ORDER CARNASSIER. 289 



in the manner of a Cat. Its beautifully spotted skin is at 

 present much in request among the furriers. 



The Common Weasel is one of the smallest of this nume- 

 rous race, but is the most extensively diffused over the earth's 

 surface. Its general length is about seven inches, with a tail 

 measuring two and a half. It is of a pale red or yellow 

 brown colour, whiter beneath. It emits an offensive odour, 

 in common with many of the tribe, but it is an elegant little 

 animal. It feeds on Field-mice, Birds, fyc, and will attack 

 animals larger than itself. It lives under roots of trees or 

 in banks, and will run up a wall in pursuit of its prey. Its 

 body, altogether, is extremely flexible. Though a ferocious 

 little creature, there are instances of its being perfectly 

 tamed. * 



There is a variety, which has been described by Linnaeus, 

 in his Fauna Suecica, as a distinct species, under the name 

 of Mustela Nivalis, which has since been classed sometimes 

 as a variety of this, and sometimes of the Ermine ; but al- 

 though it has the colour of the latter, it seems to be more 

 nearly related to this, because of its being of the same size ; 

 and the black hairs which terminate the tail are much 

 fewer than those of the Ermine, the black also is of a dif- 

 ferent tinge. It breeds twice or thrice a year, generally 

 brings forth four or five at a birth, and deposits them on 

 a bed of dry leaves in a hollow tree. 



The Stoat or Ermine, like the common Weasel, is widely 

 spread over the earth, and is found in America, as well as 

 in Europe and Asia. It is in general about ten inches long, 

 and the tail is half the length of the body. This animal 

 exhibits, in a remarkable degree, a peculiarity which is 

 proper also to a few others : the whole upper part of the 

 body is of a red brown colour, during summer, but this va- 

 nishes in winter, when the upper part becomes perfectly 

 white, and the belly yellowish. The tip of the tail is at all 

 times black. In the latter state it is called the Ermine, 



Vol. II. U 



