I don't know of any comparison between white and brown ferrets in ancient texts - but I don't know that there aren't any. But remembering the ferret is derived from African stock - most common theory I've heard and that the polecat is in the English Isles and other Northern areas I would venture to guess the cross breeding came with the moving North out of what is now Greece and Italy. bil and diane killian zen and the art of ferrets [Posted in FML issue 1216]