The National tribune., 1890-09-25

ground Is covered with snow, whiteness greatly
aids the stoat in concealing itself from its
enemies; and in the second, this assimilation
of color 10 surrounding objects, efficiently
assists IL in approaching its prey. Finally,
white is the warmest dress for living body.
A snow image" wrapped in black and placed
in the sun will melt more rapidly than when
covered with white material from the fact that
IL is exposed 20 more heat; but in an organism
warmed by the oxidation of its own tissues the
reverse is true, because, while black absorbs
most heat, white radiates least calQric and
when the source of heat is internal instead OF
external, il follows that the latter must neces-
sarily maintain the normal temperature moro
etiectually than the former.
Stoat. according to Skinner is most probably
the Belgic stout" (bold) anglaciscd, and the
word is still pronounced in some places in the
German manner. Ermine comes from Armenia.
in which country the animal was at one time
thought TO be indigenous Putorius, its generic
designation, refers, as was explained, to tho letid
Ordor Of the glands present in most mustclid@.
1t is very appropriate to the creature in question,
whose flesh even the foul-feeding polar tribes
will not eat, aud than whom few can be more
offensive when, under the influence of anger.
fear or sexual passion these organs are, in both
sexes, excited TO action.
AMONG ERMINEs THE FEMALE is MUCH
SMALLER
than the male, but they are otherwise identi-
cal. Their homes are situated in hollow stumps,
logs or trees and they also live under rocks
and in burrows From March to June, accord
ing TO the latitude, but generally, perhaps, in
April, litter of four or five young make their
appearance and in the far north, Pallas, who
speaks from personal observation states that
the mother may be still in her Winter dress
when they are born. About the 10th day the
infant stoats become distinctly bicolorcd
Il. l. 4. 10. fln
lower parts OF the body. There is a supersti-
tion 10 the effect that so clcanly are the err
mines habits that it dies il its coat be dehcd.
The truth is il looks clean in Winter, because
there is then little opportunity of smirching
its white fur, but at homo IL lives in the midst
Of otial derived from the remains of its victims
and, when this garbage is not frozen, brcathcS
an atmosphere mpregnatea with the fumes of
decomposiug animal matter. Every bad quality
possessed by the weasel Is shared by the stoat.
Ii is rs fierce and sanguinary as the former, and
equally given TO useless aud indscriminate muir
der. Like its dsreputable little relation, its
COunteDance indicates the brutality of its char
scter but like it also, it displays unfatcring
courage and devotion in the defense OF its
young. Hogs observations show that SINH
larly with weasels they hunt both by sight
and smell. but no record OF their forming packs,
rs ST. John reports Of their allies, has come 10
the writer's notice. Pallas says that they can
swim, and Audubon that they avoid water.
These statements are quite reconcilable; still
the crminc is certainly not as aquatic rs the
mink and when il does swim, holds tho head
high, like n dog. Likewise stoats are not
so arborcal as martens but they climb with
facility, and il has been shown that Audubon
was wrong in denying that they pursued their
prey in trees like the European marton and
American pgkan. Wherever il hunts, however,
il does so with all the success that boldness,
agility, cunning persistence and extreme agt-
ity can confer. and in all places in which the
ground is thickly covered with vegetation, its
1.-the form gives il, as Macgillivray observes.
great advantage over most of the animals IL
pursues. Game birds, including the wary and
strong winged grouse aud ptarmigan are de-
stroyed, together with domestic fowls. all kinds
OF eggs, mice, rats, molcs harcs and rabbits;
IN fact everything it can Kill, goes to supply
the crmiue's larder. It's predatory instincts are
inordlnately developed aud all that was said OF
the weascl's blind and useless ferOcly fully APP
plies 10 lis ally. None OF those great carnivora
whose names have passed into common language
as the synonyms for ferOciiy exceed, or even
equal, these diminutiyc murderers; and, says
MacgiIlivray, speaking Of the tribe generally,
none display +" a wider or more searching range
Of active operations against a greater variety Of
objects, more perscvering or moro enduring
powers Of chase and higher grade Of de-
structiveness." In relative strength and de-
stToying power. in ruthless cruelty and super
latiye bioodthirstiucss, nothing that lives can
surPass these maleyolent and implacable crea-
lures.
The stoat does not avoid mans vicinity as
many OF its relations do, aud although It's dep
relations are sometimes serious, upon the
whole it perhaps does as much good as harm.
IFS HABITS ARE SOLITARY,
and the families soon dispersc, so that, except
during The rutting season, two are seldom seen
together. Nocturnal for the most part, they
yet frequently 10 abroad by day while pro-
yiding for their young. at which period they
are extremely industrious aud in continual
movement. Though not infrequcntly the err
mine inhabits Z burrow, il can hardly be called
fOss0rial, since in such cases il lives in cxcava-
tons made by other animals whom il has dis
! possessed or slain. Capt Lyon and DR.. Richard
son assert that it digs IN the snow, however, as
/ the white bear is said 10 do when her cubs are
about TO be born; and for tie rest stoats are
/ strictly circulnp0lar, aud range from about the
1 middle Of the Northern Hemisphere nearly,
il not ia some places quite, TO the shores of the
Arctic Ocean, while the species exhibits a
marked increase IA its numbers as We approach
! the pole.