WHITE WEASEL. 
57 
COLOUR. 
In winter, in the latitude of Pennsylvania and New-York, all the hairs 
are snowy white from the roots, except those on the end of the tail, which 
for about one and three-fourth inches is black. We received specimens from 
Virginia obtained in January, in which the colours on the hack had under- 
gone no change, and remained brown ; and from the upper and middle dis- 
tricts of South Carolina killed at the same period, when no change had taken 
place, and it was stated that this, the only species of Weasel found there, 
remained brown through the whole year. These specimens are now in our 
possession, and we have arrived at the conclusion that the farther South we 
advance, the less perfect is the change from brown to white. We have spe- 
cimens from Long Island, obtained in winter, which retain shades of brown 
on the head and dorsal line. Those from the valleys of the Virginia 
mountains have broad stripes of brown on the back, and specimens from Ab- 
beville and Lexington, S. Carolina, have not undergone the slightest change. 
We were informed by our friend Mr. Bromfield an eminent botanist of 
England, that in the Isle of Wight, the place of his residence, the Ermine 
underwent only a partial change in winter. 
In summei, the upper surface of the body is of a chesnut-brown colour, 
a little darker on the dorsal line ; under surface, the upper lips to the 
nose, chin, throat, inner surfaces of legs, and belly, white ; the line sepa- 
rating the colour of the back from that on the under surface, is very dis- 
tinct, but irregular, and in some specimens, the white on the belly extends 
further up along the sides than in others. Whiskers white and black ; 
the former preponderating ; end of tail, as in winter, black. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Inches. 
Old male. 
Nose to root of tail, - - - - - - - 10^ 
Tail (vertebrae), ------- - 5^ 
“ to end of hair, 7 
Breadth between the ears, - ly 
Length of head, - 2 
Stretch of legs from end, to end of claws, - - - 14 
Length of hind foot, to end of nails, - - - - If 
“ fore-foot, to “ “ . . - - li 
Black tip of tail, 3 
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