ERMINE

(" This," says Gwillim, " is a little beast le than a squirrel, that hath his being in the woods of the land of Armenia, whereof he taketh his name.") In Zoology, a species of Mustcla, or stoat, differing from the common weasel in being about one third larger, and in having a somewhat broader head and a longer tail. In the summer season the upper part of the head, neck, and body, and the greater part of the tail, are of a pale reddish brown colour; the under parts white, with a very slight tinge of yellow; tip of the tail black, and somewhat bushy. In the winter the whole of the body becomes white, slightly tinged with yellow; but the black termination of the tail is permanent. The fur is closer and finer at this season, especially in the colder latitudes, from which countries the ermine affords one of the most beautiful and valuable of furs. When made up the tails are inserted one to each skin, at regular distances, and in the quincunx order; and thus arranged the ermine fur forms the distinctive doubling of the state robes of sovereign* and nobles, as well as of their crowns and coronets. Ermine. In Heraldry, one of the furs used in blazonry. It represents the skin of that animal white, spotted or timbered with black. Ermines is black, spotted or timbered with white. Erminites differs from ermine in having the side hairs of the timberings red. Erminois is the same as ermine, except that gold is substituted for the white. Pean is black, timbered with gold. [s. 427]