Editing Stoat (section)

==Etymology==
[[File:Mustela erminea 02 MWNH 382e.jpg|thumb|Skull]]
The [[root word]] for "stoat" is likely either the Dutch word {{lang|nl|stout}} ("bold")<ref name="c124"/> or the [[Gothic language|Gothic]] word {{lang|got|𐍃𐍄𐌰𐌿𐍄𐌰𐌽}} ({{lang|got-Latn|stautan}}, "to push").<ref name="j160">{{Harvnb|Johnston|1903|p=160}}</ref> According to [[John Guillim]], in his ''Display of Heraldrie'', the word "ermine" is likely derived from Armenia, the nation where it was thought the species originated,<ref name="c124">{{Harvnb|Coues|1877|pp=124–125}}</ref> though other authors have linked it to the [[Norman French]] from the [[Teutonic language|Teutonic]] {{lang|gem|harmin}} ([[Anglo Saxon language|Anglo-Saxon]] {{lang|ang|hearma}}). This seems to come from the [[Lithuanian language|Lithuanian]] word {{lang|lt|šarmu}}.<ref name="j160"/> In Ireland (where the [[least weasel]] does not occur), the stoat is referred to as a weasel, while in North America it is called a short-tailed weasel. A male stoat is called a ''dog'', ''hob'', or ''jack'', while a female is called a ''jill''. The [[collective noun]] for stoats is either ''gang'' or ''pack''.<ref name="h456">{{Harvnb|Harris|Yalden|2008|p=456}}</ref>