ERMINE. 
^* and never quitting them, even when they 
mount in the air, till the loss of blood makes 
them fall down." 
This is the whole of Buffon's account; 
some parts of which appear to us extreme! v 
doubtfuL 
Pennant gives a concise history and descrip-'^ 
tlon of the British Stoat ; but, as it seems t : 
us, with too little knowledge of the moni 
northern animal, which we incline to conside; 
as alone the true Ermine. He tells us, tha 
the upper part of the • body is a pale tawn] 
brown ; the edges of the ears, and ends of th( 
Soes, are of a yellowish white ; the throat 
breast, and belly, are white ; and the end o 
the tail is black — that the length, from nose t( 
tail, is ten inches ; of the tail, £ve and a hal 
— that, in the north of Europe and Asia, an 
in the Highlands of Scotland, it become 
entirely white at the approach of winter, th 
end of the tail excepted ; and resumes it' 
brown colour in the spring — that* it is some 
times fouiid white, and sometimes mottle 
brow a and white, in England-— that, in Fe 
bruai' 
