234 Practical Game Preserving. 



with the intensely cold and inhospitable regions of Siberia, 

 and it is, moreover, a general mistake to suppose that 

 the change of colour in the stoat's fur requires degrees 

 of cold far below zero before it" takes place. The most 

 known or summer dress of the stoat is a dull reddish 

 brown over the upper and outer parts of the body, while 

 the under and inner parts are of a yellowish white, or 

 rather, what is generally termed cream colour. The tail 

 is, at the root, of the same colour as the body, but 

 deepens off to quite black at the end, about half being 

 one colour and half the other. 



The winter coat of the stoat is nearly white throughout, 

 but not wholly so, as it retains in all cases, to more 

 or less extent, a slight tinge of yellow, more especially 

 upon the inner and under portions of the body, but not 

 so noticeably yellow as the white markings of the summer 

 dress. The tail, however, retains its black colour without 

 any change, and contrasts in a marked degree with the 

 rest of the body. 



In England the alteration in the colour of the fur is 

 of rare occurrence, except in the higher and more exposed 

 parts of the kingdom. In Wales and Ireland, however, 

 it is occasionally noticed, while in Scotland, in the southern 

 counties, it is common, and in those situated north of 

 the Forth and Clyde very common indeed. Except in 

 the last named portion of the kingdom, the change is 

 seldom perfectly completed, and if, as far as colour is 

 concerned, it does take place, still the fur is rarely 

 sufficiently blanched to become of much commercial value. 

 But in the most northern parts the transition from the 



