a half. The upper parts of the 

 body, as well as the tail, are clear brown, and the 

 under parts generally white. It is found in the 

 temperate parts of the eastern continent, and fre- 

 quents the vicinity of habitations. 



The mink (M. lutreola) is entirely of a deep- 

 brown, except a white spot on the lower lip, which 

 sometimes extends in a straight line to the middle 

 of the throat. This animal lives in the vicinity of 

 water-courses, and feeds on frogs, fish, &c. : in 



short, in habits and appearance, it stroiigly resem- 

 bles the otter in miniature. The membrane which 

 connects the toes is remarkable for its extent, 

 which structure renders the animal better adapted 

 for an aquatic life : accordingly, the mink swims 

 and dives with great facility, and can remain under 

 water for a considerable length of time. It does 

 not, however, confine itself strictly to the water, 

 but sometimes invades the poultry yards, when it 

 commits as great ravages as any of the tribe. It is 

 found throughout North America, from Carolina to 

 Hudson's bay, and is also common in the north of 

 Europe and Siberia. 



The pine martin (M. martes) is nearly as large as 

 a cat. The colour is a brilliant fulvous brown, in- 

 clining to blackish on the limbs and tail, with a 

 large yellowish patch on the throat. It lives only 

 in the depths of the forest, ascending trees to sur- 

 prise birds and squirrels, and often occupying the 

 nest of the latter for the purpose of bringing forth 

 its young. It is found in the northern parts of both 

 continents. A vast amount of the skins are annu- 

 ally collected in Canada. The fur is used in manu- 

 facturing hats, and is most generally preferred for 

 ornamenting and increasing the warmth of winter 

 dresses. 



The European martin (M. foincf) is distinguished 

 from the preceding by a large patch of white on the 

 throat. It appears to be confined to Europe. 



The fisher, or pekan (M. Canadensis}, is readily 

 distinguished by its larger size, being from twenty- 

 four to thirty inches long, exclusive of the tail, 

 which measures from thirteen to seventeen inches. 

 The general colour is brown, with some of the hairs 

 grayish at the extremities. The name is an im- 

 proper one, for it by no means frequents the vicinity 

 of water, but preys on small quadrupeds, birds and 

 their eggs, &c. : indeed, its mode of life is similar, 

 in every respect, to that of the pine martin. It is 

 peculiar to North America, and is found from Penn- 

 sylvania to the sixty-second parallel of latitude. 



The sable (M. zibellina}. All the preceding 

 species have naked tubercles on the soles of the 

 feet, but, in the sable, these parts are entirely 

 covered with hair. The general colour of the fur 

 is brown, more or less brilliant, with the inferior 

 parts of the throat and neck grayish. It lives in 

 the same manner as the pine martin, in the depths 

 of the forest, and inhabits all the northern parts of 

 Europe and Asia. This is the most celebrated of 

 the tribe, not only on account of the richness of the 

 fur, but from the horrors of the chase, carried on in 

 the depth of winter, among mountains covered with 

 ice, and in the deepest snows, in the coldest and 

 most desolate regions to which man has yet pene- 

 trated. It was the search for sables which led to 

 the discovery of Eastern Siberia. Their skins 

 form a considerable article of commerce with the 

 Russians. 



M. huro of F. Cuvier is a species from Canada, 

 having the fur almost as fine as that of the sable, 

 and the soles of the feet covered with hair in a 

 similar manner, but of a pale yellowish-brown 

 colour, with the feet and tail darker. Little is 

 known of this animal, or of the district which it 

 inhabits. A specimen was obtained by Lews and 

 Clarke, during their journey to the Pacific, and is 

 now deposited in the Philadelphia museum. Ac- 

 cording to Pallas, skins of the sable are common 

 among the furs sent from the extreme north-western 

 point of America to the inhabitants of the opposite 

 angle of Asia. 



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