m 'BLOTCHED WEASEL* AND ERMINJB/ 
JBlotched, or tigerine weasel® 
The blotched weasel takes its name from the 
irregular spots of deep brpwn scattered on its sides* 
legs, and thighs, which are of a yellowish white ; 
it has a round head, a short nose, pointed ears, and 
white whiskers ; its nose and checks are of a yel- 
lowish white, with a round black spot on each side 
of the nose and a dusky line down the middle of 
the forehead ; its back, and the outside of its limbs* 
are of a reddish brown ; its tail is of the same 
colour, as long as the body, and marked spirally 
near the end with black. 
Ermine, or stoat, 
The stoat, or ermine, has a great resemblance to 
the weasel, but differs from it in size, being usually 
nine inches long ; whereas the weasel is not much 
above six. The tail of the ermine is always tipped 
with black, and is longer in proportion to the 
body, and furnished with hair. The edges of the 
ears and the ends of the toes in this animal are of 
a yellowish white; and although it is of the 
same colour with the weasel, being of a lightish 
brown, and though both this animal, as well as 
the weasel, in the most northern parts of Europe 
changes its colour in winter, and becomes white, 
yet even then the weasel may be easily distinguished 
from the ermine by the tip of fhc tail, which in the 
later is always b Jack. 
It is well known that the fur of the ermine is 
the most valuable of any hitherto known ; and it 
is in winter only that this little animal has it of 
the proper colour and consistence. Ii summer, 
the ermine, as was said before, is brown, and it 
