FITOIIET WEASEL. 



207 



mon Ferret : the lie;i(l is broader ; the nose rather 

 sharp ; the ears round, and not very conspicuous ; tlie 

 neck of less proportional length than in the others ; the 

 tail rather bushy, and little more than one-third the 

 lengtli of the body and head. The fur of the body is 

 of two sorts : the shorter being woolly, of a pale yel- 

 lowish or fulvous colour ; the longer shining, and of a 

 rich black or brownish black. From this results a general 

 brown colour, mixed with yellow, which varies according 

 to the proportion in which the two kinds of fur are seen. 

 The head, tail, and feet are the darkest parts ; and some 

 marks about the mouth and the ears are white. 



Whether the domesticated Ferret {M.furu, Linn.) is 

 merely a variety of the Polecat, or a distinct species, is 

 still a subject of dispute among naturalists. It is im- 

 possible to point out any constant anatomical distinction 

 between the animals, and they are said to breed freely 

 with one another. On the other hand, the intolerance of 

 cold of the Ferret has been considered as evidence of 

 its being derived from an original stock brought from 

 Africa or some other tropical land. 



Dimensions : — 



Length of the head and body 

 ,, of the head 

 ,, of the ears 

 ,, of the tail 



:--*#j m 



^ ^ 



