  Measurements of the low-frequency (f<= 100 kHz) permittivity at T<= 160 K and
dc resistivity (T<= 430 K) are reported for La(1-x)Ca(x)MnO(3) (0<= x<= 0.15).
Static dielectric constants are determined from the low-T limiting behavior of
the permittivity. The estimated polarizability for bound holes ~ 10^{-22}
cm^{-3} implies a radius comparable to the interatomic spacing, consistent with
the small polaron picture established from prior transport studies near room
temperature and above on nearby compositions. Relaxation peaks in the
dielectric loss associated with charge-carrier hopping yield activation
energies in good agreement with low-T hopping energies determined from
variable-range hopping fits of the dc resistivity. The doping dependence of
these energies suggests that the orthorhombic, canted antiferromagnetic ground
state tends toward an insulator-metal transition that is not realized due to
the formation of the ferromagnetic insulating state near Mn(4+) concentration ~
0.13.
