THE COMMON WEASEL. 



Generic Characters. 

 Six cutting and two obtufe teeth in each jaw. 

 Nofe Iharp; body flender. 

 Five toes on each foot. 



Synonims. 

 Mustela, Gefner Quad. 752. 



Weasel, Fitchet, or Foumart, Rail Syn. Quad. 1Q5. 



Whitred, Sib. Scot. III. ii. 



Wiesel, Klein Quad. 62. 



Weesel, Brit. Zool. I. 82. 



La Belette, de Buff on, vii. tab. 225.xxix. 



THE lingular difproportion between the length and height of the little 

 animals, which compofe this family, is completely chara&eriltic of them, 

 and is alone fufficient to diftinguilh them from all other carnivorous 

 quadrupeds. The length of the Wolf, in proportion to its height, is as one 

 and a half to one ; whereas the length of the Weafel, compared with its 

 height, is as five to one. But, befides this Itriking character, they have 

 another equally pointed ; namely, the extraordinary fmell of their bodies, 

 which, in fome, as the Weafel, Ferret, Polecat, and a few others, is highly 

 foetid and ofFenfive, and in the Skunk, infupportably fo ; whereas in others, 

 as the Civet-Cat and Martins, it is equally pleafant, and is ufed, even as a 

 perfume, by the ladies. This odour, whether agreeable or not, is furnifhed 

 by two glands placed under the tail, from which an un&uous matter 

 continually exudes. Though thefe animals are comparatively fmall, they 



