▁centuries ▁each ▁has ▁developed ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁variations . ▁ ▁Er mine ▁represents ▁the ▁fur ▁of ▁the ▁sto at , ▁a ▁type ▁of ▁we as el , ▁in ▁its ▁white ▁winter ▁coat , ▁when ▁it ▁is ▁called ▁an ▁er mine . ▁ ▁It ▁consists ▁of ▁a ▁white , ▁or ▁occasionally ▁silver ▁field , ▁pow der ed ▁with ▁black ▁figures ▁known ▁as ▁er mine ▁sp ots , ▁representing ▁the ▁black ▁tip ▁of ▁the ▁animal ' s ▁tail . ▁ ▁Er mine ▁was ▁tradition ally ▁used ▁to ▁line ▁the ▁clo aks ▁and ▁caps ▁of ▁the ▁nob ility . ▁ ▁The ▁shape ▁of ▁the ▁her ald ic ▁er mine ▁spot ▁has ▁varied ▁consider ably ▁over ▁time , ▁and ▁now ad ays ▁is ▁typically ▁drawn ▁as ▁an ▁arrow head ▁sur mount ed ▁by ▁three ▁small ▁d ots , ▁but ▁older ▁forms ▁may ▁be ▁employed ▁at ▁the ▁artist ' s ▁dis cret ion . ▁ ▁When ▁the ▁field ▁is ▁s able ▁and ▁the ▁er mine ▁sp ots ▁argent , ▁the ▁same ▁pattern ▁is ▁term ed ▁er min es ; ▁when ▁the ▁field ▁is ▁or ▁rather ▁than ▁argent , ▁the ▁fur ▁is ▁term ed ▁er min ois ; ▁and ▁when ▁the ▁field ▁is ▁s able ▁and ▁the ▁er mine ▁sp ots ▁or , ▁it ▁is ▁term ed ▁pe an . ▁ ▁V air ▁represents ▁the ▁winter ▁coat ▁of ▁the ▁red ▁squ ir rel , ▁which ▁is ▁blue - gre y ▁on ▁top ▁and ▁white ▁under ne ath . ▁ ▁To ▁form ▁the ▁lin ings ▁of ▁clo aks , ▁the