FITCH, OR POLECAT. 123 



Very few Fitch skins are now imported from the 

 continent. In 1827, 282,482 skins were imported. In 

 1814, 4s. 2d. to 4s. 4d. was paid for Dutch Fitch. 

 About 100,000 skins are sold at the Easter fair at 

 Leipsic, from Is. 6d. to 3s. each. The price of a hve 

 Polecat is from 2s. to 5s. 



EUSSIAN FITCH. 



Pufo)-ius crcrsDtcoiii. 



The Eussian or Siberian Polecat is a sub-species of 

 the foregoing, but the fur is poorer in quality, and 

 lighter in colour. The general colour is dark greyish- 

 brown ; the under fur is light yellow, and the longer 

 hairs are darker ; it is smaller than most of the other 

 species, its length rarely exceeding 1 foot ; the tail is 

 about 4 inches long. 



This fur has much depreciated of late ^^ears, and is 

 now seldom imported, whereas many thousands were 

 imported a few years ago. The present value is about 

 Is. a skin. 



On account of the shortness of the fur, it is very 

 suitable for coat-linings. It is sometimes dyed brown. 



EEMINE, OE STOAT. 



Mustela crmuiea. 



French : Ermine. German : Hermelin. 



The Ermine, which is distributed throughout the 

 northern parts of both hemispheres, seems not to have 



