W E E S E L. 
223 
W. with a black nofe : flrong and ftiff whilkers : 157. FiSker. 
fix fmall wee fel-like teeth above and below : fix 
large canine teeth : four grinding teeth in each up¬ 
per jaw; three fharp-pointed, the fourth fiat: in 
the lower jaws fix; the laft flatted, the next trb 
•dentated; the next to thofe bidentated : ears broad 
and round, diifky on their outfides, edged with 
white: face and hides of the neck pale brown, or 
cinereous, mixed with black: hairs on the back, 
belly, legs and tail, black ; browniih at their bafe: 
fides brown : the feet very broad ; covered with hair 
even on their foies : five toes on the fore feet; ge¬ 
nerally four, but fometimes five on the hind feet ^ 
with iharp, ftrong and crooked white claws ; fore 
legs fhorter than thofe behind: tail full and bufhy, 
fmalleft at the end, feventeen inches long: length, 
from nofe to tail, twenty-eight inches. 
Inhabits N. America : notwithfcanding its name, 
is not amphibious : preys on all forts of Idler qua¬ 
drupeds * : "by the number of fkins imported, is not 
an uncommon animal; not lefs than 580 being 
brought in one feafcn from New York and Penfylva- 
nia: foetus to be the animal, called by Joffelyn -f, 
the Sable ; which, he fays, is perfedly black. I have 
feen many of the ikins, which vary in color : yet, 
from the agreement in form and colors in general with 
the true Sable, I cannot help thinking them the 
fame animal. Such numbers of quadrupeds are 
* By a letter from Mr. Peter CoUinfon, who received the account 
from Bar tram , of Penjylhania . 
t JoJJiljjfs voj, 87. 
found 
