[ 373 ] 
proper to preferve them from the cold. The 
tail in both fexes is bufhy, and darker than 
the reft of the body ; in the female indeed it is 
tawny, with a black tip; in both it is fhorter 
than defcribed by Mr. Pennant, Mr. Briffon, 
and others, and was perhaps mutilated. This 
fpecies feeds on mice, rabbits, &c. though it 
will not touch a dead moufe which is put as a 
bait in a trap, and therefore the inhabitants are 
obliged to makeufeofa partridge’s head, or the 
like, for that purpofe. If purfued with noite, it 
immediately gets up into a tree. Some gentle- 
men have unfuccefsfully attempted to tame 
thefe creatures, and thofe kept in cages with 
that view have been obferved to be troubled 
with epileptick fits. Numbers of them are 
caught at Hudfon’s Bay in traps made of 
final! flicks. They burrow under ground,, 
and bring forth from four to feven young at 
a time. 
4,, Stoat and Ermine. Penn. Syn. Quad. p. 212. 
n. 151. a. ( 3 . Muji 'el 'a Ermine a. Linn. 
Severn River, Albany Fort. 
One in the fummer and another in the winter 
drefs. The natives about Albany call them 
Sic-cnje-fue , but it is not known why they 
give them that name. They feed on mice,, 
fmall birds, all fort of fifh, fiefh,. and fowl. 
5. Common Weesel. Penn. Syn. Quads. p. 21 r* 
n. 150. Mu jl eld nivalis. Linn. 
One in its winter drefs, length 7 inches, tail about 
1 inch, perhaps mutilated ; it is quite white, butr 
the 
