ERMINE. 
that there was no other difFerence in the cloth 
iiig of the skins than merely the change o 
colour. The length, and thickness of the fur 
we presume, are v/idely different : and, thougl ! 
tmv Stoat may possibly be sometimes blanchei I 
in seasons of remarkable rigour, we do no 
believe that it attains to perfection in thesi 
requisite qualities ; nor, indeed, are we by 
any means satisfied, that the genuine Ermine j 
of northern countries constantly becomes red- 1 
dish in summer, as appears to us too vaguelji. 
advanced by BufFon. ' !' 
Perhaps, if Pennant had obtained more than;; 
a transient view of the two animals he men-j 
tions, they might have turned out to be mani^ 
festly only White W easels, which are not very 
uncommon, instead of " White Stoats in thti 
state of most perfect and beautiful Ermines!" 
