Ermine is the winter coat or fur of a stoat, which is white, with a dark spot on the end of the tail. The pelts have been arranged so that the tail ends form a series of dark spots. Although this cape has no label, it was kept in a box from the reputable firm of Arbeiter, furriers to the the Dutch court since 1814. Fashion magazines of the late 19th century only sporadically show capes and other uses for ermine.