WEASEL. 165 



defends itself against all assailants, springs upon 

 the dogs, and even attempts to vent its fury upon 

 their masters. It produces five or six young ones, 

 and is said to litter two or three times in the year. 

 Great differences in size are exhibited by this 

 species, and the male is said to be much larger than 

 the female. Individuals of a white colour are some- 

 times, though very rarely, met with ; but whether 

 these are albinoes, or such as have changed their 

 hue like the Ermine, has not been ascertained. It 

 is not improbable, however, that in the north it may 

 become white in winter, especially in subalpine 

 situations, where I know it sometimes occurs, as I 

 have killed one among stones on the mountain of 

 Glamick in Skye, at an elevation of about fifteen 

 hundred feet. 



