Clafs I. STOAT. ' Ss 



thirdly, the edges of the ears, and the ends of the toes 

 in this animal, are of a yellowifh white. It may be 

 added, that the float haunts woods, hedges and mea- 

 dows ; efpecially v/here there are brooks, whofe fides 

 are covered with fmall buflies -, and fometimes (but 

 lefs frequently than the weefel) inhabits barns, and. 

 other buildings. 



In the mod northern parts of Europe, thefe animals 

 regularly change their color in winter ; and become 

 totally white, except the end of the tail, which con- 

 tinues invariably black. The fkins and tails are a 

 very valuable article of commerce in Norway, Lap- 

 iand^ RuJJia, and other cold countries ; where they 

 are found in prodigious numbers. They arealfo very 

 common in Kamtfchatka and Siberia *. In Siberia thev 

 burrough in the fields, and are taken in traps baited 

 with flefh. In Norway f they are either fhot with 

 blunt arrows, or taken in traps made of two flat ftones, 

 one being propped up with a flick, to which is 

 faftened a baited firing, which when the animals nib- 

 ble, the flone falls down and crufhes them to death, 

 Tht Laplanders take them in the fame manner, only 

 inftead of flones make ufe of two logs of wood J. 

 The float is fometimes found white in Great Britain, 

 but not frequently •, and then it is called a white 

 weefel. That animal is alfo found white ; but may 

 be eafily diftinguifhed from the other in the ermine 

 flate, by the tail, which in the weefel is of a light 

 tawny brown. With us the former is obferved to 



* BelFs Tra've/s, \. 199. f Hi/. Norivay, ii. 25. 



:^ Oiwvrcsde Mau^ertHU,\n. 187. 



G 3 begin 



