WHITE WEASEL. 
63 
its coat twice a year, i. e., at the periods when these semi-annual changes 
take place. In autumn, the summer hair gradually and almost imper- 
ceptibly drops out, and is succeeded by a fresh coat of hair, which in the 
course of two or three weeks becomes pure white ; while in the spring 
the animal undergoes its change from white to brown in consequence 
of shedding its winter coat, the new hairs then coming out brown. We 
have in our possession a specunen captured in November, in which the 
change of colour has considerably advanced, but is not completed. The 
whole of the under surface, the sides, neck and body to within half an inch 
of the back, together with the legs, are white, as well as the edges of 
the ears. On the upper surface, the nose, forehead, neck, and an ir- 
regular line on the back, together with a spot on the outer surface of 
the fore-leg, are brown, showing that these parts change colour last. 
In reference to the change of pelage and colour as exhibited in spring, 
we add some notes made by the senior author of this work, in March, 
1842, on a specimen sent to him alive by Ogden Hammond, Esq. 
The Weasel this evening, the 6th of March, began to show a change of 
colour ; we were surprised to see that all around its nose, the white hair 
of its winter dress had changed suddenly to a silky black hue, and 
this extended to nearly between the ears. Here and there also were 
seen small spots of black about its rump, becoming more apparent toward 
the shoulders, and forming as it were a ridge along the back of the animal. 
March 10th. By noon the change was wonderfully manifested. The 
whole upper surface of the head had become black to the eye, as 
well as the ridge of the back, the latter part having become quite 
clouded, and showing an indescribable motley mixture of closely-blended 
white, black, and blackish brown. 
18th. This day the change of colour reached the root of the tail, 
where it formed a ring of about one inch, of the same reddish black colour. 
All other parts remained white, slightly tinged with pale lemon colour. It 
fed, as we perceived, more voraciously than ever since we have had it 
in our possession. No less than three or four mice were devoured to-day, 
and what is very strange, it left no remains of either hair, skull, feet, or 
any other part of these animals ; and on this day, the 18th of March, 
it ate a very large piece of fresh beef, weighing nearly half a pound. 
19th. Last night our Weasel made great progress, for this morning 
we found the coloured ridge on the back broader and less mottled. The 
posterior coloured part of the head had joined the ridge of the back. 
The posterior part of the hind legs had become brown, and we ob- 
served a small spot the size of a sixpence on each upper part of the 
thighs. At this juncture we think the animal is beautiful. 
