WEASELS 



It is surprising how rapidly the ermine changes 

 from white to brown after the process is once 

 begun; one that I caught in a trap recently 

 showed the transformation nearly complete, the 

 back being of a peculiar shade of reddish buff 

 with only one or two little spots of pure white 

 fur, while the sides were thickly sprinkled with 

 long white hairs, which were already detached from 

 the skin and constantly shedding. The tail was 

 divided into three distinct sections of colour, black 

 at the tip for about an inch, as in winter, then 

 white for the same distance, and brown next the 

 body. The white of the tail was confined to 

 the long coarse hairs overlying the soft under- 

 fur, which was already brown. The feet were 

 still white, like the under surface of the body 

 and throat, which remain so throughout the 

 season. It was then the 14th of April, and only 

 two or three weeks ago those that I caught 

 showed no sign of changing colour. The new 

 brown fur must have grown out with great 



93 



