78 - ^ Q^U ADRUPEDS. 



her rapine. The weafel does not run, but bounds; when ft climbs a 

 tree, gets high from the ground by a fingle fpringi jumps on its prey j 

 and, having an extrenfiely limber body, evades the attempts of much 

 ftronger animals to feize it. 



This animal has a very ftrong peculiarly foetid fmell ; the glands which 

 furnifh this foetid fubftance (which is of the confidence of fuet) open 

 directly into the anus^ and taint the excrement, more ftrongly in fum- 

 mer than in winter; and when irritated or purfued, than when at eafe. 

 Always preys in filence; when ftruck, by a rough kind of fqueaking, at 

 once expreflfes refentment and pain J never lofes its appetite for animal 

 food, and feems to enjoy the vicinity of putrefaflion. Mr. Buffon tells 

 us of one found, with three young ones, in the carcafs of a wolf that 

 was putrid, and had been hung up, by the hind legs, as a terror to 

 -others. 



THE 



ERMINE, OR STOAT. 



THE Stoat, or Ermine, ufually exceeds nine inches long ; the tail 

 five inches and a half, tipped with black ; edges of the ears and 

 ends of the toes yellowifh white ; general colour lightifh tawny brown ; 

 In winter, becomes white or cream-coloured ; yet always retains the black 

 tip of the tail. Sometimes found white in Great Britain. Haunts woods, 

 hedges, and meadows, by brook fides ; rarely barns,. &c. 



The ermine is remarkable for the foftnefs, clofenefs, and warmth of 

 its fur. Mr. Daubenton had one with its winter fur, which he kept to 

 obferve its manner of moulting. He received it in the beginning of 

 March j very fliortly it began to fiied its coat, and a mixture of brown 

 variegated the white; at the ninth of the month its head was nearly a 

 reddifh brown ; this colour daily extended along the neck and back, 

 like a Itripe of half an inch broad. The fore-part of the legs then 

 aflTumed the fame colour; part of the head, the thighs, and the tail 

 were the latefi, but all changed by the end of the month. This little 

 animal, when confined, was very wild and untracflable, ever violently 

 agitated except v;hen afleep, vvhich often occupied three parts of the day. 

 Except for its difagreeable fccnc, was an cxiremely pretty creature, i^j 



eve & 



