WEASEL KIND. 67 



in some measure may be said to have seen all. 

 The chief distinction in this numerous class of 

 animals, is to be taken from the size, for no words 

 can give the minute irregularities of that outline 

 by which one species is to be distinguished from 

 that which is next it. I will begin, therefore, 

 with the least and the best known of this kind, 

 and, still marking the size, will proceed gradually 

 to larger and larger, until we come from the 

 weasel to the glutton, which I take to be the 

 largest of all. The weasel will serve as a model 

 for all the rest ; and, indeed, the points in which 

 they differ from this little animal are but very in- 

 considerable. * 



The Weasel, t as was said, is the smallest of this 

 numerous tribe ; its length not exceeding seven 

 inches, from the tip of the nose to the insertion 

 of the tail. This length, however, seems to be 

 very great, if we compare it with the height of 

 the animal, which is not above an inch and a half. 

 In measuring the wolf, we find him to be not above 

 once and a half as long as he is high ; in observ- 

 ing the weasel, we find it near five times as long 

 as it is high, which shows an amazing dispropor- 

 tion. The tail also, which is bushy, is two inches 

 and a half long, and adds to the apparent length 

 of this little animal's body. The colour of the 

 weasel is of a reddish-brown on the back and 



[* This class of quadrupeds have six cutting teeth in each jaw ; those of 

 the upper jaw, erect, sharp pointed, and distinct ; of the lower jaw, blunt- 

 er, huddled together, and two placed within the line of the rest : the tongue 

 is smooth.] 



f British Zoology, vol. i. p. 83. 



