LITTLE BEASTS OF FIELD AND WOOD 



that of an ermine. Since then I have occa- 

 sionally seen similar tracks, but have not suc- 

 ceeded In capturing a second specimen. In all 

 probability the least weasel is also to be found 

 here if one has the patience to search carefully 

 enough ; none, however, has come under my 

 observation as yet. All the small weasels that I 

 have seen have proved on close Inspection to be 

 young ermines with thickly furred black-tipped 

 tails ; in the least weasel the tail is thinly covered 

 with short hair and without any black whatever. 

 Late in the autumn or early in the winter the 

 ermine changes from reddish brown to white, 

 sometimes slightly washed with greenish yellow 

 or cream colour, and again as brilliantly white as 

 anything in Nature or art ; the end of the tail, 

 however, remains intensely black, and at first 

 thought might be supposed to make the animal 

 conspicuous on the white background of snow, 

 but in reality has just the opposite effect. Place 

 an ermine on new-fallen snow in such a way that 



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