UNIVERSITY OF N,C. AT CHAPEL HILL university of n;ort£carolina '-^ool of Libi^y "■■ - e J H U/t£l(aii^ y . C^r^i^^J ^A^iVjgRSITY OF Qhool of Library Sc ienc(=> Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hil http://www.archive.org/details/generalhistoryofObewi GENERAL HISTORY QUADRUPEDS THE FIGURES ENGRAVED ON WOOD BY THOMAS BEWICK. THE EIGHTH EDITION. ^ NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE : PRINTED BY EDW. WALKER, FOR T. BEWICK, AND SON ; LONGMAN AND CO. LONDON J AND WILSON AND SONS, YORK. 1824. ^ ADVERTISEMENT. In disposing the order of the following work, we have not thought it necessary to confine ourselves strictly within the rules prescribed by systematic writers on this part of Natu- ral History ; as it was not so much the object of our plan to lay down a methodical arrangement of the various tribes of four-footed animals, as to give a clear and concise account of the nature, habits, and disposition of each, accompanied with more accurate representations than have hitherto ap- peared in any work of this kind. Our disregard of system, however, has not prevented us from attending to the great divisions of Quadrupeds, so obviously marked out by the hand of Nature, and so clearly distinguished, that the most careless observer cannot avoid being forcibly struck with an agreement of parts in the outward appearance of the differ- ent individuals of which it consists. The intermediate stations, however, have not been always so clearly defined ; these are frequently occupied by charac- ters so dubious, that naturalists have iiot always agreed in ascribing to each its proper place : of this kind are the Ele- phant, the Hippopotamus, the Rhinoceros, the Cameleo- pard, the Beaver, the Hedge-hog, the Sloth, the Jerboa, &c. which bear in themselves characteristics so peculiar, that they might seem to constitute distinct genera. We have endeavoured to lay before our readers a particu- lar account of the animals with which our own country is abundantly stored, especially of those which so materially contribute to the strength, the wealth, and the happiness of this kingdom ; of these the Horse, the Cow, and the Sheep, claim the first place ; and in treating of these, we have no- ticed the improvements which an enlarged system of agricul- ture, supported by a noble spirit of emulation, has intro- 7S6311 IV ADVERTISEMENT. duced into all parts of the country. To these we may add that most useful animal the Dog, the account of which forms a conspicuous part of our history, and we trust will afford some entertainment to those who are pleased with contem- plating the various talents of that trusty servant and humble companion of man : we have selected the most remarkable of the different kinds, and have given faithful portraits of them, drawn from the life ; there are still others, not unworthy of attention, which might have been added ; but to have no- ticed all the variations and shades of difference observable in the canine race^, would have swelled our account, already large,., to an immoderate length, and have left us too little room for others of equal importance, in a comprehensive view of this part of the animal creation. Our attention has been directed in a particular manner to the various instinctive powers of animals — that hidden prin- ciple, which actuates and impels every living creature to procure its subsistence, provide for its safety, and propagate its kind. To discover more and more of this unerring guide, directing the brute creation to their highest good, by the simplest and most certain methods, is a pursuit worthy of the most refined understanding, and leads us to contemplate the wisdom and goodness of the adorable Author of Nature, who " openeth his hand, and all things are filled with good." It may perhaps be thought necessary to offer some apolo- gy for the evident want of proportion observable in the size of the different animals, — a defect to which every work of this kind must, in some measure, be liable. In adverting to this, we found, that at whatever point, between the Elephant and the Mouse, the scale were to be fixed, a great and xin- avoidable deficiency would be the consequence; we were therefore obliged to relinquish a plan, which, so far from being practicable, would have been the means of throwing the whole into irregularity and confusion. INDEX. A PAGE ADIVE - 323 Agouti - - 382 Akouchi - - 383 Ai - . 497 An Amphibious Animal of New South Wales 526 Ant-eater, the Great 498 the Middle 499 the Lesser ibid. Antelope, the Common 106 the Barbary 107 the Scythian 100 the Striped ibid. Ape, the Pigmy - 454 the Long-armed 455 the Barbaiy - 456 Armadillo - - 501 the Three- banded - 502 the Six-banded 503 the Eight- banded - ibid. the Niae-band- ed - 504 the Weasel- headed - 505 Ass - - 19 Axis - - 141 B Baboon - - 457 the Great Ribbed- nose - 459 the Small Ribbed- nose 461 the Pig-tailed 462 the Dog-faced 463 the Ursine - 464 Babiroussa - 1 72 Babr - - 213 Badger - - 281 PAGE Badger, the Stinking 276 the Sov*r - 284 Bat - - 513 the Short-eared ibid. the Long-eared - 515 theNoctule, or Great ibid. the Pipistrelle - 516 the Barbastelle - ibid. the Serotine - ibid. the Horse-shoe - ibid. the Great Ternate 518 the Rougette, or Less- er Ternate - 519 the Spectre - 520 the Senegal - ibid^ the Bull dog - ibid. the Bearded - ibid. the Striped - 521 Bear, the Brown - 288 the Black - ibid. the Polar - 295 Beaver - - 411 the Little - 416 Bison . _ 43 Blue Goat . . 90 Boar, the Wild - 160 the Common, or Domestic - 162 the African Wild 167 Bucha - - 46 Buffalo - - 47 C Callitrix - - 466 Camel - - 150 the Arabian - 154 Cameleopard - 118 Capibara - - 381 Caracal - - 238 the Nubian - 239 Carcajou - - 285 a2 VI INDEX. PAGE Caribou - - 134 Cat, the Domestic - 331 the Wild - 228 the Wild ¥ed - 227 of Angora - 230 Cavy, the Kestless - 377 the Spotted - 379 the Long-nosed 382 the Akouchi - 383 the Rock - 384 Chevrotain - 107 Chinche - - 265 Civet - - 270 Coaita - - 474 Coati - - 277 Conepate - - 267 Corin - - 107 Couguar - - 219 Coquallin - - 388 Cow - - 25 J3 Deer, Red = 135 the Fallow - 143 Dog - - 324 the Shepherd's 327 the Cur - 329 the Greenland 331 the Bull - 334 the Mastiff - 336 tiie Ban - 338 tlie Dalmatian, or Coach - 339 the Irish Greyhound 340 the Highland Grey- hound - 34] the Gazehound ibid. the Greyhound 342 the Italian Grey- hound - ibid. the Lyemmer - 343 the Lurcher - ibid. the Tumbler - 344 the Terrier - 345 PAGE 346 347 348 Dog the Beagle the Harrier the Fox-Hound the Old English Hound the Kibble Hound the Blood-Hound the Spanish Pointer 355 the English Setter 356 the Newfoundland the Rough Water the Large Water- Spaniel the Small Water- Spaniel the Springer, or Cocker King Charles's the Pyrame the Shock the Lion the Comforter - the Turnspit the Pug Dormouse, the Greater the Lesser Douc Dromedarjr E Elephant Elk the American Elk Antelope Ermine Exquima 351 352 ibid. 357 360 361 362 363 ibid, ibid, ibid. 364 ibid. 365 ibid. 392 393 472 154 186 120 125 96 247 472 Ferret - - 248 Fitchet - - 252 Fossane - - 264 Foumart - - 252 Fox - - 363 the Greyhound - 307 the Mastiff - ibid. INDEX. yii PAGE PAGE Fox, the Cur 308 I the Black 310 Ibex 80 the Cross ibid. Ichneumon 261 the Arctic 311 Irbys 236 Free Martin 28 J G Jackal 320 Gazelles 89 Jaguar 217 Gemse-Bok 101 Jerboa - • 397 Genet 268 K Giraffe - - 118 Kabassou 505 Gnu 104 Kanguroo 442 Goat 77 Kanguroo Rat 444 the Chamois 81 Kevel 107 of Angora 86 Klip- Springer 103 of Thibet ibid. Koba 108 of Portugal ibid. Koedoe 100 the Syrian 88 L the African ibid. Lama 155 Grunting Ox 46 Leming 409 Grys-Bok 103 Leopard 214 Guanacos 156 Lion 199 Guinea Pig 377 Lion-Ape 476 Glutton 285 Loris 448 H Louchu 213 Hamster 404 Lynx 235 Hare 369 the Bay 236 the Alpine 372 M Hart Beest 98 Macauco, the Yellow 446 Hedge-Hog 487 the Ring-tailed 445 Hippopotamus 182 the Tail-less 447 Hog - 159 the Mongooz 448 Horse 1 the Black 449 the Arabian - 4 Mangabey 468 the Race-horse 6 Manis 500 the Hunter 8 the Long-tailed 501 Old English Road 9 Marapute 226 the Black 10 Margay 224 Pony 12 Marmot 399 the Common Cart 13 the Quebec 403 the Improved Cart 14 the Earless 407 Pack-horse ibid. the Tail-less 408 Hyena, the Striped 298 the Lapland 409 the Spotted 301 Martin 256 VUl INDEX. PAGE Martin Oie Yellow- breasted - 265 Meminna - 109 Mexican Hog - 169 Mole - - 430 Radiated - 432 the Yellow - tdid. Monax - 402 Monkey, the Hare lipped 466 the Patas, or Red - i6id. the Chinese Bonnet 468 the Caliitrix, or Green - 469 the Varied, or Mona - 471 the Preacher 473 the Spider 472 the Weeper 476 the Saimira, or Orange idig^. the Fox-tailed 477 the Great-eared Hid. the Striated 478 the Silky 479 the Red-tailed 480 the Micoj or Fair - 481 Mouflon, or Musmon 74 Mouse - - 424 Long-tailed Field 425 Short-tailed Field 426 Shrew - 427 Water Shrew 428 Dwarf - 429 Mule - - 16 Musk - - 115 Musk-Bull - 49 Musquash, or Little Beaver - 416 Mustache - 470 Nanguer Nems Nyl-Ghau N O PAGE 105 250 112 Ocelot - 222 Ondatra - 415 Opossum, Saragoy 433 Murine 435 Mexican 436 the Phalanger437 the Spotted 438 the Vulpine idtd. the Flying 439 of Van Die- men's Land 440 Squirrel 44 1 Oran-Outang - 452 Otter - - 490 the Sea - 494 Ounce - - 216 Ox - - 25 Holstein, or Dutch Breed - 29 Improved ditto 30 the Lancashire 33 the Lancashire Ox 35 Kyloe - 36 Wild Cattle - 38 Orignal - - 125 Pacos 157 Panther 212 Patas 463 Peccary Persian Savage Phalanger 169 461 434 Pied Goat 91 Pigmy Ape Polecat 454 252 Porcupine the Brazilian 483 485 the Canada 486 INDEX. IX Potto Rabbit PAGE 443 R 374 the Domestic 376 of Angora - ibid. the Hooded ibid. Raccoon - - 279 Ram, Black-faced - 56 Heath - 57 Cheviot - 58 Tees-Water 60 Ditto improved 61 Rat - - 421 Water - 420 Musk of Canada 418 Muscovy Musk 419 Ratel - - 275 Ree-Bok - 102 Riet - ibid. Rein Deer - 127 Rhinoceros - 1 75 the Two-horn- ed - 179 Roe-Buck - 146 Ruminating Animals 24 S Sable - - 258 Sagoin - - 469 Sajou - - 475 Saki - - 477 Saccaw^inkee - ibid. Sand Bear - 284 Sapajou - - 469 Sarluc - - 46 Scaly Lizard - 498 Sea-Horse - 503 Seal - - 508 the Hooded - 510 the Ursine - 511 Serval - - 226 Sheep - - 50 Lincolnshire Breed 54 Dorsetshire ditto ibid. PAGE Sheep, the Short - 56 Leicestershire ditto 63 Mr CuUey's Breed 66 the Shetland 68 the Dunky, or Dwarf - 70 the Tartarian - 71 the African, or Guinea - ibid. the Many-homed 72 the Broad-tailed ibid. of Thibet - 73 the Wallachian ibid. Sifac - - 469 Skunk - - 265 Sloth - - 496 Souslik - 407 Sow, of the Improved Breed - 164 Chinese - 166 Springer - 94 Squirrel - 385 the Grey 387 the Black 388 the Ground 389 the Hudson's Bay - 390 the Barbary 391 the Palm ibid. the Fat - 392 the Garden ibid. the Flying 394 the Great Flying 395 the Hooded ibid. the Long-tailed 396 Stag, or Red Deer 135 the Corsican 140 the Axis, or Ganges 141 Steen-Bok - - 105 Stifling, or Squash 266 Stoat - - 246 Suricate - - 274 Syah-Gush - 238 X INDEX. PAGE 1 PAGE Swift Antelope 105 Weasel 242 T the White 247 Talapoin 470 the Madagascar 250 Talgoi 499 the Pine 256 Tanrec 489 the Fisher 260 Tapiir 174 the Four-toed 274 Tarsi er 449 the Brazilian 277 I'endrac 448 Wolf _ 313 Tiger 206 the New South the Black 221 Wales 319 Cat 227 Wolverine 285 U 1 Wombach 523 Unau 497 ' Wood Goat 92 Urus, or Wild Bull 42 ; Z Urchin 484 1 Zebra - 22 V Zebu _ 44 Vansire 250 Zemni - 408 W Zibit _ 273 Walrus 506 Zisel _ 408 Wanderou 465 Zorilla - 267 GENERAL HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE HORSE. (Equus CaballuSy Linnaeus. — Le Cheval, BufFon.) The various excellencies of this noble animal, the grandeur of his stature, the elegance and proportion of his parts, the beautiful smoothness of his skin, the va- riety and gracefulness of his motions, and, above all, his utility, entitle him to a precedence in the history of the brute creation. The Horse, in his domestic state, is generous, docile, spirited, and yet obedient ; adapted to the various pur- poses of pleasure and convenience, he is equally ser- viceable in the draught, the field, or the race. There are few parts of the known world where the Horse is not produced ; but if we would see him in the enjoyment of his native freedom, unsubdued by the re- straints man has imposed upon him, we must look for him in the wild and extensive plains of Africa and Ara- bia, where he ranges without control, in a state of entire independency. In those immense tracts, the wild Horses may be seen feeding together, in droves of four or five hundred ; one of them always acting as sentinel, to give notice of approaching danger : this he does by a kind of 2 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. snorting noise, upon which they all run off with astonish- ing rapidity. The wild Horses of Arabia are esteemed the most beautiful in the world : they are of a brown colour, their mane and tail of black tufted hair, very short; they are smaller than the tame ones, are very ac- tive, and of great swiftness. The most usual method of taking them is by snares or pits formed in the sand. It is probable there were once wild Horses in Europe, which have long since been brought under subjection. Those found in America were originally of the Spanish breed, sent thither upon its first discovery, which have since become wild, and spread themselves over various parts of that vast continent. They are generally small, not exceeding fourteen hands high; with thick heads, and clumsy joints ; their ears and necks are longer than those of the English Horses. They are easily tamed; and if by accident, they should regain their liberty,- they seldom become wild again, but know their master, and may be easily caught by him. At the age of two years,* the Horse is in a condition to propagate. Tlie mare is generally in season from * There are various ways of judging of the age of a Horse. The follo-\ving are the most general : — The eye-pits of old Horses are com- monly hollow ; but that mark is equivocal, young Horses, begot by old staUions, having them also hollow. The teeth afford the best cri- terion of the age of Horses. The Horse has, in all, forty teeth ; viz. twenty-four grinders, four canine teeth or tusks, and twelve fore teeth : Mares have either no tusks, or very short ones. Five days after birth, the four teeth in fi'ont begin to shoot : these are called nippers, and are cast at the age of two years and a half: they are soon renewed: and the next year, he again casts tAvo above, and two below, — one on each side of the ni])})ers. At four years and a half, other four fall out, next those last placed : these last four foal teeth are succeeded by other four, which grow much more slowly than the first eight : and it is from these HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 3 the latter end of March till the beginning of June ; but her chief ardour for the horse continues only fifteen or twenty days. She goes with young eleven months and some days ; continues to breed till the age of sixteen or eighteen years ; and lives, on an average, between twenty and thirty years. Although the Horse is endowed with vast strength and powers, he seldom exerts either to the prejudice of his master : on the contrary, he shares with him in his labours, and seems to participate in his pleasures: gene- rous and persevering, he gives up his whole powers to the service of his master; though bold and intrepid, he represses the natural vivacity and fire of his temper, and not only yields to the hand, but seems to consult the inclination of his rider. But it must continue to be matter of regret to every feeling mind, that these excellent qualities should be often shamefully abused in the most unnecessary exer- tions; and the honest labours of this noble animal thrown away in the ungrateful task of accomplishing the purposes of unfeeling folly, or lavished in gratifying the expectations of an intemperate moment. last four corner teeth, that the age of a horse is distinguished : they are somewhat hollow in the middle, and haA'^e a black mark in the cavities. At five years, these teeth scarcely rise above the gums ; at six their cavities begin to fill up, and turn to a brownish spot, like the eye of a garden bean ; and before eight years, the mark generally disappears. The tusks also indicate the age of a horse. Those in the under jaw ge- nerally shoot at the age of three years and a half; and the two in the upper jaw at four : till six, they continue sharp at the points ; but at ten, they appear long and blunted. These are the general rules for ascertaining the age of a Horse ; but there are frequent exceptions, as some Horses retain the mark two or three years longer. A 2 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE ARABIAN HORSE. There is scarcely an Arabian, how poor soever in other respects, but is possessed of his Horse, which he considers as an invaluable treasure. Having no other dwelling but a tent, the Arabian and his Horse live upon the most equal terms : his wife and family, his mare and her foal, generally lie indiscriminately toge- ther; whilst the little children frequently climb without fear upon the body of the inoffensive animal, which permits them to play with and caress it without injury. The Arabs never beat their Horses ; they speak to, and seem to hold friendly intercourse with them : they never whip them, and seldom, but in cases of necessi- ty, make use of the spur. Their agility in leaping is wonderful ; and if the rider happen to fall, they are so tractable as to stand still in the midst of the most rapid career. The Arabian Horses, in general, are less than the Race-Horses of this country; they are easy and graceful in their motions, and rather inclined to lean- HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 5 ness. It is worthy of remark, that, instead of crossing the breed, the Arabs take every precaution to keep it pure and unmixed: they preserve, with the greatest care, and for an amazing length of time, the genealo- gies of their Horses : those of the first kind are called Nobles, being " of a pure and ancient race, purer than milk." They have likewise two other kinds, which, having been degraded by common alliances, sell at in- ferior prices. From Arabia, the race of Horses has probably ex- tended into Barbary and other parts of Africa ; those being considered as next to the Arabian Horses in swift- ness and beauty, though they are somewhat smaller. The Spanish Genette is held in great estimation : like the former, it is small, but beautiful, and extremely swift. The Horses of India and China are of a much less size and more vicious than those of this country, and many of them very small. One of these M^as some years ago brought into this country as a present to the Queen, measuring only nine hands in height. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE RACE-HORSE. In Great Britain the breed of Horses seems to be as mixed as that of its inhabitants. By great attention to the improvement of this noble animal, by a judicious mixture of several kinds, and by superior skill in manage- ment, the English Race Horse* is allowed to excel those * The following account of the prizes won by some of our capital Eace-Horses, will shew the importance of that breed in England, where such vast sums frequently depend on the issue of their contests : — Bay Malton, (by Sampson) the property of the late Marquis of Rockingham, in seven prizes, won the amazmg sum of 5,9001. At York he ran four miles in seven nunutes and forty-three and an half seconds, which was seven and an half seconds less time than it was ever done in before over the same course. Ceilders (well known by the name of Flying Childers) the proper- ty of the Duke of Devonshire, was allowed by sportsmen to be the fleetest Horse that was ever bred in the world : he started repeatedly at Newmarket against the best horses of his time, and was never beaten : he won, in different prizes, to the amount of nearly 2000L ; and was afterwards reserved as a stallion. The sire of Childers was an Arabian, sent by a gentleman as a present to his brother in England. DoRiMANT, a famous Horse belonging to Lord Ossory, won prizes to the great amount of 13,3631. HISTOBY OF QUADRUPEDS. / of the rest of Europe, or perhaps the whole world. For supporting a continuance of violent exertion, (or what is called, in the language of the turf, bottom) they are superior to the Arabian, the Barb, or the Persian ; and for swiftness, they will yield the palm to none. An or- dinary Racer is known to go at the rate of a mile in less than two minutes; but there have been instances of much greater rapidity ; the famous Horse Childers has been known to move eighty-two feet and a half in a se- cond, or nearly a mile in a minute ; he has run round the course at Newmarket, which is little less than four miles, in six minutes and forty seconds. Eclipse was allowed to be the fleetest Horse that ever ran in Eng- land smce the time of Childers. After winning king's plates and other prizes to a great amount, he covered, by subscription, forty mares, at thirty guineas each, besides those of his owner. Highflyer was accounted the best horse of his time m England. The sums he won and received amounted to near 9,0001. though he never started after five years old. He was never beaten, nor ever paid a forfeit. Matchem, a Horse belonging to the late W. Fenwick, Esq. cf By- well, besides being a capital racer, was particularly remarkable as a stallion, and may be truly said to have earned more money than any other Horse in the world. He was engaged, during nine years of his life, to cover twenty-five mares, at fifty guineas a mare, and was un- commonly successful in the celebrity of his progeny, having been sire to many of our most famous running Horses. He was remarkable for be- ing the quietest stallion that ever was known ; to which, perhaps, may be attributed his great age, being in his thirty-third year when he died. Shark won, besides a cup value 120 guineas, and eleven hogsheads of claret, the astonishing sum of 15,507 guineas, in plates, matches, and forfeits. On the 25th March, 17995 a match for 3000 guineas was run at Newmarket, by Sir H. Vane Tempest's Hambletoniajt, and Mr Cookson's Diamond, and won by the former. It was supposed that wagers to the amount of nearly two hundred thousand pounds were betted on the event of this severe race. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE HUNTER Is a happy combination of the Race Horse with others of superior strength, but inferior in swiftness ; and may be considered as the most useful breed of Horses in Europe. Their spirit and activity in the field are well known, and can only be equalled by the perseverance with which they endure the much more severe labour of posting on the road, which is now carried on by this active and hardy race, with a celerity unknown at any former period. Geldings of this kind are sent over to the continent in great numbers : their superior worth is universally acknowledged abroad ; and they are sold at very high prices, to foreigners of the first distinction. The mixture of this with others of inferior rank, forms an endless variety, the different gradations be- coming too minute to be discriminated. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE OLD ENGLISH ROAD-HORSE Is a strong, vigorous, and active kind, capable of en- during great hardship ; its stature rather low, seldom exceeding fifteen hands ; the body round and compact, its limbs strong, and its head, thick. Although this breed has of late years been neglected, and almost totally superseded by Horses of another kind, more nearly related to the Race-Horse, where the fashion of figure seems to have been preferred to utility, we cannot help congratulating our associated countrymen* on their spirited exertions towards public improvement, in which nothing of excellency in the various kinds of domestic animals is suffered to escape their vigilance, and this kind is again likely to be brought into notice. A mare of this breed, in the pos- session of Arthur Mowbray, Esq. of Sherburn, appears to us to possess all the valuable properties attributed to the old Road-Horse. Agrioiltuial societies B 10 HISTORY OF q,uade.u?]:]d: THE BLACK HORSE. No other country has produced a breed of Horses equal in size and strength to the larger kind of our draught Horses. The cavalry of England formerly consisted of this class of Horses ; but their inutility be- ing experienced in most situations, others of a lighter and more active kind have been generally substituted, except in a few regiments. In the fens of Lincolnshire a larger breed of Horses is produced than in any other part of this kingdom. In London, there have been in- stances where a single Horse of that kind, has drawn, for a small space, the enormous weight of three tons, half of which is known to be their ordinary draught. Considerable improvements have of late years been made in this kind of Horses, by Mr Bakewell, of Dish- ley, and others ; who, by great ingenuity and attention, have acquired such celebrity, that they frequently sell stallions of their respective breeds for two hundred gui- neas ; or, what is a more general practice, let them to HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 11 hire by the season, for forty, eighty, or perhaps an hun- dred guineas ; and some of them cover at five guineas a mare. The form of the black Lincolnshire Horse has, by their management, been materially altered : the long fore-end, long-back, and long thick hairy legs, have been gradually contracted into a short thick carcase, a short but upright fore-end, and shorter and cleaner legs ; experience having at length proved, that strength and activity, rather than height and weight, are the more essential properties of farm Horses. Another advantage possessed by this improved breed, is its hardiness, or thriving quality : its being able to carry flesh, or stand hard work, with comparatively little provender. This hardiness of constitution, or natural propensity to thriving, the Leicestershire breed- ers assert is hereditary in particular individual breeds or lines of Horses. If this observation be just, and that the feeding quality can be obtained with any de- gree of certainty by management in breeding, in this as well as other kinds of live stock, it is a most interesting circumstance in the nature of domestic animals. A strong, bony, and active kind of Horse is now used in our carriages, instead of the old black Coach-Horse, which is almost universally laid aside. The docked tail, offensive both to humanity and decency, is rarely to be seen : propriety and good sense have at length prevailed over a custom replete with absurdity ; and our Horses are permitted to retain a member both useful and orna- mental. But we have still to regret, that the cruel practice of forming the tail, by cutting and nicking it on the under side, is yet continued. Although it would be impossible to trace out the kind b2 12 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. of Horses with which our British ancestors opposed themselves to the legions of Julius Caesar, on his land- ing in this country, yet that celebrated warrior himself bears testimony to their activity and discipline. The Ponies of Wales, and those that are bred in the Highlands of Scotland, seem to be original and unmix- ed. They are both much esteemed for the neatness and beauty of their forms, for the nimbleness of their motions, and, above all, for being remarkably sure- footed on the most difficult roads, which renders them extremely valuable in the mountainous tracts to which they originally belong. Those of Shetland are the smallest of the genus, being in general much less ^than the Ass. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 13 THE COMMON CART-HORSE Is inferior to the Black Horse both in size and strength : his form is heavy, his motions slow, and his aspect with- out sprightliness : he is nevertheless extremely useful, and is employed in the business of agriculture and other domestic concerns. 14 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE IMPROVED CART-HORSE. It will be gratifying to most of our readers to know that the spirit of improvement has extended itself greatly to this useful breed ; and to the advantages of strength and docility, has added those of form, activity, and vi- gour. George Baker, Esq. of Elemore, in the county of Durham, has a remarkably fine Horse of this kind, from which this figure was drawn. Till of late years, Pack-Horses were employed, in the northern counties of England, to carry the different manufactures and articles of traffic from one part of the kingdom to another ; but the improved state of our roads has caused that mode of conveyance to be almost entirely laid aside. In their journies over trackless moors, they strictly adhered to the line of order and regularity custom had taught them to observe : the HISTCFtY OF QUAlDr.UPSDS. 15 leading Horse, which was dlways chosen for his saga- city and steadiness, being furnished with bells, gave notice to the rest, which followed the sound, and ge- nerally without much deviation, though sometimes at a considerable distance. The following anecdote will shew with what obstinate perseverance they have been known to observe the line of their order : — Some years ago, one of these Horses, which had been long accus- tomed to follow his leader, by accident or fatigue, was thrown into an inferior rank : the poor animal, as if sensible of his disgrace, by the most strenuous exer- tions, at length recovered his usual station, which he maintained during the remainder of the journey ; but on his arrival at the inn-yard, he dropped down dead i':pon the spot, his life falling a sacrifice to his ambi- tion^ — a species of heroism we must admire even in €.12 brute creation. 16 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE MULE. This useful and hardy animal is the offspring of the Horse and the Ass, and being generally barren, fur- nishes an indisputable proof that the two species are perfectly distinct. Nature has providently stopped the further propagation of these heterogeneous productions, to preserve, uncontaminated, the form of each animal ; without which regulation, the races would in a shoii; time be mixed with each other, and every creature, losing its original perfection, would rapidly degenerate. Mules have not vmfrequently been known to bring forth young, especially in hot countries ; and instances have not been wanting, though they are rare, both in England and Scotland. But it would require a succes- sion of experiments to prove that Mules will breed with each other, and produce an offspring equally capable of continuing the race. The common Mule is very healthy, and will live above thirty years. It is found very serviceable in carrying HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 17 burdens, particularly in mountainous and stony places, where horses are not so sure-footed. The size and strength of our breed have lately been much improved by the importation of Spanish male Asses ; and it were much to be wished, that the useful qualities of this ani- mal were more attended to : for, by proper care in its breaking, its natural obstinacy would in a great measure be corrected ; and it might be formed with success for the saddle, the draught, or the burden. People of the first quality in Spain are drawn by Mules, where fifty or sixty guineas is no uncommon price for one of them ; nor is it surprising, when we consider how far they excel the Horse in travelling in a mountainous country, the Mule being able to tread se- curely where the former can hardly stand. Their man- ner of going down the precipices of the Alps, the Andes, &c. is very extraordinary ; and with it we will conclude their history. In these passages, on one side, are steep eminences, and, on the other, frightful abysses ; and as they generally follow the direction of the mountain, the road, instead of lying on a level, forms, at every little distance, deep declivities, of several hundred yards downward. These can be descended only by Mules ; and the animal itself seems sensible of the danger, and the caution that is to be used in such descents. When they come to the edge of one of these precipices, they stop without being checked by the rider ; and if he in- advertently attempt to spur them on, the}'^ continue im- moveable. They seem all this time ruminating on the danger that lies before them, and preparing themselves for the encounter. They not only attentively view the road, but tremble and snort at the danger. Having pre- 18 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. pared for the descent, they place their fore feet in a posture as if they were stopping themselves ; they then also put their hind feet together, but a little forward, as if they were going to lie down. In this attitude, having taken as it were a survey of the road, they slide down with the swiftness of a meteor. In the mean time, all the rider has to do is to keep himself fast on the sad- dle, without checking the rein, for the least motion is sufficient to disorder the equilibrium of the Mule ; in which case they both unavoidably perish. But their address in this rapid descent is truly wonderful ; for in their swiftest motion, when they seem to have lost all government of themselves, they follow exactly the differ- ent windings of the road, as if they had previously set- tled in their minds the route they were to follow, and taken every precaution for their safety. In this journey, the natives place themselves along the sides of the mountains ; and, holding by the roots of the trees, ani- mate the beasts with shouts, and encourage them to persevere. Some Mules, after being long used to these journies, acquire a kind of reputation for their safety and skill ; and their value rises in proportion to their fame. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 19 "^^2i^m^ THE ASS. (Equus Asinusy Lin — UAne, Buff.) The Ass, it is probable, was originally a native of Arabia and other parts of the East : the deserts of Ly- bia and Numidia, and many parts of the Archipelago, contain vast herds of wild Asses, which run with such amazing swiftness, that even the fleetest Horses of the country can hardly overtake them. They are caught by the natives chiefly on account of their flesh, which is eaten by them, and considered as a delicious repast. The flesh of the common or tame Ass is, however, drier, and more tough and disagreeable than that of the Horse; Galen says, it is even unwholesome : its milk, on the contrary, is an approved remedy for certain disorders. The Ass, like the Horse, was originally imported into America by the Spaniards, where it has run wild, and become extremely numerous. Ulloa informs us, that in the kingdom of Quito, they hunt them in the following manner : — A number of persons on horseback, attended c2 20 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. by Indians on foot, form a large circle, in order to drive them into a narrow compass, where at full speed they throw a noose over them, and having secured them "with fetters, leave them till the chase is over, which frequently lasts for several days. A warm climate is most favourable to the £rrowth of this animal : the Ass produced in this country is much inferior in size and beauty to those of Spain and other warm countries : in Guinea, they are larger and more beautiful than even their Horses : in Persia, they have two kinds, — the one slow and heavy, which is made use of for carrying burdens ; the other nimble, smooth, and stately, used chiefly for the saddle. Holingshed informs us, that in the reign of queen Elizabeth, there were no Asses in this country : how soon after they might be introduced, is uncertain. However, they are at present naturalized in this king- dom, where their utility becomes daily more universal- ly experienced. The qualities of this animal are so well known, as to need no description : his gentleness, patience, and per- severance, are without example : he is temperate with regard to food, and eats contentedly the coarsest and most neglected herbage: if he give the preference to any vegetable, it is to the plantain, for which he will neglect every other herb in the pasture. In his water he is singularly nice, drinking only from the clearest brooks. He is so much afraid of wetting his feet, that, even when loaden, he will turn aside, to avoid the dirty parts of the road. He is stronger, in proportion to his size, than the Horse ; but more sluggish, stubborn, and untractable. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 21 He is hardier than the Horse ; and of all other quadru- peds, is least infested with lice or other vermin ; proba- bly owing to the extreme hardness and dryness of his skin. For the same reason, perhaps, he is less sensitive of the lashes of the whip, or the stinging of flies. He is three or four years in coming to perfection; and lives to the age of twenty, or sometimes twenty-five years. He sleeps much less than the Horse, and seldom lies down for that purpose but when he is much fa- tigued. The She- Ass goes eleven months with young, and seldom produces more than one at a time. The services of this useful creature are too often re- paid by hai'd fare and cruel usage ; and being generally the property of the poor, it partakes of their wants and their distresses : whereas, by due cultivation and care in its education, the Ass might be usefully and profitably employed in a variety of domestic purposes, and in many cases supply the place of the Horse, to which only it is second, though generally degraded into the most useless and neglected of domestic quadrupeds. Q2 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE ZEBRA. (Equus Zebra, Lin. — Le Zehre, BufiP.) Many authors have mistaken the Zebra for a wild Ass : it is one of the most beautiful, and also one of the wildest and most untameable animals in nature. It is larger than the Ass, and rather resembles the Mule in shape: its head is large; its ears long; its legs beauti- fully small, and well placed ; and its body well formed, round, and fleshy : but the beauty of its shape is greatly heightened by the glossy smoothness of its skin, and the amazing regularity and elegance of its colours, which in some are white and brown, and in others white and black, ranged in alternate stripes over the whole body, in a style so beautiful and ornamental, that it would at first sight seem rather the effect of art, than the genuine production of nature : the head is striped with fine bands of black and white, which form a centre in the forehead ; the neck is adorned with stripes of the same colour HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 23 running round it; the body is beautifully variegated with bands running across the back, and ending in points at the belly ; its thighs, its legs, its ears, and even its tail, are all beautifully streaked in the same manner. The Zebra inhabits the southern parts of Africa, where whole herds are seen feeding on those extensive plains that lie towards the Cape of Good Hope. How- ever, their watchfidness is such, that they will suffer nothing to come near them; and their swiftness so great, that they easily leave their pursuers far behind. Such is the beauty of this creature, that it seems by nature fitted to gratify the pride, and formed for the service of man ; and it is most probable, that time and assiduity alone are wanting to bring it under subjection. As it resembles the Horse in regard to its form, as well as manner of living, there can be little doubt but it pos- sesses a similitude of nature, and only requires the efforts of an industrious and skilful nation, to be added to the number of our useful dependents. Nevertheless, its li- berty has hitherto remained uncontroled, and its natu- ral fierceness has as yet resisted every attempt to subdue it : those that have been brought to this country, have discovered a degree of viciousness which rendered it unsafe to approach them too familiarly ; but it is by no means to be concluded from hence, that they are un- taraeable. They have continued to be wild, because they are natives of a country where the wretched inha- bitants have no other idea of advantage from the animal creation than as they are good for food, paying more regard to that which affords the most delicious repast, than to delicacy of colouring, or beauty of conforma- tion. £!• HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. RUMINATING ANIMALS. The various animals of this kind are entirely con- fined to grain and herbage for their nourishment and support; it is therefore necessary that they should be enabled to receive a large quantity into the stomach, as well as to retain it a considerable time before it be reduced to proper chyle : for this purpose, their intes- tines are remarkably long and capacious, and formed into a variety of foldings. They are furnished with no less than four stomachs. The food, after mastication, is thrown into the first stomach, where it remains for some time ; after which it is forced up again into the mouth, and undergoes a second chewing: it is then sent directly into the second stomach, and gradually passes into the third and fourth ; from whence it is transmitted through the convolutions of the intestines. By this conformation, ruminating animals are enabled to devour large quantities of vegetable aliment, to re- tain it long in their bowels, and consequently extract from it a quantity of nutritious matter sufficient for their growth and support. The (Tveat obligations we are under to those of this class, render them objects of the highest importance to us. We are nourished with their milk, we are support- ed by their flesh, and we are clothed and warmed with their fleeces : their harmlessness and innocence endear them to us, and claim from us that protection which their natures seem to require ; and, in return, they sup- ply us with the necessaries and comforts of life. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 9,5 THE OX KIND. (Bos Taurusy Lin. — Le Taureau, Buff.) Of all quadrupeds, the Cow seems most extensively propagated : it is equally capable of enduring the ri- gours of heat and cold ; and is an inhabitant of the fro- zen, as well as the most scorching climates. Other ani- mals preserve their nature or their form with inflexible perseverance ; but these, in every respect, suit them- selves to the wants and conveniences of mankind. In no animal is there to be met with a greater variety of kinds ; and in none, a more humble and pliant disposition. The climate and pastures of Great Britain are well adapted to the nature of this animal ; and we are in- debted to the variety and abundance of our wholesome vegetables, for the number and excellence of our cattle, which range over our hills, and enliven our plains — a source of inexhaustible wealth — ^the pride and boast of this happy country. Being destitute of the upper fore teeth, the Cow pre- fers the high and rich grass in pastures, to the short and more delicate herbage generally selected by the Horse. For this reason, in our English pastures, where the grass is rather high and flourishing, than succulent and nutritious, the Cow thrives admirably ; and there is no part of Europe in which this animal grows larger, yields more milk, or fattens sooner. It has often been remarked, that the Horse and Sheep impoverish the soil on which they graze; whilst the pas- ture where the Cow is fed, acquires a finer surface, and every year becomes more level and beautiful: the Horse D 26 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. selects the grass that is most delicate and tender ; and being furnished with fore teeth on each jaw, nips it close, and frequently pulls it up by the roots, thereby prevent- ing its future growth and propagation : the sheep also, though formed like the Cow with respect to its teeth, only bites the most succulent parts of the herbage. The age of a Cow is known by its horns : at the age of four years, a ring is formed at their roots ; and every succeeding year another ring is added. Thus, by al- lowing three years before their appearance, and then reckoning the number of rings, the creature's age may be exactly known. The quantity of milk given by Cows is very various : some will yield only about six quarts in one day ; while others give from ten to fifteen, and sometimes even twenty. The richness of the pasture contributes not a little to its increase. There have been instances of Cows giving upwards of thirty quarts of milk in one day. In such cases there is a necessity for milking them thrice. From the milk of some Cows, twelve or fourteen pounds of butter are made in a week. It has been advanced by some naturalists, as a general principle, that neither animals, nor parts of animals, ap- pear to be primarily intended for the use of man, but are only capable of a secondary application to his pur- poses : yet it must be allowed that, in many instances, what they term the secondary use, is so manifest and important, that it cannot, with propriety, be supposed to be excluded from the original design of the all-wise Cre- ator : and it must be allowed that the Cow, in its facul- ty of giving, in such abundance and with so much ease, its milk, which forms so rich and nutritive an aliment HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS, gy for the human species, is a striking example of this subordination to the interests of mankind : for this ani- mal differs, in some parts of its organization, from most others, having a larger and more capacious udder, and longer and thicker teats, than the largest animal we know of: it has likewise four teats, whilst all other ani- mals of the same nature have but two : it also yields the milk freely to the hand, whilst most animals, at least those that do not ruminate in the same manner, refuse it, except their own young, or some adopted animal, be allowed to partake. The Cow having four teats is a striking peculiarity ; the number in all other animals bearing some propor- tion to the number of young ones they bring forth at a time ; as in the Bitch, the Cat, the Sow, &c. The Cow will yield her milk as freely, and will con- tinue to give it as long, without the aid of the calf, as if it were permitted to suck her constantly. This is not the case with the Ass ; which, it is well known, will soon grow dry, if her foal be not permitted to suck part of her milk every day. Upon the whole, it appears that the property of yield- ing milk, without the young one, is confined to those kinds of ruminating horned animals which have cloven hoofs, four stomachs, long intestines, are furnished with suet, and have no fore teeth in the upper jaw; that Cows, Sheep, Goats, and Deer, are of this kind, and no other ; and that the Cow has this property in a more eminent degree than others, owing to the capacious- ness of her udder, and the size and form of her teats. The Cow goes nine months with young, and seldom jn'oduces more than one at a time. d2 £8 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. It Is a curious fact, that when a Cow happens to bring forth two calves, — one of them a male, the other a fe- male, — the former is a perfect animal, but the latter is incapable of propagation, and is well known to farmers under the denomination of a Free Martin. It resem- bles the Ox, or spayed Heifer, in figure ; and is con- siderably larger than the Cow. It is sometimes pre- served by the farmer, for the purpose of yoking with the Oxen, or fattening for the table. Mr Hunter ob- serves, that the flesh of the Free Martin, like that of the Ox, is much finer in the fibre than either the Bull or Cow. It is supposed to exceed that of the Heifer in delicacy of flavour, and bears a higher price at market. By great industry and attention to their breed, and by judicious mixtures with those of other countries, our horned cattle are universally allowed to be the finest in Europe; although such as are purely British are infe- rior in size to those on many parts of the continent. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 29 THE HOLSTEIN, OR DUTCH BREED, Has been introduced with great success, and is now the prevailing stock in all the counties on the eastern coast of this kingdom. In good pastures, cattle of this kind grow to a great size;* and the cows yield a greater a- bundance of milk than those of almost any other kind. • An Ox, fed by Mr Edward Hall, of Wliitley, in Northumber- land, and killed in March, 1789, when seven years old, measured, firom the head to the rump, nine feet eight inches and a half; the 30 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE IMPROVED HOLSTEIN, OR DUTCH BREED. The rapid improvements which have taken place in this and other kinds, form an interesting subject of en- quiry, of which the limits of our work will only allow us height at the shoulder, was five feet ten inches; and it weighed, without the offal, one hundred and eighty-seven stones five pounds— fourteen pounds to the stone. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 31 to give the outlines. We shall, however, notice the ge- neral principles which have been laid down, and steadily adhered to, in the improvement of the several breeds of cattle ; and which have been so successfully brought into practice. The first, and most obvious, is beauty of form, a principle which has been in common applied to every species of domestic cattle, and, with great seeming pro- priety, was supposed to form the basis of every kind of improvement, under an idea, that beauty of form and utility were inseparable. But at present a distinction is made, by men who have been long conversant in prac- tice, between a useful sort and a sort that is merely handsome. Utility of form is therefore the next general principle, and may be considered as arising from a larger proportion of those parts which are the most use- ful : thus, for instance, all those parts which are deemed offal, or which bear an inferior price, should be small in proportion to the better parts. A third principle of improvement, laid down by breeders, consists in the fineness of the muscular parts, or what is tevvaedjlesh. But the great object which engrosses the attention of breeders at present, is \he fattening quality^ or a natural propensity in cattle to arrive at a state of fatness at an early age, and in a short space of time : and it appears, from observation, that beauty and utility of form, the quality of the flesh, and a propensity to fatness, are principles consistent with each other, are frequently found united in the same individual, and hereditary in particular lines or families of cattle. In regard to the means of improvement, it has long been an established maxim, that, to improve the breed, it is necessary to cross it with others of an alien stock, under an opinion, that continuing to breed from the same line, weakens 3S HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. the stock. This idea, however rooted it may have been in the minds of former practitioners, is now entirely set aside by the modern practice of breeding, not from the same line only, but from the same family : the sire and the daughter, the son and the mother, the brother and sister, are now permitted to improve their own kind. This practice is well known under the term of breeding in-and-in ; and, in this way, the improvement of the several breeds have advanced rapidly to a height un- known before in any age or nation. The practice of letting out Bulls by the season has contributed very materially towards the improvement of this valuable breed ; as by this means, one Bull, instead of being useful to his proprietor only, may, in a few years, extend the benefits of his stock through a whole district; and so fully are the stock-masters convinced of its advantages, that eighty guineas have been given for the use of a Bull for one season. Some Bulls are in such estimation, as to leap at the extraordinary price of five guineas a Cow : and it is, perhaps, a circumstance worth mentioning, that Mr Fowler, of Rollright, in Oxfordshire, in 1789, for ten Bull calves, refused five hundred guineas.* * This valuable stock was sold off in ]\Iarch, 1791? at the foUow- ing enonnous prices, viz : — Garrick, a five-years old Bull, 205 guineas. Sultan, two years old, 210 Washington, two years old, 205 Young Sultan, a yearling BuU, 200 Two yearlhig Bulls, 245 Brindled Beauty, a Cow, 260 Washington's Mother, in calf 185 Some of the Rams sold as high as 60 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. as THE LONG-HORNED, OR LANCASHIRE BREED, Is common in Lancashire, Westmorland, and Cumber- land, and some of the neighbouring counties ; and, not- withstanding the changes which have taken place by the introduction of foreign kinds, there is reason to be- lieve that this, for a considerable time at least, has been the prevailing stock of the kingdom at large. Mr Marshall, in his excellent treatise on the " Eco- nomy of the Midland Counties," observes, that from this kind the present improved breed of cattle in Lei- cestershire is traceable, by the most indisputable evi- dence. From Bulls brought OMt of Westmorland and Lancashire, and Cows from the banks of the Trent, the celebrated Canley breed, the property of Mr Web- ster, derived its origin ; and about fifty years ago it was esteemed the most valuable at that time in the king- E 34 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS* dom. From this breed, the late Mr Bakewell obtain- ed the source of his superior stock of cattle ; and seve- ral other eminent breeders are also indebted to the same origin for the celebrity they have since obtained. Great improvements have of late years been made in the old Lancashire Icind^ both in size and beauty. Craven, in Yorkshire, has long been celebrated for a superior variety of the long-horned kind ; and from tlience the graziers of Westmorland and Lancashire purchased the flower of their Heifers ; which, by cross- ing with the original stock of those counties, have pro- duced a breed, which is now had recourse to, for the improvement of this kind of cattle, in every part of the kingdom. Some of the bulls are extremely large. Their horns are not long, but beautifully turned ; their hair short and smooth ; their crests rise extremely high ; their chests are let down to their knees ; their bodies are long and in the form of a perfect cylinder. ^v,simt^!^^^USm^*- HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 35 THE LANCASHIRE OX. The Cows and Oxen are smaller. Their horns are long and small, very smooth ; and their colour, in ge- neral, approaches to yellow: their hair is beautifully curled; and their whole form extremely handsome. The Oxen frequently grow to a considerable size, are very active, and consequently useful in the draught. They are well suited to a cold climate, and grow fat on indifferent pastures. In Scotland there are two kinds, which differ greatly from each other, as well as from all those in the south- ern part of this island. Those of the county of Galloway are without horns, and generally of a reddish-brown colour, mixed with black. Large droves of these are yearly brought into the southern parts of the kingdom, where they soon greatly improve. E2 36 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE KYLOE OX. The Highland cattle, and those bred in the West- ern Islands, are very small, and partake much of the wildness of the country of which they are natives. They are mostly black, with fine white horns, very sharp, and black at the points ; their hair is thick and furry. Great numbers of them are annually sold into England at the great northern fairs. They are greatly esteemed for the fineness and sweetness of their beef, as well as for the facility with which they acquire a considerable degree of fatness, even with moderate feeding. Although the Oxen of this breed, when fed in the ordinary way, do not exceed forty stones the four quar- ters, one of them, fed by Mr Spearman, of Rothley Park, in Northumberland, weighed, when killed in 1 790, at the age of six years, eighty-one stones. In Great Britain the Ox is the only horned animal that will apply his strength to the service of mankind ; HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. ^ exidf in general, is more profitable than the Horse for the plough or the draught. There is scarcely any part of this animal without its use : the skin is made into various kinds of leather ; the hair is mixed with lime for plastering ; the bones are made use of as a substi- tute for ivory, and, being calcined, are used by the re- finer as an absorbent to carry off the baser metals in refining silver, &c. ; combs, and many other articles are made of the horns ; we are supplied with candles from the tallow ; and from the feet is procured an oil, of great use in preparing and softening leather ; besides the well-known benefits derived from butter, milk, and cheese; its blood, gall, liver, and urine, have their respective uses in manufactures and medicine. 38 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. WILD CATTLE. There was formerly a very singular species of wild cattle in this countrj'^, which is now nearly extinct. Nu- merous herds of them were kept in several parks in England and Scotland ; but they have been destroyed by various means : and the only breeds now remaining HISTORY OF QUADEUPEDS. 39 in the kingdom, are in the park at ChilHngham-castle, in Northumberland ; at Wollaton, in Nottinghamshire, the seat of Lord Middleton ; at Gisburne, in Craven, Yorkshire; at Lime-hall, in Cheshire; and at Chart- ley, in Staffordshire. The principal external appearances which distin- ffuish this breed of cattle from all others, are the fol- lowing : Their colour is invariably white ; muzzles black ; the whole of the inside of the ear, and about one-third of the outside, from the tip downwards, red* ; horns white, with black tips, very fine, and bent up- wards : some of the bulls have a thin upright mane, about an inch and a half or two inches long. At the first appearance of any person, they set off in full gallop, and at the distance of two or three hundred yards, make a wheel round, and come boldly up again, tossing their heads in a menacing manner : on a sudden they make a full stop, at the distance of forty or fifty yards, looking wildly at the object of their surprise ; but upon the least motion being made, they all again turn round, and run off with equal speed, but not to the same distance : forming a shorter circle, and again returning with a bolder and more threatening aspect than before, they approach much nearer, probably within thirty yards ; when they make another stand, and again run * About twenty years since, there were a few, at Chillingham, with BLACK EARS, but the present park-keeper destroyed them ; since which period there has not been one with black ears. The ears and noses of all those at Wollaton, are black. At Gisburne there are some per- fectly WHITE, except the inside of their ears, which are brown. They ara without horns, very strong boned, but not high. They are said to have been originally brought from Whalley -abbey, in Lancashire, upon its dissolution in the thirty -third of Henry the Eighth. Tradi- tion says, they were drawn to Gisburne by the ' power of music' 4«0 HISTOEY OF QUADEUPEPS. nffj this tbey do several times, shortening their distance, and advancing nearer, till they come within ten yards ; when most people think it prudent to leave them, not chusing to provoke them further; for there is little doubt but in two or three turns more they would make an attack. The mode of killing them was, perhaps, the only modern remains of the grandeur of ancient hunting. On notice being given that a wild bull would be killed on a certain day, the inhabitants of the neighbourhood came mounted, and armed with guns, &c. sometimes to the amount of an hundred horse, and four or five hundred foot, who stood upon walls, or got into trees, while the horsemen rode off the Bull from the rest of the herd, until he stood at bay ; when a marksman dis- mounted and shot. At some of these huntings twenty or thirty shots have been fired before he was subdued. On such occasions, the bleeding victim grew desperate- ly furious, from the smarting of his wounds, and the shouts of savage joy that were echoing from every side : but, from the number of accidents that happened, this dangerous mode has been little practised of late years ; the park-keeper alone generally shooting them with a rifled gun, at one shot. When the Cows calve, they hide their calves for a week or ten days in some sequestered situation, and go and suckle them two or three times a day. If any per- son come near the calves, they clap their heads close to the ground, and lie like a hare in form, to hide them- selves : this is a proof of their native wildness, and is corroborated by the following circumstance that hap- pened to the writer of this narrative, who found a hid- den calf, two days old, very lean and very weak :— On HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 41 Stroking its head, it got up, pawed two or three times like an old Bull, bellowed very loud, stepped back a few steps, and bolted at his legs with all its force ; it then began to paw again, bellowed, stepped back, and bolted as before ; but knowing its intention, he step- ped aside, and it missed him, fell, and was so very weak that it could not rise, though it made several efforts : but it had done enough ; the whole herd were alarmed, and coming to its rescue, obliged him to retire ; for the dams will allow no person to touch their calves, with- out attacking them with impetuous ferocity.* When any one happens to be wounded, or is grown weak and feeble through age or sickness, the rest of the herd set upon it and gore it to death. The weight of the Oxen is generally from forty to fifty stones the four quarters : of the Cows about thirty. The beef is finely marbled, and of excellent flavour. Those at Burton- Constable, in the county of York, were all destroyed by a distemper a few years since. They varied slightly from those at Chillingham, having black ears and muzzles, and the tips of their tails of the same colour: they were also much larger, many of them weighing sixty stones ; probably owing to the richness of the pasturage in Holderness, but generally attributed to the difference of kind between those with black and with red ears, the former of which they stu- diously endeavour to preserve. The breed which was at Drumlanrig, in Scotland, had also black ears. * Tame Cows, in season, are frequently turned out amongst the Wild Cattle at Chillingham, and admit the BuU. It is somewhat ex- traordinary, that the calves produced by this mode are invariably of the same colour with the wUd breed, (white with red ears) and retain a good deal of the fierceness of tlicir sh-e. r 42 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE URIIS, OR WILD BULL, Is chiefly to be met with in the extensive forests of Li- thuania. It grows to a size almost equal to the Ele- phant, and is quite black ; the eyes are red and fiery, the horns thick and short, and the forehead covered with a quantity of curled hair ; the neck is short and strong, and the skin has an odour of musk. The fe- male, though not so big as the male, exceeds the largest of our Bulls in size; nevertheless, her udder is ex- tremely small. Upon the whole, however, this ani- mal, which greatly resembles those of the tame kind, probably owes its variety to its natural wildness, and the richness of the pastures where it is produced. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 43 THE BISON (Bos Bison, Lin. — Le Bison Amerique, Buff.) Differs from the rest of the Ox kind, in having a large lump between its shoulders, almost as high as that of a Camel. He has a long shaggy mane, which forms a kind of beard under his chin ; his eyes are fierce, his forehead large, and his horns extremely wide. It is dangerous to pursue him, except in forests abounding with trees large enough to conceal the hunters. He is generally taken in pits covered with branches of trees and grass, on the opposite side of which the hunters tempt the animal to pursue them ; and the enraged creature running towards them, falls into the trap pre- pared for it, and is then overpowered and slain. The Bison, or the animal with the hump, is found in all the southern parts of the world, though greatly differing from each other in size and form. F 2 44 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE ZEBU. They are all equally docile and gentle, when tamed ; and are in general covered with fine glossy hair, softer and more beautiful than that of the common Cow. Their humps are of different sizes, in some weighing from forty to fifty pounds, but in others less. That part is in general considered as a great delicacy ; and, when dressed, has much the appearance and taste of udder. The Bisons of Madagascar and Malabar are of the great kind ; those of Arabia Petrea, and most parts of Africa, are of the Zebu or small kind. In America, especially towards the North, the Bison is well known. They herd together, in droves of from one to two hundred, on the banks of the Missisippi, where the inhabitants hunt them : their flesh is esteem- ed good eating. They all breed with the tame Cow. The hump, which is only an accidental characteristic, gradually declines ; and in a few generations, no vestiges of it re- main. Thus we see, whether it be the wild or the tame HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 4S Ox, the Bonasus or the Urus, the Bison or the Zebu, by whatever name they are distinguished, or however variously classed by naturalists, in reality they are the same ; and, though diversified in their appearance and properties, are descendants of one common stock ; of which the most unequivocal proof is, that they all mix and breed with each other. The Oxen of India are of different sizes, and are made use of in travelling, as substitutes for Horses. Instead of a bit, a small cord is passed through the cartilage of the nostrils, which is tied to a larger cord, and serves as a bridle. They are saddled like Horses; and, when pushed, move very briskly. They are like- wise used in drawing chariots and carts. For the for- mer purpose, white Oxen are in great esteem, and much admired. They will perform journies of sixty days, at the rate of from twelve to fifteen leagues a day ; and their travelling pace is generally a trot. In Persia, there are many Oa:en entirely white, with small blunt horns, and humps on their backs. They are very strong, and carry heavy burdens. When about to be loaded, they drop down on their knees like the Camel, and rise when their burdens are properly fast- ened. 46 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE GRUNTING OX. (Bos Grunniens, Lin. — La Vache de Tartarie, Buff.) The Sarluc, or Griiiiting-Cow of Tartary, from its resemblance to the Bison, may be considered as be- longing to the same species : its horns are short, up- right, slender, and very sharp ; the hair on its body is black, except the mane and the ridge of the back, where it is white ; its whole body is covered with very long hair, which hangs down below its knees, and makes its legs appear short ; it has a hump on its back ; its tail resembles that of a Horse, is white, and very bushy ; it strikes with its head like a goat, and is very unruly : its distinguishing peculiarity is, that it makes a grunting noise like a Hog, instead of lowing like the Ox, which in every other instance it greatly resembles. It abounds in the kingdom of Thibet, where it is do- mesticated. The wild breed, called Bucha, is extremely fierce. When wounded, it will sometimes turn upon its assail- ant, and attack him with great fury. It copulates with the tame Cow. Their produce is employed in domes- tic purposes. Its tail is very valuable, and is sold at a great price in Thibet. When mounted on a silver handle, it is used, by the principal men in India, as a brush to chase away the flies. It is sometimes fastened, as an orna- ment, to the ear of the Elephant. The Chinese dye the hair red, and form it into tufts to adorn their bonnets. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 47 THE BUFFALO. CBos Bubalus, Lin. — Le Buffle, BufF.) There is the most striking general resemblance be- tween the Buffalo and the common Ox; their habits and propensities are nearly similar ; they are both equally submissive to the yoke, and may be employed in the same domestic services ; yet it is certain, from experience, that no two animals of the same genus can, in reality, be more distinct: the Cow refuses to breed with the Buffalo, while it is known to propagate with the Bison, to which it bears, in point of form, a much more distant similitude. The Buffalo is found, in a wild state, in many parts of Africa, and India, and is common in the countries near the Cape of Good Hope, where he is described, by Sparrman, as a fierce, cruel, and treacherous animal. He frequently rushes from behind a thicket upon some unwary passenger ; and, having thrown him down, tramples him to death with his feet and knees, tearing him with his horns and teeth, and licking him with his 48 HISTORY OF QUADRUrEDS. rough tongue, till the skin is nearly stripped from the body. The following accurate description we owe to the same author : — The length of the Buffalo, from head to tail, is eight feet ; the height five and a half; and the fore legs two feet and a half long: from the tip of the muzzle to the horns, twenty-two inches ; his limbs, in proportion to his size, are much stouter than those of the Ox ; his fetlocks likewise hang near the ground : the horns are singular, both in their form and -position; the bases of them are thirteen inches broad, and only an inch distant from each other, having a narrow chan- nel or furrow between them ; from this furrow the horns assume a spherical form, extending over a great part of the head : the distance between the points is often above five feet: the ears are a foot long, somewhat pendulous, and in a great measure covered and defended by the lower edges of the horns, which bend down on each side, and form a curve upwards with the points : their hair is of a dark brown colour, about an inch long, harsh, and, upon those males that are advanced in years, straggling and thin, especially on each side of the belly, which gives them the appearance of being girt with a belt: the tail is short, and tufted at the end : the eyes are large, and somewhat sunk within their prominent orbits, which are almost covered with the bases of the horns overhanging its dangling ears ; this, with a peculiar in- clination of the head to one side, produces an aspect at once fierce, cunning, and tremendous : the flesh is coarse, rather lean, but full of juice of a high but not unpleasant flavour : the hide is thick and tough, and of great use in making thongs and harness ; it is so hard, as not to be penetrated by a common musket-ball; those made HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 40 use of for shooting the Buffalo are mixed with tin ; and even these are frequently flattened by the concussion. In Italy the Buffalo is domesticated, and constitutes the riches and food of the poor, who employ them for the purposes of agriculture, and make butter and cheese from their milk. The female produces but one at a time, and continues pregnant twelve months ; another striking characteristic difference between the Buffalo and the common Cow. THE MUSK-BULL Inhabits the interior parts of North America, on the west side of Hudson's Bay, between Churchill and Seal rivers. They are very numerous in those parts, and live in herds of twenty or thirty. The Indians eat the flesh, and make coverings of their skins. They are brought down in sledges, to supply the forts during the Avinter. Notwitlistandinop the flesh is said to have a stronor fla- vour of musk, it is reckoned very good and wholesome G CO HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The Musk-Bull is somewhat lower than a Deer, but more bulky. Its legs are short; and it has a small hump on its shoulder : its hair is of a dusky-red colour, very fine, and so long, as to reach to the ground : be- neath the hair, its body is covered with wool of an ash colour, which is exquisitely fine, and might be convert- ed into various articles of useful manufacture: Mr Je- remie says, that stockings made of it are finer than silk. Its tail is only three inches long, and is covered with long hairs, of which the Esquimaux Indians make caps, which are so contrived, that the long hair, falling round their faces, defends them from the bites of the musquitos : its horns are close at the base, they bend downwards, and turn out at the points ; they are two feet long, and two feet round at the base; some of them will weigh 60lbs. These animals delight chiefly in rocky and moun- tainous countries : they run nimbly, and are very active in climbing steep ascents. THE SHEER (Ovis Aries f Lin. — La Brebis, Buff.) The Sheep, in its present domestic state, seems so far removed from a state of nature, that it ma}^ be deemed a difficult matter to point out its origin. Climate, food, and above all, the unwearied arts of cultivation, contri- bute to render this animal, in a peculiar manner, the creature of man ; to whom it is obliged to trust entirely for its protection, and to whose necessities it largely con- tributes. Though singularly inoffensive, and harmless HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 51 even to a proverb, it does not appear to be that stupid, inanimate creature, described by BufFon, " devoid of every art of self-preservation, v/ithout courage, and even deprived of every instinctive faculty, we are led to con- clude that the Sheep, of all other animals, is the most contemptible and stupid :" but amidst those numerous flocks which range without control on extensive moun- tains, where they seldom depend upon the aid of the shepherd, it will be found to assume a very different character : in those situations, a Ram or a Wedder will boldly attack a single Dog, and often come off victori- ous; but when the danger is more alarming, they have recourse to the collected strength of th6 v/hole flock. On such occasions they draw up into a compact body, placing the young and the females in the centre ; while the males take the foremost ranks, keeping close by each other. Thus an armed front is presented to all quar- ters, and cannot easily be attacked without danger or destruction to the assailant. In this manner they wait with firmness the approach of the enemy ; nor does their courage fail them in the moment of attack : for when the aggressor advances within a few yards of the line, the Rams dart upon him with such impetuosity, as to lay him dead at their feet, unless he save himself by flight. Against the attacks of single Dogs or Foxes, when in this situation, they are perfectly secure. A Ram, re- gardless of danger, will sometimes engage a Bull ; and, as his forehead is much harder than that of any other animal, he seldom fails to conquer: for the Bull, by lowering his head, receives the stroke of the Ram be- tween his eyes, which usually brings him to the ground. In the selection of their food, few animals discover G 2 52 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. greater sagacity than the Sheep : nor does any domes- tic animal shew more dexterity and cunning in its at- tempts to elude the vigilance of the shepherd, in order to steal such delicacies as are agreeable to its palate. Besides its hardiness in enduring great severities of weather, the natural instinct of the Sheep, in foreseeing the approach of a storm, is no less remarkable : in their endeavours to secure themselves under the shelter of some hill, v/hole flocks have frequently been buried for many days under a covering of snow, and have af- terwards been taken out without any material injury. Thus beautifully described by Thomson : — " Oft the whirlwind's wing " Sweeps up the burthen of whole wintry plains " At one wide waft ; and o'er the hapless flocks, " Hid in the IioUow of two neighbouring hills, " The billowy tempest whelms." There have been instances where Sheep, at the ap- proach of a storm, have fled for shelter to a neighbour- ing cottage, and taken refuge with their shepherd. The variety in this creature is so great, that scarcely any two countries produce Sheep of the same kind : there is found a manifest difference in all, either in the size, the covering, the shape, or the horns. The 'woolly Sheep is found only in Europe, and in the temperate provinces of Asia. When transported into warmer climates, it loses its wool, and becomes hairy and rough ; it is likewise less fertile ; and its flesh no lonerer retains the same flavour. No country produces finer Sheep than Great Britain: their fleeces are large, and well adapted to the various purposes of clothing. The Spanish fleeces are indeed HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 5S finer, but stand in no degree of comparison with those of Lincolnshire or Warwickshire for weight or utility. In Edward the Third's time, when w^ool was allowed to be exported, it brought 150,0001. per annum, at 21. 10s. a pack, which was a great sum in those days. At this time, when our woollen manufactory stands unrivalled by any nation in the world, and every method is taken to prevent this valuable commodity from being sent out of the kingdom, the annual value of wool, shorn in England, is supposed to be about five millions sterling; and when manufactured conjointly with the Spanish wool imported, amounting to about six hundred thou- sand pounds, must be above twenty millions. Like other rumiriating animals, the Sheep wants the upper fore teeth; it has eight in the lower jaw; two of which drop out, and are replaced at two years old ; four of them are renewed at three years, and the remainder at the age of four. The Ewe produces one or two lambs at a time, and sometimes, though rarely, three or four. She bears her young five months, and brings forth in the spring. The Ram lives to the age of about fifteen years, and begins to procreate at one. When castrated, they are called Wedders : they then grow sooner fat, and the flesh becomes finer and better flavoured. There is hardly any part of this animal that is not serviceable to man : of the fleece we make our clothes ; the skin produces leather, of which are made gloves, parchment, and covers for books ; the entrails are formed into strings for fiddles and other musical in- struments, likewise coverings for whips ; its milk af- fords both butter and cheese ; and its flesh is delicate and wholesome food. ^ HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The following remarks, taken from Mr CuUey's " Ob- servations on Live Stock," will not be unacceptable to many of our readers, as they convey a just idea of some of the most noted kinds of Sheep at this time in the island. He begins with those of Lincolnshire, which are of a large size, big-boned, and afford a greater quan- tity of wool than any other kind, owing to the rich, fat marshes on which they feed : but their flesh is coarse, leaner, and not so finely flavoured as that of smaller Sheep. The same breed extends, with some variations, through most of the midland counties of England. The Dorsetshire breed is likewise remarkably prolific,, the Ewes being capable of bringing forth twice a year. It is from these that the tables of our nobility and gentry are supplied with early lamb at Christmas, or sooner, if required. Great numbers of those early victims to luxu- ry are yearly sent to the London markets, where they are sold at the enormous price of 10s. 6d. or perhaps 15s. per quarter. The manner of rearing the lambs is curious : they are imprisoned in little dark cabins ; the Ewes are fed with oil-cakes, hay, corn, turnips, cab- bages, or any other food which the season of the year affords ; these are given them in a field contiguous to the apartments where the lambs are kept; and, at pro- per intervals, the nurses are brought in to give suck to their young ones ; while the attendants, at the same time, make their lodgings perfectly clean, and litter them with fresh straw. Great attention is paid to this, as much of the success of rearing these unseasonable productions depends upon warmth and cleanliness. The Dorsetshire Sheep are mostly white-faced ; their legs are long and small ; and great numbers of them HISTORY OF QUADHUPEDS. 55 have no wool upon their bellies, which gives them an uncouth appearance. They produce a small quantity of wool, but of a good quality; from which our fine Wiltshire cloths are made. The mutton of these Sheep is very sweet and well flavoured. The variations of this breed are spread through most of the southern counties ; but the true kind is to be found only in Dor- setshire and Wiltshire. There is a breed, not unlike this, in Norfolk and Suffolk ; but they are all grey or black-faced. - The South Down Sheep are of the same hardy na- ture as the Cheviot breed, and like them, can live and thrive on the barest heaths ; their wool is also fine, and their mutton well flavoured. The Sheep in the low parts of Northumberland are of a mixed breed, between the long kind, the Tees water, and the Lincolnshire. The Mug or Muff kind was formerly common in that county. They were so called, from their wool growing round their heads into their very eyes, so as almost to prevent them from see- ing. This breed is now nearly exploded, being con- sidered by every breeder of experience, as unprofita-" ble, from their thriving slowly, and being very tender. In the northern districts of Scotland, and in many of the islands, there is a breed of Sheep, which differs from the others, in the smallness of their size, many of them, when fed, weighing no more than six, seven, or eight pounds per quarter. They have dun faces, with- out horns ; and their wool, which is very fine, is vari- ously mixed and streaked with black, brown, and red. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE BLACK-FACED, OR HEATH RAM. The north-west part of Yorkshire, with all that moun- tainous tract of country running towards Lancashire southward, and to Fort William northward, is occupied by a hardy, black-faced, wild-looking tribe, generally called sJiort Sheep, which differ from our other breeds, not only in the darkness of their complexions and horns, but principally in the coarse shaggy wool which they produce. Their eyes have a fiery, sharp, and wild cast. They run with great agility, and seem quite adapted to the heathy mountains they inhabit. Their flesh is pe- culiarly fine and high-flavoured. The three great fairs for these Sheep (where amazing numbers of them are sold every year) are, Stagshaw-bank, in Northumber- land ; Brough, in Westmorland ; and Linton, in Scot- land. There is likewise a breed of Sheep inhabiting the same country as the former; but peculiarly distin- guished from them by long, thin bodies, white legs, white faces, and by having no horns. Their wool is fine and thickly planted. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 57 HEATH RAM OF THE IMPROVED BREED. The Ram from which we took this drawing, in July, 1798, belonged to the Bishop of Durham. It obtain- ed the premium given for the best Tup, shewn for that purpose, at Blanchland, on the southern border of Northumberland, in 1797. Exclusive of the symmetry of proportions, and beauty of its form, a more impor- tant object has been obtained in the quality of the wool. They are also as hardy as the unimproved breed, and can equally endure the severity of the cold and wet to which they are exposed on the bleak heaths which they are doomed to inhabit. H 58 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE CHEVIOT RAM. The Cheviot breed have a fine open countenance, lively prominent eyes, have no horns, and are mostly white-faced and white-legged ; the body long, with fine, clean, small-boned legs : weight of the carcase from 1 2 to 1 Slbs. per quarter ; and the mutton is high- ly esteemed for its flavour. The best breeds of these Sheep are to be found in the north-west parts of the county of Northumberland, and on the range of hills adjoining them in Scotland, and are maintained (except when prevented by snow) solely from the natural produce of the grounds on which they depasture, which, in general, are very mountainous, and consist of ling, moss, hather, deer-hair, and wire- bent, with a mixture of green sward. We can find no account from whence this valuable breed originally sprung, which, as mountain Sheep, are unrivalled, as well on account of their carcases and hardiness, as from the superior value of their wool, which is in the highest HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 59 estimation for clothing, and sells from 2d. to 2|d. per pound higher than the best in the district. The great demand that has been made for this wool, added to the encouragement given by Sir John Sinclair, (who, for a few years bought considerable numbers of these Sheep, which he took to the Highlands of Scotland, arid now breeds them upon the same kind of heathy mountains as the original stock were taken from) caused an emula- tion amongst the breeders, which has been productive of considerable improvement in their flocks, both in the wool and fore-quarter, in which they were general- ly deficient. But as improvements in stock can only be eifected by slow gradations, and as this improved breed is but of a few years standing, it will probably be advantageous, not only to individuals, but to the public at large, to encourage exertions which, if for- tunately successful, might place these Sheep upon a le- vel with those produced upon well-cultivated grounds, which might be otherwise more advantageously em- ployed for the use of the public. Thus the difficulty of producing an improved breed for heath pastures has, in a great measure, been removed by the skill and attention of the Northumberland farm- ers, to whom we think the community much indebted ; and we doubt not that, in the course of a few years, this breed will become the parent stock of all the Sheep bred for grazing on heathy, and what are called waste grounds. They thrive on the most sterile heaths, their wool is of the most desirable texture, they are easily fattened, and their whole conformation is so properly suited to mountainous pasture, that we are surprised the breed has not already been more generally diffused. H 2 60 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. TEES- WATER OLD OR UNIMPROVED BREED. The largest breed of Sheep in this island is to be met with on the banks of the Tees, which runs through a rich and fertile country, dividing the two counties of Yorkshire and Durham. This kind differs from the Lincolnshire Sheep, in their wool not being so long and heavy ; their legs are longer, but finer boned, and support a thicker, firmer carcase; their flesh is like- wise much fatter, and finer grained. Our figure was taken in July, 179S, from a Ram which had been purchased for the purpose of shewing its uncouth and uncultivated appearance, in contrast to those of the improved kind. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 61 TEES- WATER IMPROVED BREED. By persevering in the same laudable plan of im- provement so successfully begun by the late Mr Bake- well, the stock-farmers or graziers of Tees-water have produced a kind which is looked upon by judges as nearly approaching to perfection. Many of their Sheep possess the thriving or fattening quality of the Dishley breed, and are fit for the butcher at as early an age. These Sheep weigh from twenty-five to forty-five pounds per quarter; some have been fed to fifty pounds; and one in particular was killed, which weighed sixty-two pounds ten ounces per quarter, avoirdupoise ; a circumstance never before heard of in this island. The Ewes of this breed generally bring forth two Lambs each season : sometimes three, four, 62 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. and even five. As an instance of extraordinary fecun- dity, it deserves to be mentioned, that one of these Ewes, at the age of two years, brought forth four Lambs at one time ; the next season five ; both within eleven months. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 63 THE LEICESTERSHIRE IMPROVED BREED. To these various and numerous tribes of this useful animal, we must add, that, by the persevering industry and attention of Mr Bakewell, of Dishley, in Leices- tershire, our breed of Sheep has been greatly im- proved; and he has been followed by many eminent breeders with nearly equal success. It seems to be generally agreed, that in Sheep, as well as in all other animals, there is a certain symme- try or proportion of parts, which is best adapted to the size of each particular animal : all those of each kind that exceed or fall short of this pitch, are more or less disproportioned, according to the size they attain ; and in the degree they are advanced beyond this line of perfection, we find them less active, weaker, and al- ways less able to endure hardship. Thus, by selecting the handsomest and best proportioned of their kinds, the judicious breeder has gradually arrived at a degree 64 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. of perfection in improving this animal, unknown at any former period. The superior qualities of the Leicestershire breed are, that they will feed quickly fat at almost any age, even on indifferent pastures, and carry the greatest quantity of mutton upon the smallest bone. Their car- cases are round, have remarkably broad backs, and short legs ; and to shew the immense weight to which they may be fed, we give the measurement of a Ram of Mr Bakewell's, mentioned by Young in his " East- ern Tour." — At three years old, his girt was five feet ten inches ; height, two feet five inches ; breadth over his shoulders, one foot eleven inches and a half; breadth over his ribs, one foot ten inches and a half; breadth over his hips, one foot nine inches and a half. The great importance of this breed of Sheep will best be shewn, by stating the following facts respecting the modern practice of letting out Rams for hire by the season ; which, from very small beginnings, has already risen to an astonishing height ; and is likely, for some time, to prove a copious source of wealth to the coun- try at large. About forty years ago, Mr Bakewell let out Rams at sixteen and seventeen shillings a-piece ; and from that time, the prices kept gradually rising from one guinea to ten. But the most rapid increase has taken place since the year 1780. Four hundred guineas have been repeatedly given. Mr Bakewell, in the year 1789, made twelve hundred guineas by three Rams; two thousand of seven; and, of his whole stock, three thousand guineas. Astonishing as this may ap- pear, it is nevertheless an undoubted fact. But it ought to be observed that these great prices are not HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 65 given by graziers, for the purpose of improving their grazing stock ; but by principal breeders, in order to procure a stock of Rams of the improved breed, which they let out again to breeders of an inferior class. The prices given by graziers, for the sole purpose of getting grazing stock, seldom exceed ten guineas, which is considered as an extraordinary price, five or six gui- neas 'being most frequently given. This valuable breed has likewise found its way into Northumberland. Messrs Culley, of Fenton; Mr Thompson, of Lilburn; and Messrs Donkin and Co. of Hexham brewery, with great spirit, and at consi- derable expence, have greatly improved their respec- tive breeds of Sheep, by an admission of the Dishley blood. "'*^^^*' ,;n4.#4^^ 66 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS, A WEDDER OF MR CULLEY'S BREED. We are favoured, by Mr Culley, with the following account of a Wedder of his breed, fed at Fenton, in Northumberland, and killed at Alnwick in October, 1787, when four years old : his dimensions were as fol- low : — Girt, four feet eight inches and a half: breadth over his shoulders, one foot three inches ; over his mid- dle, one foot seven inches and a quarter; across the breast; from the inside of one fore leg to the inside of the other, nine inches. At the dividing of the quarters, through the ribs, it measured seven inches and one- eighth of solid fat, cut straight through without any slope ; and his mutton was of the most beautiful bright colour. But in nothing was he so remarkable as in the smallness of his bones. The proprietor of this Sheep laments that he had not the offals exactly weighed (by offals, we would be understood to mean not only the tallow, but the head, pluck, and pelt, with the blood HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 67 and entrails) ; because it is now well known, that this breed of Sheep have a greater quantity of mutton, in proportion to the offal, than any other kind we know of, and is consequently cheaper to the consumei'. [The drawing from which the preceding cut was taken, was made by Mr Bailey, of Chillingham, soon after the Sheep had been shorn.] Before we quit this article, we must take notice of a breed of Sheep which have hitherto been but little known or attended to; although, it is probable, they possess advantages of equal imj)ortance with those we have just mentioned ; and, in all likelihood, they might have continued still longer in the same neglected state, but for the endeavours of a set of men, who, actuated by a truly patriotic zeal, are labouring to draw out the natural resources of their country, and secure, to the most distant and long-neglected parts of this kingdom, those permanent advantages to which they are by their situation entitled. In pursuing these important objects, the Highland Society of Scoila?id have discovered, that the Shetland islands, and some parts of the Highlands of Scotland, are in possession of a breed of Sheep, Avhich produces wool infinitely superior to that of any other in the kingdom, and equal to Spanish wool in fineness and texture. By order of the society, specimens of these Sheep have been obtained, for the purpose of a fair in- vestigation into the nature and quality of their wool, which, upon examination, proves much finer than was at first imagined. We are favoured, by Dr James An- derson, with the following particulars : — i2 68 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE SHETLAND SHEEP Are handsome, small, and in general hornless ; and are peculiarly distinguished by the unusual shortness and smallness of their tails. They weigh, when fat, from eight to ten pounds per quarter. Their fleeces are, on an average, about two pounds weight. The wool, when properly dressed, is of a pure and glossy white : some small specimens of it, compared with Vi- gognia wool, were allowed, by good judges, to be fully as fine, and, in softness, equal to that of which the In- dian shawls are made. The Sheep producing this fine wool, are said to be of the hardiest nature : they are never housed, and, in the winter season, are often so pinched for food, that they are obliged to feed upon the sea-ware driven upon the shore. Besides the wool with which they are covered, they have long hairs growing amongst it, which serve to shelter it. It is a singular circumstance, that the Shetland Sheep are never shorn ; but, about the beginning of June, the wool is pulled ofl^, without the smallest pain or injury to the animal, leaving the long hairs already mentioned, which contribute to keep the creature warm and com- fortable, at a season of the year when cold and piercing winds may be expected, in so northern a latitude. From the spirited measures which are now taking to preserve this valuable breed,* we are led to hope, that British wool may in time regain that great superiority * See the Report of the Committee of the Highland Society, on the subject of wool, 1781>' HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 69 for which it was once so famous ; and that, by perseve- rance and attention to this important object, we may in time be enabled to produce not only as fine wool as can be obtained from any other country, but may also, in the same breed, be able to conjoin with it every other desirable quality, — such as closeness of fleece, beau- ty and utility of form, hardiness, a capability of being easily fattened, largeness of size, and other valuable properties, adapted to every peculiarity of situation in these islands. 70 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE DUNKEY, OR DWARF SHEER Another variety of the Sheep kmd, deserves to be noticed for the singular and grotesque formation of its features. The wool growing round its head, forms a kind of hood or ruff, before which stand its short erect ears : the uncommon protrusion of its under jaw consi- derably before the upper, by which the fore teeth are left exposed, and the shortness of the nose, which lies under its high-projecting forehead, altogether give it the appearance of deformity, and make a striking con- trast to most animals of the Sheep kind. A Ram, from which the drawing was made, came from abroad, with two Ewes, as a present to a gentleman in the county of Northumberland. They are very small, and have no horns. In Lincolnshire there is a small kind, men- tioned by Mr CuUey under the name of Dunkies, which we suppose to be the same with this. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 71 THE TARTARIAN SHEEP. The Sheep of which the annexed cut is an accurate representation, seem to be the same with those describ- ed by Mr Pennant, under the name of the Fat-rumped Sheep. A pair of them was brought to this country, by way of Russia, from the borders of Tartary. They are rather larger than the English Sheep. The colour of the male is roan, or light brown mixed with white ; that of the female, black and white ; their ears are pendu- lous ; and, instead of a tail, they have a large protube- rance of fat behind, which covers the rump. When the drawing was made, they had just been shorn ; at other times, the wool is so long and thick, that their form cannot well be distinguished. The Africati or Gui?iea Sheep are found in most of the tropical climates. They are large, strong, and swift ; with coarse hairy fleeces, short horns, pendulous ears ; have a kind of dew-lap under the chin ; and though do- mesticated, seem to approach nearest to a state of na- ture. 72 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE MANY-HORNED SHEEP. The Iceland Sheep, as well as those of Muscovy and the coldest climates of the north, resemble our own in the form of the body, but differ in the number of their horns, having generally four, and sometimes eight, growing from the forehead. Their wool is long, smooth, and hairy : they are of a dark brown colour ; and, under the outward coat of hair, which drops off at stated periods, there is an internal covering resembling fur, which is fine, short, and soft; the quantity pro- duced by each Sheep is about four pounds. The Broad-tailed Sheep, common in Persia, Barbary, Syria, and Egypt, are remarkable chiefly for their large and heavy tails, which grow a foot broad, and so long, that the shepherds are obliged to put boards with small wheels under them, to keep them from galling. The flesh of these tails is esteemed a great delicacy : it is of HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 73 a substance between fat and marrow, and eaten with the lean of the mutton : they generally weigh from twenty to fifty pounds each. The Sheep bred on the mountains of Thibet, produce wool of extraordinary length and fineness, of which is made the Indian shawl, frequently sold in this country for fifty pounds or upwards. THE WALLACHIAN SHEEP. (Ovis StrepsiceroSf Lin. — La Chevre de Crete, BufF.) In Wallachia, they have Sheep with curious spiral horns, standing upright, in the form of a screw ; long shaggy fleeces ; and, in size and form, nearly resembling ours. They are also found in the island of Crete, and in many of the islands of the Archipelago. This is said to be the Sfrepsiceros of the ancients. K 74f HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE MOUFLON, OR MUSMON, ( Capra Ammon^ Lin. — Le Mouflon, Buff.) Has been classed both with the Sheep and the Goat kind, and may be considered as standing in a middle place, and forming the link between each ; for it is cu- rious to observe, that Nature, in all her variations, pro- ceeds by slow and almost insensible degrees, scarcely drawing a firm and distinguishing line between any two races of animals that are essentially different, and yet, in many respects, nearly allied to each other. In all transitions from one kind to the other, there is to be found a middle race, that seems to partake of the nature of both, and that can precisely be referred to neither. Thus it is hard to discover where the Sheep kind ends, or the Goat begins. The Musmon, therefore, which is neither Sheep nor Goat, has a strong affinity to both. Though covered with hair, it bears a strong similitude to the Ram : its eyes are placed near the horns ; and its ears are shorter than those of the Goat : its horns HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 75 resemble those of the Ram, in being of a yellow colour and a triangular shape ; they likewise bend backward behind the ears : in some they grow to an amazing size, and measure above two yards long. The general co- lour of the hair is reddish brown; the inside of the thighs and belly white, tinctured with yellow ; the muz- zle and inside of the ears are of a whitish colour ; the other parts of the face are of a brownish grey. The Musmon is found in the wild and uncultivated parts of Greece, Sardinia, Corsica, and in the deserts of Tartary. The form of this animal is strong and muscular, and it runs with great agility. It is very timorous, and, when old, is seldom taken alive. It frequents the highest summits of the mountains, and treads securely on the most dangerous precipices. The old Rams have often furious battles with each other, in which one of the contending parties will sometimes be thrown down from the heights on which they stand, and dashed in pieces at the bottom. If their horns should by acci- dent entangle, they have been known to fall and perish together. The chase of the Musmon is attended with great danger. At the sight of a man, they fly to the highest parts of the rocks, where they cannot easily be follow- ed : they are sometimes taken in pit-falls. The Tar- tars pursue them with horses and dogs, and, surround- ing a pretty large tract of land, drive them towards the centre, where they are caught. The Kamschatkans pass the latter part of the sum- mer, with all their families, among the mountains, in pursuit of these animals. The flesh and fat of the young K 2 6 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. Musnioiis are esteemed, by the natives, as most delici- ous eating. The skins serve them for warm raiment and coverings : the horns are made use of for a variety of domestic purposes. The Mouflon has been known to breed with the Sheep ; and from that circumstance, is supposed, by M. BufFon and others, to be the primitive race. The female of this species is rather less than the male; and her horns never grow to that prodigious size. Those of Kamschatka are so strong, that ten men can scarcely hold one; and the horns so large, that young Foxes often shelter themselves in the hollow of such as fall off by accident. They grow to the size of a young Stag, copulate in autumn, and bring forth one young at a time, though sometimes two. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 77 THE COMMON GOAT. (Capra Hircus, Lin. — Le Bouc, La Chevre, Buff.) This lively, playful, and capricious creature occupies the next step in the great scale of Nature ; and though inferior to the Sheep in value, in various instances bears a strong affinity to that useful animal. It is said that the Goat and the Sheep will propagate together : the He-Goat copulates with the Ewe, and the Ram with the She-Goat; the .offspring likewise is prolific. The Goat is much more hardy than the Sheep, and is, in every respect, more fitted for a life of liberty. It is not easily confined to a flock, but chuses its own pas- ture, straying wherever its appetite or inclination leads. It chiefly delights in wild and mountainous regions, climbing the loftiest rocks, and standing secure on the verge of inaccessible and dangerous precipices: al- though, as Ray observes, one would hardly suppose that 78 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. their feet were adapted to such perilous achievements ; yet, upon a nearer inspection, we find that Nature has provided them with hoofs well calculated for the purpose of climbing; they are hollow underneath, with sharp edges, like the inside of a spoon, which prevent them from sliding off the rocky eminences they frequent. The Goat is an animal easily sustained, and is chiefly therefore the property of those who inhabit wild and un- cultivated regions, where it finds an ample supply of food from the spontaneous productions of Nature, in situations inaccessible to other quadrupeds. It delights in the heathy mountain, or the shrubby rock, rather than the fields cultivated by human industry. Its fa- vourite food is the tops of the boughs, or the tender bark of the young trees. It bears a warm climate bet- ter than the Sheep, and frequently sleeps exposed to the hottest rays of the sun. The milk of the Goat is sweet, nourishing, and medi- cinal, and is found highly beneficial in consumptive cases : it is not so apt to curdle upon the stomach as that of the Cow. From the shrubs and heath on which it feeds, the milk of the Goat acquires a flavour , and wildness of taste very different from that of either the Sheep or Cow, and is highly pleasing to such as have accustomed themselves to its use : it is made into whey for those whose digestion is too weak to bear it in its primitive state. Several places in the north of England and the mountainous parts of Scotland are much re- sorted to for the purpose of drinking the milk of the Goat ; and its effects have been often salutary in viti- ated and debihtated habits. In many parts of Ireland, and in the Highlands of HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 79 Scotland, their Goats form the chief possessions of the inhabitants ; and, in most of the mountainous parts of Europe, supply the natives with many of the necessaries of life : they lie upon beds made of their skins, which are soft, clean, and wholesome ; they live upon their milk, and oat bread ; they convert part of it into butter, and some into cheese. The flesh of the Kid is consi- dered as a great delicacy ; and, when properly prepared, is esteemed by some as little inferior to venison. The Qoat produces generally two young at a time, sometimes three, rarely four : in warmer climates, it is more prolific, and produces four or five at once ; though the breed is found to degenerate. The male is capable of propagating at one year old, and the female at seven months ; but the fruits of a generation so premature are generally weak and defective : their best time is at the age of two years, or eighteen months at least. The Goat is a short-lived animal, full of ardour, but soon enervated. His appetite for the female is exces- sive, so that one buck is sufficient for one hundred and fifty females. 80 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE IBEX, (Capra Ibex, Lin. — Le Bouquetin, Buff.) If we believe M. BufFon, is the stock from which our domestic Goat is descended ; it is larger, but resembles it much in the shape of its body : its horns are much larger ; they are bent backward, and are full of rings : every year of its life, it is asserted, one is added to the number of them. Some of these horns have been found at least two yards long. The head of the Ibex is small, adorned with a dusky beard, and has a thick coat of hair of a deep brown colour, mixed with ash : a streak of black runs along the top of its back : the belly and thighs are of a delicate fawn colour. The female is one-third less than the male ; her horns are very small, and not above eight inches long. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 81 The Ibex inhabits the highest Alps of the Grisons country and the Valais, and is also found in Crete : they are very wild, and difficult to be shot ; and as they al- ways keep on the highest points of the rocks, the chase of them is attended with great danger : they are very strong, and often turn upon the incautious huntsman, and tumble him down the precipice, unless he have time to lie down, and let the animal pass over him. They bring forth one young at a time, seldom two ; and are said not to be long-lived. • THE CHAMOIS-GOAT. fCapra Rupicapra, Lin. — Ysarus ou Sarns, BufF.) The Chamois, though a wild animal, is very easily made tame and docile. It is to be found only in rocky and mountainous places ; is about the size of the domes- L 82 HISTORY OF QUxiDRUPEDS. tic Goat, and resembles it in many respects. It is most agreeably lively, and active beyond expression. The hair is short like that of the Doe : in spring, it is of an ash colour ; in autumn, dun, inclining to black ; and in winter, of a blackish brown. This animal is found, in great plenty, in the moun- tains of Dauphiny, Piedmont, Savoy, Switzerland, and Germany, They are very gentle, and live in society with each other. They are found in flocks from four to fourscore, and even an hundred, dispersed upon the crags of the mountains. The large males are seen feed- ing detached from the rest, except in rutting time, when they approach the females, and drive away the young. The time of their coupling is from the beginning of Oc- tober to the end of November ; and they bring forth in March and April. The young keep with the dam for about five months, and sometimes longer, if the hunters and the Wolves do not separate them. It is asserted, that they live between twenty and thirty years. Their flesh is good to eat : and they yield ten or twelve pounds of suet, which far surpasses that of the Goat in hard- ness and goodness. The Chamois has scarcely any cry : it has a kind of feeble bleat, by which the parent calls its young : but in cases of danger, and when it is to warn the rest of the flock, it uses a hissing noise, which is heard at a great distance : for it is to be observed, that this creature is extremely vigilant, and has an eye remarkably quick and piercing : its smell also is not less distinguishing. When it sees its enemy distinctly, it stops for a moment; and if the person be near, it flies off in an instant. In the same manner, by its smell, it can discover a man at half HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 88 a league distance, and give immediate notice. ^Upon the least alarm, the Chamois begins its hissmg note with great force. The first hiss continues as long as the time of one respiration : in the beginning it is very sharp, and deeper towards the close. The animal having, after this first alarm, reposed a moment, again looks round ; and perceiving the reality of its fears, continues to hiss by intervals, until it has spread the alarm to a very great distance. During this time, it seems in the most violent agitation; it strikes the ground with one fore foot, and sometimes with both ; it bounds from rock to rock, turns and looks round, runs to the edge of the precipice, and, still perceiving the enemy, flies with all its speed. The hissing of the male is much louder and sharper than that of the female : it is performed through the nose, and is properly no more than a very strong breath driven violently through a small aperture. The Chamois feeds upon the best herbage, and chuses the most delicate parts of the plants, the flowers, and the tender buds. It is not less delicate with regard to several aromatic herbs, which grow upon the sides of the mountains. It drinks very little whilst it feeds up- on the succulent herbage, and chews the cud in the in- tervals of feeding. This animal is greatly admired for the beauty of its eyes, which are round and sparkling, and mark the warmth of its constitution. Its head is furnished with two small horns of about half a foot long, of a beauti- ful black, rising from the forehead almost betwixt the eyes : these, instead of going backwards or sideways, stand forw-ird, and bend a little backward at their ex- tremities, ending in a very sharp point. The ears are l2 84 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. placed, in a veiy elegant manner, near the horns ; there are two stripes of black on each side of the face, the rest is of a whitish yellow. The horns of the female are less, and not so much bent : they are so sharp that the natives have been known to bleed cattle with them. These animals are so much incommoded by heat, that they are seldom seen in summer, except in the ca- verns of rocks, amidst fragments of unmelted ice, under the shade of high and spreading trees, or of rough and hanging precipices, that face the North, and keep off entirely the rays of the sun. They go to pasture both morning and evening, and seldom during the heat of the day. They run along the rocks with great ease and seeming indifference, and leap from one to another, so that no Dogs are able to pursue them. Nothing can be more extraordinary than the facility with which they climb and descend precipices, that to most other qua- drupeds are inaccessible : they always mount or descend in an oblique direction, and throw themselves down a rock of thirty feet, and light with great security upon some excrescence or fragment, on the side of the preci- pice, which is just large enough to place their feet up- on : they strike the rock, however, in the descent, with their feet, three or four times, to stop the velocity of their motion; and when they have got upon the base below, they at once seem fixed and secure. In fact, to see them jump in this manner, they seem rather to have wings than legs. Certain it is, that their legs are formed for this arduous employment; the hind being rather longer than the fore legs, and bending in such a manner, that when they descend upon them, they break the force of their fall. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 85 During the rigours of winter, the Chamois keeps in the thickest forests, and feeds upon the shrubs and the buds of the pine-tree. The hunting of the Chamois is very laborious and difficult. The most usual way is to shoot them from behind the clefts of the rocks. Some also pursue them as they do the Stag, by placing proper persons at all the passages of a glade or valley, and then sending in others to rouse the game. Dogs are quite useless in this chase, as they rather alarm than overtake : nor is it without danger to the men ; for it often happens, that when the animal finds itself overpressed, it drives at the hunter with its head, and often tumbles him down an adjoining precipice. The Chamois cannot go upon ice when smooth ; but if there be the least inequalities on its surface, it then bounds along in security, and quick- ly evades all pursuit. The skin of the Chamois was once famous, when tan- ned, for its softness and warmth : at present, however, since the art of tanning has been brought to greater perfection, the leather called shammoy, is made also from those of the tame Goat, the Sheep, and the Deer. 86 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE GOAT OF ANGORA Is well known for its long hair, which is thick, glossy, of a dazzling whiteness, and so fine, that cloths as beau- tiful as tilk, known among us by the name of camhlets, are made of it. Its ears are long and pendulous. The male is furnished with horns, curiously twisted, which proceed horizontally from each side of the head, form- ing a screw ; those of the female are shorter, and encir- cle the ear somewhat like those of the common Ram. They inhabit the rocky mountains of Pontus, where they experience a considerable degree of cold : they would probably thrive in Britain as well as in their native country. The same might be said of the Goat of Thibet, so famous for the fineness of its wool : it lives in a climate colder than ours in winter, and might probably be transplanted with success. In Portugal there is a breed of fine large Goats, re- markable for yielding a great quantity of milk, — a HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 87 gallon and a half per day. These, if introduced into our navy, might be of infinite service in long voyages. Experiments of this kind would certainly be attended with many great advantages ; and it were much to be wished, that the great and opulent would employ some portion of their time and affluence in procuring, from distant countries, such useful animals as would propa- gate in our island, and are yet unknown in it. By this means many of our lofty mountains might contribute to support a variety of useful creatures, that would, at the same time, beautify the most barren and rugged parts of our country. 88 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS, THE SYRIAN GOAT. M. BuFFON makes this a variety of the Goat of Ango- ra ; it differs from ours in nothing more than the length of its ears, which are pendulous, and from one to two feet long : they are often troublesome to the creature in feeding; for which reason, the owners are sometimes obliged to cut one of them off. Their horns are short and black. They are very numerous in the neighbour- hood of Aleppo, and supply the inhabitants with milk, which they prefer to that of the Cow or Buffalo. These are the principal varieties of the Goat kind ; of which there are others of less note ; such as the Afri- can Goat, or Buck qfjuda, which is not much larger than a Hare ; it is extremely fat, and its flesh is well tasted : the horns are short, smooth, and turn a little forward. It is common in Guinea, Angola, and all along the coast of Africa. In America there are Goats of a small kind, not much larger than a Kid, with long hair : the horns, which are HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 89 short and thick, bend downwards so close to the head, as almost to penetrate the skull. These are, in every respect, similar to the Dwarf Ooat found in Africa ; and, according to Buffon, have been sent from that country. It is certain that, before the discovery of America by the Spaniards, the Goat, and every other domestic animal, were unknown there. THE GAZELLES, OR ANTELOPES. These are a numerous and beautiful race of ani- mals, inhabiting the hottest parts of the globe. They are classed, by systematic writers, with the Goat kind ; and, like them, have hollow horns, which they never cast: in other respects they greatly resemble the Deer, especially in the elegance of their form and the swiftr ness of their motions. They are of a restless and timid disposition, remarkably agile ; their boundings are so light and elastic, as to strike the spectators with asto- nishment. Of all animals, the Gazelle has the most beautiful eye ; to which the eastern poets have made frequent al- lusions, in describing those of their favourite beauties. The distinguishing marks of this tribe of animals, in which they differ both from the Goat and Deer, are principally these : — Their horns are different, being annulated or ringed round, and at the same time mark- ed with longitudinal depressions or furrows, running from the base to the point : besides the extreme beauty and meekness of its aspect, the Gazelle is more deli- cately and finely limbed than the Roe-buck ; its hair is finer and more glossy: its swiftness is so great, that M 90 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. the Greyhound, the fleetest of Dogs, is unequal to the course ; and the sportsman is obliged to call in the aid of the Falcon, which, being trained to the work, seizes on the animal, and impedes its motion, so as to enable the Dogs to overtake it. In India and Persia, a sort of Leopard, which takes its prey by the greatness of its springs, is sometimes made use of in the chace ; but should he fail in his first essay, the game escapes. Some species of the Antelope form herds of two or three thousand, while others keep in small troops of five or six. They for the most part live in hilly coun- tries. They often browse like the Goat, and feed on the tender shoots of young trees, which give their flesh an excellent flavour. There are many varieties of this animal ; some of them little known or described. THE BLUE GOAT. (Antelope Leucophcea, Pallas.) Mr Pennant considers this as being next to the Goat, from the length of its hair, and the form of its horns. The colour of this creature is a fine blue, resembling velvet ; but when dead, it is said to change to a bluish grey : its belly is white ; beneath each eye it has a large white mark : its tail is seven inches in length, with long hairs at the end : its horns incline backward, and form a curve ; three-fourths of their length are decorated with twenty-four rings ; the uppermost quarter is smooth, and runs tapering to a point. It inhabits the hottest parts of Africa. Sparrman describes one which he saw at the Cape of Good Hope, and calls it a Blaaiv-bok. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 91 THE PIED GOAT. This animal is likewise an inhabitant of the Cape, as well as the plains and woods of Senegal, where large herds of theia are to be seen. It is remarkable for having a white band running along each of its sides, crossed by two others from the back to the belly, disposed somewhat like a harness, from which it is called the Hariiessed Antelope : on each side of the rump it has three white lines pointing downwards ; its thighs are spotted with white ; the co- lour of the body is a deep-tawny; beneath each eye there is a white spot; its horns ai'e straight, nine inches long, pointed backward, with two spiral ribs. Great flocks of them are found in the plains and the woods of the country of'Poder, in Africa. It is called by M. BufFon, the Guib ; and, by Sparrman, the Bon- ti-bo/c, or Spotted Goat. M 2 92 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE WOOD-GOAT. We are indebted to the indefatigable labours of Dr Sparrman, for an accurate description of this rare ani- mal, which is found in the country about the Cape of Good Hope, and lives chiefly in woods and groves, from whence it derives its name. Its horns are black, somewhat more than ten inches long, and have three sides wreathed in a spiral direc- tion towards the top ; at the bottom they are rough, in consequence of a number of wavy rings, which, how- ever, are not elevated much above the surface ; at the top they are round, sharp-pointed, and in that part as smooth as if they had been polished ; their position is almost in the same line with the forehead, inclining a little forwards, and by means of the twist they make, they recede from each other towards the middle, where they are three inches and a half distant ; at the base, they are only one inch. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. Q3 The Wood-Goat is somewhat more than two feet and a half high, of a dark brown colour, in some parts bor- dering upon black : on each cheek-bone there are two large round white spots ; another, still larger, occupies the fore part of the neck, somewhat below the top of the windpipe; and several smaller white spots are scat- tered over the haunches : a narrow line of white hair extends from the neck all along the back and tail, but is not easily distinguished, being hid by the length of the dark brown hairs on the top of the back, which are three or four inches long, so as to form a kind of mane : the hair on the head is very short and fine ; in other parts of the body it is longer, resembling that of Goats : its tail is not more than a finger's breadth in length, covered with long hairs, which extend down the hind part of the thighs and buttocks ; the legs and feet are slender; the fetlock joints are likewise small ; the nose and under lip, which are white, are decorated with black whiskers about an inch long. As this animal runs but slowly, it is sometimes caught with Dogs. When it finds there is no other resource, it boldly puts itself into a posture of defence ; and when going to butt, kneels down, and in that position sells its life at a very dear rate, killing and goring some of the best and most spirited Hounds. It carries its head straight forward whilst it runs, laying its horns upon its neck, to prevent their being entangled in the bushes. The female is without horns ; and, being lighter than the male, runs more freely through the forests, and is not so easily caught. Her breast is said to be very plump : but the flesh of this animal is not very tender. 94 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE SPRINGER. The White Antelope, which is supposed to be the same with the Pygarg, mentioned in the book of Num- bers, is an inhabitant of the Cape of Good Hope, where it is called the Sprmg-boJc, and is to be seen in herds of several thousands, covering the plains as far as the eye can reach. Sparrman says, that having shot at a large herd of them, they formed a line, and immediately made a circular movement, as if to surround him ; but afterwards flew off in diiFerent directions. The height of this beautiful creature is two feet and a half; it measures from the ears to the tail, somewhat above three feet ; the tail is rather less than a foot long : the length of the ears six inches and a half; that of the horns, measuring them along their curvatures, nine inches ; their distance at the base, where they are near- HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 95 ly three inches thick, is one inch ; they gradually widen from thence to the distance of five inches from each other, when they turn inwards, so that at the tip they are not above three inches and a half asunder; they are of a deep black colour, annulated above half way up ; toward the top they are quite smooth, and end in a sharp point. The predominant colour of this animal is brown, or a light rust colour : the breast, belly, and inside of the limbs, are white ; as is also the head, excepting a dark brown list, which passes from each corner of the mouth, over the eyes, to the base of the horns : a stripe of the same dark colour extends, on each side, from the shoulders to the haunches, forming a boundary be- tween the snowy whiteness of the belly and the rusty colour of the sides : the buttocks are white ; and from the tail half way up the back, is a stripe of white, bounded on each side by a dark brown list : the tail, at least the lower part of it, is not thicker than a goose quill; the under side is quite bare; towards the tip there are a few dark brown hairs, from one to two inches and a half long : the ears are of an ash colour, tipt on the edges with fine light grey hairs : the eye- brows and whiskers are black: the hair in general is fine and short ; but the dark line which borders upon the white consists of longer hairs, which the animal is able to expand to the breadth of eight or nine inches, particularly on taking a high leap. When pursued, it is no less pleasant than curious to see the whole herd jumping over each other's heads to a considerable height: some of them will take three or four high leaps successively. In this situation, they seem suspended 96 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. in the air, looking over their shoulders at their pur- suers, and at the same time shewing the white part of their backs in a most beautiful manner. The Springers are so extremely swift, as to require a good Horse to overtake them; although they are sometimes bold enough to allow a sportsman, either on foot or on horseback, to come within gun-shot of them. Their flesh is very palatable, and has a more juicy and delicate taste than that of the other Gazelles. THE ELK-ANTELOPE. (Le Coicdous, BufF.) This is an inhabitant of the Cape, as well as of the greater part of India, and is one of the larger kinds of Gazelles. It has straight horns, two feet in length, of a dark brown colour, marked with two prominent spJ- HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 97 ral ribs running near two- thirds of their length, but smooth towards the ends, which are turned a httle in- wards : the forehead is flat, and broad at the top ; and has a forelock, standing erect, the whole length of it : its nose is sharp ; and its breast is covered with a loose skin. This animal is of an ash colour, inclining a little to- wards blue ; has a thin upright mane, quite black, which extends from the nape of its neck along the top of the back ; it has a tuft of black hair at the end of the tail. The Elk- Antelopes live chiefly in plains and vallies ; and, when hunted, always run, if possible, against the wind : they are not very swift ; and being in general fat, especially the males, which are always the largest and fattest in the herd, are soon tired. The hunter generally endeavours to get to windward of the animal, and when he has accomplished this, takes an oppor- tunity of throwing himself from his Horse, and instant- ly shoots the flying game : at this practice, the Dutch colonists at the Cape are so expert as seldom to fail. Sparrman says, there have been many instances where keen sportsmen, as well for their own pleasure as con- venience, have hunted Elk-Antelopes and other Ga- zelles, for many miles together, from the open plains, and driven them to their own doors, before they thought it worth while to shoot them. The female has horns like the male, but smaller. They are used by the Hottentots for tobacco-pipes. N 98 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE HART-BEEST. (Le Buhalc, Buff.) This is the most common of all the larger Gazeilesj, known in any part of Africa. The following accurate description is taken from Sparrman, to whom we are indebted for the best accounts of such of these rare animals as are to be met with near the Cape. Its height is somewhat above four feet: the horns are from six to nine inches long, very strong and black, almost close at the base, diverging upwards, and at the top bending backwards in an horizontal direction almost to the tips, which turn a little downwards ; they are em- bossed with about eighteen rin^s of an irregular form. The general colour of the Hart-Beest is that of cinna- mon ; the front of the head is marked with black, as is likewise the fore part of the legs ; the hind part of the HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 99 haunch is covered with a wide black streak, which reaches down to the knee; a narrow stripe of black begins behind each ear, and runs all along the ridge of the neck ; a dark brown oval spot extends over the back, terminating just above the tail, which is slender, somewhat like that of an Ass, and is covered with strong black hairs about six inches long : there is a pore about an inch below the eye, from which a matter is distilled, somewhat like ear-wax, which the Hotten- tots preserve as a rare and excellent medicine. This animal is supposed to be the Bubalus of the an- cients ; it is the Cervine Antelope of Mr Pennant. The hair of the Hart-Beest is very fine ; and its long ears are covered with white hair on the inside : it has only eight teeth in the lower jaw, none in the upper : the legs are rather slender, with small fetlocks and hoofs. The large head and high forehead, together with the assinine ears and tail, of the Hart-Beest, render it one of the least handsome of the whole tribe of Antelopes. Its pace, when at full speed, appears like a heavy gal- lop ; notwithstanding which, it runs as fast as any of the larger Antelopes. "When it has once got a-head of its pursuers, it is very apt to turn round, and stare them full in the face. Its flesh is fine, rather dry, but of an agreeably high flavour. N 2 100 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE KOEDOE, OR STRIPED ANTELOPE, ( Le Condojna, Buff.) Is a beautiful, tall Gazelle, inhabiting the Cape of Good Hope ; has long, slender legs, and is larger, though not so clumsy, as the Elk- Antelope : its horns are smooth, twisted spirally, with a prominent edge or rib following the wreaths ; they are three feet nine inches long, of a pale brown colour, close at the base, and at the points round and sharp. The colour of this animal is a rusty brown ; along the ridge of the back there is a white stripe, mixed with brown ; from this are eight or nine white stripes, pointing downwards ; the forehead and the fore part of the nose are brown ; a white stripe runs from the cor- ner of each eye, and meets just above the nose ; upon each cheek-bone, there are two small white spots ; the inner edges of the ears are covered with white hair, and the upper part of the neck is adorned with a brown mane, an inch long ; beneath the neck, from the throat to the breast, are some long hairs hanging down ; the breast and belly are grey : the tail is two feet long, brown above, white beneath, and black at the end. The Koedoe, though a tall and slender animal, is not so swift as many of the Gazelle kind, and is easily overtaken by the Hounds: on these occasions, the males defend themselves with great spirit with their liorns, and will come to close quarters with the Dogs; but the females, having no horns, are obliged to de- pend on their speed. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 101 THE GEMSE-BOK. (Capra Gazella, Lin. — Le Patan, Buff.) It is called by Mr Pennant, the Egyptian Antelope. The horns are straight, slender, of a black colour, about three feet long, with above twenty rings, reach- ing half to the points, which are smooth and taper ; it is of an ash colour, inclining to red ; the belly, legs, and face are white ; a black line extends from the neck to the loins ; the tail is about two feet long, terminated with black hairs. This animal is famous for a concretion in its stomach or intestines, called the oriental bezoar, which was much esteemed in former times for its great virtue in expelling poison from the human frame, and was sold at enormous prices, its value increasing in proportion to its size. There was a time, when a stone of four ounces sold in Europe for above 200l. ; at present, however, its estimation and price are greatly decreased. The virtues which ignorance and inexperience attri- buted to it, are now found no longer to exist ; and this once-celebrated medicine is now only consumed in countries where the knowledge of Nature has been but little advanced. Similar concretions are likewise found in a variety of animals of the Gazelle and Goat kind : even Apes, Serpents, and Hogs are said to have their bezoars. In short, there is scarcely an animal, except of the carnivorous kind, that does not produce some of these concretions in the stomach, intestines, kidnies, and even the heart. 102 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. These are the principal animals of the Gazelle kind described by Dr Sparrman, in his voyage to the Cape (rf Good Hope. He mentions a variety of others that are to be met with there, of which he gives us little but their names. THE REE-BOK Ls two feet in height ; of a colour somewhat resembling tliat of a Hare, but a little more inclining to red : the belly and anus are white : the tail is short : the horns are black and straight, very similar to those of the Gemse-bok, but barely a foot long, very taper, and sharp-pointed; they are used by the Hottentots as awls or bodkins, for boring holes in making their shoes or cloaks. The flesh of this animal is dry, and accounted worse to eat than that of any other Gazelle. THE RIET-REE-BOK Is twice as big as the last-mentioned animal ; is mono- gamous (or keeps in pairs) ; it generally lies concealed among the reeds and marshy places, and resembles the Ree-bok. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 103 THE GRYS-BOK CLa Grimme, BufiP.) Is of a greyish or ash colour, with large black ears, ^nd a black ring round the eyes ; straight black horns, slender and sharp-pointed, not three inches long, slightly annulated at the base : its height is about eighteen inches ; and it is most elegantly formed : be- neath each eye is a cavity that contains a strong-scent- ed oily liquor, which smells somewhat like musk, and, when exposed to the air, becomes hard and black. It is the Guinea Antelope of Mr Pennant. THE KLIP-SPRINGER Is of a light red colour, inclining to yellow, intermix- ed with black streaks ; the tips and edges of its ears are black : it runs with great swiftness, and makes large bounds, even pn the steepest precipices, and in the most rocky places, where it cannot easily be caught with Hounds. 104 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE GNU. To these we may add the G7iu, the Hottentot name for a singular animal, which, with respect to its form, is between the Horse and the Ox. It is about the size of a common Galloway, the length of it being some- what above five feet, and the height rather more than four. This animal is of a dark brown colour ; the tail and mane of a light grey ; the shag on the chin and breast, and the stiff hairs which stand erect on the forehead and upper part of the face, are black : the curvature of the horns is singular ; and the animal is represented in the cut in the attitude of butting, to give an idea of its form and position. The legs of the Gnu are small ; its hair is very fine ; and it has a cavity beneath each eye, like most of the Antelope kind. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 105 THE STEEN-BOK (Le Nagor, BufF.) Is found in Senegal, and at the Cape of Good Hope. Its whole body is of a pale red colour; it is as large as a Roe-buck; its horns, which do not exceed six inches in length, are almost smooth, and bend a little forward; its ears are five inches long; and it has a white spot over each eye. It is called, by Mr Pen- nant, the Red Antelope, THE, SWIFT ANTELOPE (Le Nanguer^ Buff.) Is likewise a native of Africa, and is found in Senegal. It is three feet and a half in length, and two and a half high ; the horns are black and round, eight inches in length, and, what is singular, bend forward at the points ; its general colour is tawny ; belly and thighs white ; it has likewise a white spot under the neck, is a very handsome animal, and easily tamed ; its swift- ness is compared to that of the wind. 106 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS, SErti\\v>iffl«tff^'CC. . .V 'A' THE COMMON ANTELOPE. (Capra Cervicapra, Lin. — U Antelope, Buff.) The Antelope, properly so called, abounds in Bar- bary, and in all the northern parts of Africa. It is somewhat less than the Fallo%v-deer : its horns are about sixteen inches long, surrounded with prominent rings almost to the top, where they are twelve inches distant from point to point. The horns of the Ante- lope are remarkable for a beautiful double flexion, "which gives them the appearance of the lyre of the an- cients. The colour of the hair on the back is brown, mixed with red ; the belly and the inside of the thighs are white : the tail short. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 107 THE BARBARY ANTELOPE ( Capra Dorcas, Lin, — La Gazelle, BufF.) Is likewise common in all the northern parts of Africa, in Syria, and Mesopotamia ; and seems to be a variety of the last-mentioned animal, which it strongly re- sembles; only the two colours on the back are sepa- rated from each other by a strong dusky line on each side, and on each knee there is a tuft of hair. THE KEVEL (Le Kevely Buff.) Is a native of Senegal ; and, in colour and marks, very much resembles the preceding animal. It is about the size of a small Roe-buck; and its horns, instead of being round, are flatted on their sides, and the rings are more numerous. It lives in great flocks, may be easily tamed, and is excellent meat. THE CORIN CLe Corine, Buff.) Is still less than the two former animals : its horns are very slender, only six inches long, and almost smooth, the annular prominences being scarcely discernible; each side of its face is marked with a white line, and o 2 108 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. beneath that a black one ; the upper part of the body is tawny; the belly and inside of the thighs white; a dark line on each side forms a separation between the two colours on the back and belly ; on each knee is a tuft of hair. Some of these animals are irregularly spotted with white. THE KOBA (Le Kohuy BufF.) Is remarkable for the form of its horns, which are al- most close at the base, bending out towards the mid- dle, where they form a curve inwards, and again fly off at the points, which bend backward ; they are seven- teen inches long, surrounded with fifteen rings ; the ends are smooth and sharp. <4!:3S^SVl, ^-'^t^'^i^Jt-i HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 109 THE CHEVROTAIN AND MEMINNA. (Le Chevrotain de Guinea^ Buff.) The Chevrotain, or little Guinea Deer, is the small- est of all the Antelope kind, the least of all cloven- footed quadrupeds, and, we may add, the most beauti- ful. Its fore legs, at the smallest part, are not much thicker than a tobacco pipe ; it is not more than seven inches in height, and about twelve from the point of the nose to the insertion of the tail: its ears are broad; and its horns, which are straight, and scarcely two inches long, are black and shining as jet ; the colour of the hair is a reddish brown ; in some a beautiful yellow, very short and glossy. These elegant little creatures are natives of Senegal and the hottest parts of Africa ; they are likewise found in India, and in many of the islands adjoining to that vast continent. In Ceylon, there is an animal of this kind called Me- minna^ which is not larger than a Hare, but perfectly resembling a Fallow-deer. It is of a grey colour ; the 110 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. sides and haunches are spotted and barred widi white ; its ears are long and open ; its tail short. None of these small animals can subsist but in a warm climate. They are so extremely delicate, that it is with the utmost difficulty they can be brought alive into Europe, where they soon perish. They are gentle, familiar, most beautifully formed ; and their agility is such, that they will bound over a wall twelve feet high. In Guinea, they are called Guevei. The female has no horns. THE SCYTHIAN ANTELOPE. (Capra Tartarica, Lin. — Le Saiga, BuflF.) This is the only one of the species that can be found in Europe. The form of its body resembles the domes- tic Goat ; but its horns are those of an Antelope, be- ing marked by very prominent rings, with furrows be- tween : they are a foot long, the ends smooth, of a pale yellow colour, almost transparent. The male, during winter, is covered with long rough hair, like the He-Goat, and has a strong scent; the female is smoother, and without horns. The general colour is grey, mixed with yellow : the under part of the body is white. These animals inhabit Poland, Moldavia, about Mount Caucasus, the Caspian Sea, and Siberia; are fond of salt, and frequent the places where salt-springs abound. In the rutting season, at the latter end of autumn, great flocks of them, consisting of several thousands, migrate towards the south, and return in the spring, in smaller flocks, to the great northern HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. Ill deserts; where the females bring forth their young, and rear them. The males, the females, and their young, generally feed together ; and when a part of them are resting, others, by an instinctive kind of caution, are always keeping watch ; these again are relieved in due time ; and in this manner, they alternately rest and keep watch ; frequently preserving themselves by this means, from the attacks of men and wild beasts. Their common pace is a trot ; but, when they exert their speed, they bound like the Roe-buck, and exceed it in fleetness. They are so timid as to suiFer them- selves to be taken through fear: if once bitten by a Dog, they instantly fall down, and give themselves up without further effort to escape. When taken young, they are easily tamed ; but the old ones are so wild and obstinate, as to refuse all food whilst in a state of cap- tivity. They are hunted for the sake of their flesh, horns, and skins; the latter are excellent for gloves, belts, &c. The huntsman is extremely cautious in approaching a herd of these animals, lest they should discover him by the excellency of their smell. They are either shot, or taken by Dogs ; and sometimes by the Black Eagle, which is trained for that purpose. In running they seem to incline to one side; and their motion is so rapid, that their feet seem scarcely to touch the ground. 112 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE NYL-GHAU. This animal is a native of the interior parts of India. It seems to be of a middle nature, between the Cow and the Deer, and carries the appearance of both in its form. In size, it is as much smaller than the one, as it is larger than the other : its body, horns, and tail, are not unlike those of a Bull ; and the head, neck, and legs, are similar to those of a Deer. The colour, in general, is ash or grey, from a mixture of black hairs and white : all along the ridge or edge of the neck, the hair is blacker, longer, and more erect, making a short, thin, and upright mane, reaching down to the hump : its horns are seven inches long, six inches round at the root, tapering by degrees, and HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 113 terminating in a blunt point : the ears are large and beautiful, seven inches in length, and spread to a con- siderable breadth ; they are white on the edge and on the inside, except where two black bands mark the hollow of the ear with a Zebra-like variety. The height of this animal at the shoulder, is four feet one inch ; behind the loins it measures only four feet. The female differs considerably from the male, both in height and thickness ; she is much smaller, in shape and colour very much resembling a Deer, and has no horns : she has four nipples, and is supposed to go nine months with young : she has commonly one at a birth, but sometimes two. Several of this species were brought to this country in the year 1 767, which continued to breed annually for some years after. Dr Hunter, who had one of them in his custody for some time, describes it as a harmless and gentle animal; that it seemed pleased with every kind of familiarity, alwaj^s licked the hand that either stroked or fed it, and never once attempted to use its horns offensively. It seemed to have much dependance on its organs of smell, and snuffed keenly whenever any person came in sight : it did so likewise, when food or drink was brought to it ; and would net taste the bread which was offered, if the hand that pre- sented it happened to smell of turpentine. Its manner of fighting is very particular, and is thus described : — Two of the males at Lord Clive's, being put into an inclosure, were observed, while they were at some distance from each other, to prepare for the attack, by falling down upon their knees : they then shuffled towards each other, still keeping upon their 114 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. knees; and, at the distance of a few yards, they made a spring, and darted against each other with great force. The following anecdote v/ill serve to shew, that du- ring the rutting season, these animals are fierce and vicious, and not to be depended upon : — A labouring man, without knowing that the animal was near him, went up to the outside of the inclosure : the Nyl-ghau, with the quickness of lightning, darted against the wood-work with such violence, that he dashed it to pieces, and broke off one of his horns close to the root. The death of the animal, which happened soon after, was supposed to be owing to the injury he sustained by the blow. Bernier says, that it is the favourite amusement of the Mogul Emperor to hunt the Nyl-ghau; and that he kills them in great numbers, and distributes quar- ters of them to his omrahs ; which shews that they are esteemed good and delicious food. The Nyl-ghau is frequently brought from the interi- or parts of Asia, as a rare and valuable present to the nabobs and other great men at our settlements in India. It remains to be considered, whether this rare animal might not be propagated with success in this country. That it will breed here, is evident from experience ; and if it should prove docile enough to be easily trained to labour, its great swiftness and considerable strength might be applied to the most valuable purposes. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 115 THE MUSK. (Moschus Moschiferus, Lin. — Le Muse, Buff.) There have been various accounts given of this ani- mal by naturalists and travellers ; by whom it seems to have been taken notice of more for the perfume which it produces, than for the information of the curious en- quirer into its nature and qualities : for we are still at a loss what rank to assijjn it amono; the various tribes of quadrupeds. It has no horns; and whether it ruminates or not, is uncertain : but, by its wanting the fore teeth in the up- per jaw, we are led to suppose that it belongs either to the Goat or the Deer kind ; and have therefore given it a place after the Gazelles, relying upon those cha- racteristic marks which are known, and leaving it to those naturalists who may be possessed of better means of information, to ascertain its genuine character. p2 116 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The Musk of Thibet resembles the Roe-buck in form. It is somewhat above two feet in height at the should- er; the hind legs, which are longer than the fore legs, are two feet nine inches high at the haunches; the length is three feet six inches from the head to the tail ; the head is above half a foot long : its upper jaw is much larger than the lower ; and on each side of it there is a slender tusk, nearly two inches long, which hangs down, bending inwards like a hook, and very sharp on the inner edge : its lower jaw contains eight small cutting teeth ; and in each jaw there are six grinders: its ears are long, small, and erect, like those of a Rabbit : the hair on the whole body is long and rough, marked with small waves from top to bot- tom : the colour is a rusty brown ; under the belly and tail it is white : on each side of the lower jaw there is a tuft of thick hair, about an inch long : its hoofs are deeply cloven, slender, and black; the spurious hoofs are likewise very long : its tail is not more than two inches in length, and hid in the hair. The use it makes of its tusks is not well known : the most probable is that of hooking up roots out of the gi'ound, and catch- ing at small twigs and branches of trees, upon which it feeds. The female has no tusks, is less than the male, and has two small teats. The Musk is found in the kingdom of Thibet, in se- veral of the Chinese provinces, aboiit the lake Baikal, and near the rivers Jenisea and Argun, from lat. 60 to 45 ; but seldom so far south, except driven by great falls of snow to seek for food in more temperate cli- mates. It is naturally a timid animal, and endowed with a quick sense of hearing. Its solitary haunts are HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 117 usually mountains, covei'ed with pines ; where it avoids mankind, and when pursued, flies to the highest and most inaccessible summits. The perfume produced by this animal, which is so well known in the fashionable circles, and of late so much used in the practice of physic, needs little de- scription. It is found in a bag or tumour, nearly of the size of a Hen's egg, on the belly of the male only. These bags the hunters cut off, and tie them up for sale ; many thousands of them are sent over annually to Europe, besides what are consumed in different parts of the East. To account for this great consump- tion, it is supposed that the musk is frequently adul- terated and mixed with the blood of the animal. It comes to us from China, Tonquin, Bengal, and Mus- covy; but that of Thibet is reckoned the best, and sells at a much higher price than the rest. The flesh of the males, especially in the rutting sea- son, is much infected with the flavour of the musk ; but is, nevertheless, eaten by the Russians and Tar- tars. 118 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE CAMELEOPARD. (Cervus Camelopardalis, Lin. — La Giraffe, Bu£F.) This animal, (the existence of which has frequently been called in question) is a native of the wild and un- frequented deserts of Ethiopia, and other interior parts of Africa, where it leads a solitary life, far from the habitations of men, for whose use it is rendered unfit by the enormous disproportion of its parts. It has hi- therto been regarded chiefly as an object of curiosity, and may lead us to admire the wonderful productions of that creative power, which has filled the earth with life in such a boundless variety of forms. The height of this extraordinary animal, from the HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 119 crown of the head to the ground, is seventeen feet; while at the rump it measures only nine; the neck alone is seven feet long ; and the length from the ex- tremity of the tail to the end of the nose, is twenty-two feet; the fore and hind legs are nearly of an equal height; but the shoulders rise so high, that its back inclines like the roof of a house: its neck is slender and elegant, adorned on the upper side with a short mane : on the highest part of the head it has two per- pendicular horns, six inches long, covered with hair, and round at the ends, where they are encompassed with a circle of short black hairs* : on the middle of the forehead there is a protuberance about two inches high : its ears are long, and its eyes large and beautiful. The colour of the male is a dark brown, with a net- work of light grey over the neck and the whole body; these lines on the female are of a pale yellow colour. It is a timid and gentle creature, but not swift : from the great length of its fore legs, it is obliged to divide them to a great distance when it grazes, which it does with some difficulty ; it lives chiefly by browsing on the leaves and tender branches of trees ; it lies on its belly, and has hard protuberances on its breast and thighs, like the Camel ; its tail is similar to that of an Ox, with strong black hair at the end ; it is cloven-footed, has no teeth in the upper jaw, and is a ruminating animal. The female has four teats, and is less than the male. This animal was known to the Romans in early times. * M. Vaillant, who shot several of these animals, says, that these horns differ from those of the Stag or the Ox, in being formed by a continuation of the bone of the skull. uo HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. .V . .->,\TO\M>\"v THE ELK (Cervus Alces, Lin. — UElan, BufF.) Is tlie largest and most formidable of all the Deer kind. It is a native of both the old and the new continent, being known in Europe by the name of the Elk, and in America by that of the Moose-deer. It is sometimes taken in the forests of Russia and Germany ; though it is rarely to be seen, on account of its extreme wildness. It likewise inhabits Norway, Sweden, Poland, and Tar- tary, as far as the North of China. It is common in Canada, and all the northern parts of America. The Elk has been variously described by naturalists and travellers : by some, it is said to be twelve feet high ; while others, with greater appearance of proba- bility, describe it as being not much higher than a HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 121 Horse. It is, however, a matter of doubt to which a greater degree of credibility should be given. From a variety of Elks' horns preserved in the ca- binets of the curious, some of which are of a most enormous size, there is every reason to conclude, that the animal which bore them must have been of a pro- portionable bulk and strength. Those who speak of the gigantic Moose, say, their horns are six feet long, and measure, from tip to tip, above ten feet : the beams of the horns are short ; from which they spread out into large and broad palms, one side of which is plain, but on the outside are several sharp snags or shoots. The European Elk grows to the height of seven or eight feet ; and in length, from the end of the muzzle to the insertion of the tail, measures ten feet : the head is two feet long ; the neck, on which is a short upright mane, of a light brown colour, is much shorter : its eye is small; and, from the lower corner of it, thei'e is a deep slit, common to all the Deer kind, as well as most of the Gazelles: the ears are upwards of a foot in length, very broad, and somewhat slouching; the nos- trils are wide ; and the upper lip, which is square, and has a deep furrow in the middle, hangs greatly over the lower, whence it was imagined by the ancients, that this creature could not graze without going back- ward: the withers are very high, the hind legs much shorter than the fore legs, and the hoofs deeply cloven : from a small excrescence under the throat, hangs a long tuft of coarse black hair : the tail is very short, dusky above, and white beneath : the hair is long and 122 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. rough, like that of a Bear, and of a hoary brown co- lour, not much differing from that of the Ass. The pace of the Elk is a high, shambling trot; but it goes with great swiftness. Formerly these animals were made use of in Sweden to draw slede.es ; but as they were frequently accessary to the escape of such as had been guilty of murders or other great crimes, this use of them was prohibited under great penalties. In passing through thick woods these animals carry their heads horizontally, to prevent their horns being entangled in the branches. The Elks are timid and inoffensive, except when wounded, or during the rutting season, Avhen the males become very furious, and at that time will swim from isle to isle in pursuit of the females. They strike with both horns and hoofs, and possess such agility and streno-th of limbs, that, with a sinMe blow of the fore feet, they will kill a Wolf or a Dog. Their flesh is extremely sweet and nourishing. The Indians say, they can travel farther after eating hearti- ly of the flesh of the Elk, than of any other animal food. Their tongues are excellent: but the nose is esteemed the greatest delicacy in all Canada. The skin makes excellent buff leather, and is strong, soft, and light : the Indians make their snow-shoes, and likewise form their canoes with it. The hair on the neck, withers, and hams, of a full-grown Elk, from its great length and elasticity, is well adapted to the purpose of making mattrasses and saddles. The methods of huntincf these animals in Canada are curious. The first, and most simple, is, — before the lakes or rivers are frozen, multitudes of the natives HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 123 assemble in their canoes, with which they form a vast crescent, each horn touching the shore; wliilst another party on the shore surrounds an extensive tract : thev are attended by dogs, which they let loose, and press towards the water with loud cries. The animals alarm- ed by the noise, fly before the hunters, and plunge in- to the lake, where they are killed by the people in the canoes wdth lances and clubs. Another method re- quires a greater degree of preparation and art. The hunters enclose a large space with stakes and branches of trees, forming two sides of a triangle ; the bottom opens into a second inclosure, which is fast on all sides: at the opening are hung numbers of snares, made of the slips of raw hides. They assemble as be- fore, in great troops ; and, with all kinds of hideous noises, drive into the inclosure not only the Moose, but various other kinds of Deer, with which that coun- try abounds. Some, in forcing their way through the narrow pass, are caught in the snares by the neck or horns ; whilst those which escape these, meet their fate from the arrows of the hunters, directed at ihem from all quarters. They are likewise frequently killed with the gun. When they are first discovered, they squat with their hind parts, and make water ; at which in- stant the sportsman fires : if he miss, the Moose sets off in a most rapid trot, making, like the E.ein-deer, a prodigious rattling with its hoofs, and running twenty or thirty miles before it stops or takes the water. The usual time for this diversion is in winter. The animal can run with ease upon the firm surface of the snow ; but the hunters avoid entering on the chase till the heat of the sun is strong enough to melt the frozen 22 124 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. crust with which it is covered, and render it so soft as to impede the flight of the Moose, which sinks up to the shoulders, flounders, and gets on with great diffi- culty : the sportsman pursues iu his broad rackets, or snow-shoes, and makes a ready prey of the distressed animal. " As weak against the moimtain-lieaps they push " Their beating breasts in vain, and piteous bray, " He lays them quiv'ring on th' ensanguin'd snows, *■' And with loud shoots rejoicuig bears them home." The female is less than the male, and has no horns. They are in season in the autumn ; and bring forth in April, sometimes one, but generally two young ones at a time, which arrive at their full growth in six years. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 125 THE AMERICAN ELK. We have given a faithful portrait of this animal, from a living one lately brought from the interior parts of America. It seems to be very different from that generally described under the name of the Elk, or Moose-deer, to which it has very little resemblance. It seems, indeed, to belong to a distinct species, and is probably the Elk or Orignal of Canada and the north- ern parts of America. At the age of five years, the length of this creature was nine feet, from the end of the muzzle to the inser- tion of the tail, the head and neck being extended in a line with the body : its height at the shoulder was four 126 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. feet six inches ; length of the head, one foot six inches ; breadth over the forehead, seven inches ; length of the fore legs, two feet five inches ; length of the neck, two feet six; its ears, nine inches; and tail three. Its horns, which it had just shed, are not palmated, like those of the Moose: they are large; and, when full grown, measure above six feet, from tip to tip. The antlers are round, and pointed at the ends : the lower- most antler forms a curve downward over each eye, to which it appears a defence. Its hair is long, of a dark dun colour on the back and sides ; on the head and legs dark brown : its eyes full and lively ; and be- low each there is a deep slit, about two inches in length, the use of which we are unable to discover. It was very lively and active; of great strengh of body and limbs : its hoofs short, and like those of a calf; the division between them is less than in those of the Rein-deer ; and, when the animal is in motion, they do not make a rattling noise. It has no mane; but the hair under its neck is longer than that on any other part of the body. We were told by the owner of this very rare and beautiful animal, that it does not attain its full growth till twenty years old, and that it sheds its horns every third year. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 127 THE REIN-DEER. (Cervus Tarandus, Lin. — Le Renne, BufF.) This extraordinary animal is a native of the icy re- gions of the North ; where, by a wise and bountiful dis- pensation, which diffuses the common goods of nature over every part of the habitable globe, it is made sub- servient to the wants of a hardy race of men inhabiting the countries near the pole, who would find it impossi- ble to subsist among their snowy mountains without the aid of this most useful creature. In more temperate regions, men are indebted to the unbounded liberality of nature for a great variety of valuable creatures to serve, to nourish, and to cloath them. To the poor Laplander, the Rein-deer alone supplies the place of the Horse, the Cow, the Sheep, 128 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. the Goat, &c. ; and from it he derives the only com- forts that tend to soften the severity of his situation in that most inhospitable climate. The Rein-deer of Lapland are of two kinds, — the wild and the tame : the former are larger, stronger, and more hardy than the latter ; for which reason, the tame females, in the proper season, are often sent out into the woods, where they meet with wild males, and return home impregnated by them. The breed from this mixture is stronger, and better adapted for draw- ing the sledge, to which the Laplanders accustom them at an early age. THE SLEDGE. The Rein-deer is yoked to this vehicle by a collar, from which a trace is brought under the belly between the legs, and fastened to the fore part of the sledge. These carriages are extremely light, and covered at the bottom with the skin of the Rein-deer. The per- son who sits in it guides the animal with a cord fasten- ed to its horns ; he drives it with a goad, and encou- rages it with his voice. Those of the wild breed, though by far the strongest, often prove refractory, and not only refuse to obey their master, but turn HI&TORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 129 against him, and strike so furiously with their feet, that his only resource is to cover himself with his sledge,, upon which the enraged creature vents its fury; the tame Deer, on the contrary, is patient, active, and willing. When hard pushed, the Rein-deer will trot the distance of sixty miles without stopping ; but in such exertions, the poor obedient creature fatigues itself so exceedingly, that its master is frequently obliged to kill it immediately, to prevent a lingering- death that would ensue. In general, they can go about thirty miles without stopping ; and that without any great or dangerous effort. This mode of travelling can be performed only in the winter season, when the face of the country is covered with snow ; and although the conveyance is speedy, it is inconvenient, danger- ous, and troublesome. As the Rein-deer constitutes the sole riches of the Laplander, it may well be supposed that a constant at- tention to preserve and secure it, forms the chief em- ployment of his life. It is not uncommon for one per- son to possess above five hundred in a single herd. As soon as summer appears, which forms but a short interval from the most piercing cold, the Laplander, who had fed his Rein-deer upon the lower grounds during the winter, drives them up to the mountains, leaving the woody country and the low pastures, which at that season are in a state truly deplorable. Myriads of insects, brought to life by the heat of the sun in the woods and fens with which that country abounds, are all upon the wing ; the whole atmosphere swarms with life ; every place and every creature is infested ; the natives are obliged to cover their faces with a mixture ISO HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. of pitch and milk, to shield them from these minute invaders, which are drawn in with the breath, and enter the nostrils, and even the eyes ; but they are chiefly inimical to the Rein-deer : the horns of that animal being then tender, and covered with a skin, which renders them extremely sensitive, a cloud of these insects settle upon them, and drive the poor ani- mal almost to distraction. In this extremity there is no resource but flight. The herdsmen drive their flocks from the plains to the summits of the mountains, whither the foe cannot follow them : there they will continue the whole day, with little or no food, rather than venture down into the lower parts, where they have no defence against their unceasing persecutors. Besides the gnat, the gadfly is a common pest to the Rein-deer. In the autumn, this insect deposits its eggs in their skin, where the worms burrow, and often prove fatal to them. The moment a single fly is seen, the whole herd is in motion : they know their enemy, and endeavour to avoid it, by tossing up their heads, and running among each other : but all this too often proves ineffectual. Every morning and evening during the summer, the herdsman returns to his cottage with the Deer to be milked, where a large fire of moss is prepared, for the purpose of filling the place with smoke, to drive off" the gnats, and keep the Deer quiet whilst milking. The quantity of milk given by one female in a day, is about a pint. It is thinner than that of a Cow, but sweeter and more nourishing. The female begins to breed at the age of two years, is in season the latter end of September, goes with HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 131 young eight months, and generally brings forth two at 3 time. The fondness of the dam for her young is very remarkable. They follow her two or three years, but do not acquire their full strength until four. It is at this age that they are trained to labour ; and they continue serviceable four or five years. They never live above fifteen or sixteen years. At eight or nine years old, the Laplanders kill them for their skins and their flesh. Of the former they make garments, which are warm, and cover them from head to foot : they also serve them for beds ; they spread them on each side of the fire upon the leaves of trees, and in this manner lie hoth soft and warm. The latter affords a constant supply of good and wholesome food, which, in the winter, when other kinds of provisions fail, is their chief subsistence. The tongue of the Rein-deer is con- sidered as a great delicacy; and when dried, great numbers of them are sold into other countries. The sinews serve for thread, with which the Laplanders make their cloaths, shoes, and other necessaries ; and when covered with the hair, serve them for ropes. Innumerable are the uses, the comforts, and advan- tages, which the poor inhabitants of this dreary climate derive from this animal. We cannot sum them up better than in the beautiful language of the poet : — " Their Rein-deer form their riches. These their tents, " Their robes, then- beds, and all their homely wealth, " Supply, their wholesome fare, and chearful cups : " Obsequious at their call, the docile tribe " Yield to the sled their necks, and whirl them swift " O'er hiU and dale, heap'd into one expanse " Of marbled snow, as far as eye can sweep, " With a blue crust of ice unbounded glaz'd." R 2 132 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The horns of the Rein-deer are large and slender, bendhig forward, with brow antlers, which are broad and palmated. A pair in our possession are in length two feet eight inches, and from tip to tip two feet five ; they weigh nine pounds : the projecting brow antler is fourteen inches long, one foot broad, and serrated at the end : it should seem, both from its situation and form, an excellent instrument to remove the snow, un- der which their favourite moss lies. Both sexes have horns : those of the female are less, and have fewer branches. We are happy in being able to give an accurate re- presentation of this singular creature. The drawing was taken from one in the possession of Sir H. G. Liddell, Bart, which he brought over from Lapland, with four others, in 1786. The height at the shoulder was three feet three inches. The hair on the body was of a dark brown colour; and on the neck brown, mixed with white : a large tuft of hair, of a dirty white co- lour, hung down from the throat, near its breast ; and it had a large white spot on the inside of each hind leg, close by the joint: its head. was long and fine; and round each eye was a large* black space: its horns were covered with a fine down, like velvet. The hoofs of this animal are large, broad, and deeply cloven : they spread out to a great breadth on the ground; and when the animal is in motion, make a crackling noise, by being drawn up forcibly together. Not many attempts have been made to draw the Rein-deer from its native mountains, and transport it to milder climates ; and of these, few have succeeded. Naturalists from thence have concluded, that it cannot HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 1S3 exist but amidst ice and snow. M. BufFon regrets the impossibility of procuring the animal alive; and says, that when transported to another climate, it soon dies. M. Regnard mentions some that were brought to Dant- zick; where, being unable to endure the heat of the climate, they all perished. Queen Christina, of Swe- den, procured five and twenty, which she purposed sending to Oliver Cromwell : they were brought as far as Stockholm ; but the Laplanders who attended them refusing to come to England, fifteen of the number were killed by the Wolves, and the remaining ten did not long survive, the climate being considered as too warm. To those brought over by Sir H. G. Liddell, five more were added the year following. They produced young ones, and gave promising hopes of thriving in this country: but, unfortunately, some of them were killed ; and the others died, in consequence of a dis- order similar to that called the rot in Sheep, which was attributed to the richness of the grass whereon they fed. Nor can we wonder at the failure of this spirited enterprize, when we consider, that it is the sole em- ployment of the Laplander to tend and herd his Rein- deer, to drive them in the summer time to the summits of the mountains, to the sides of clear lakes and streams, and to lead them where they can find the most proper food. Want of knowledge or attention to minute particulars, is sufficient to overturn the best- laid plans. There is, however, little doubt but this animal will live without the Lapland lichen ; to which, perhaps, it only hath recourse, because there is in those latitudes 134 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. no other sustinence during the winter. It is also, in England, free from its mortal enemy — the gadfly. But as the desire of possessing this animal has hitherto been excited only by curiosity, it is not likely that much at- tention will be paid to it in a country like this, abound- ing with such a variety of useful quadrupeds. The Rein-deer is wild in America, where it is called the Caribou. It is found in Spitzbergen and Green- land, and is very common in the most northern parts of Europe, and in Asia, as far as Kamschatka, where some of the richest of the natives keep herds of ten or twenty thousand in number. In the neighbourhood of Hudson's Bay, there are great herds of wild Rein-deer : columns of many thou- sands annually pass from North to South in the months of March and April. In that season the muskatoes are very troublesome, and oblige them to quit the woods, and seek refreshment on the shore and open country. Great numbers of beasts of prey follow the herds. The Wolves single out the stragglers, detach them from the flock, and hunt them down : the Foxes attend at a dis- tance, to pick up the offals left by the former. In au- tumn, the Deer, with the Fawns bred during the sum- mer, re-migrate northward. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 135 THE STAG, OR RED-DEER. (Cewus ElephaSf Lin. — Le Cerfj Buffi) This is the most beautiful animal of the Deer kind. The elegance of his form, the lightness of his motions, the flexibility of his limbs, his bold, branching horns, which are annually renewed, his grandeur, strength, and swiftness, give him a decided pre-eminence over every other inhabitant of the forest. The age of the Stag is known by its horns. The first year exhibits only a short protuberance, which is co- 136 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. vered with a hairy skin ; the next year the horns are straight and single ; the third year produces two ant- lers, the fourth three, the fifth four ; and when arrived at the sixth year, the antlers amount to six or seven on each side ; but the number is not always certain. The Stag begins to shed his horns the latter end of February, or the beginning of March. Soon after the old horn has fallen off, a soft tumour begins to appear, which is soon covered with a down like velvet : this tu- mour every day buds forth, like the graft of a tree ; and, rising by degrees, shoots out the antlers on each side : the skin continues to cover it for some time, and is fur- nished with blood-vessels, which supply the growino- horns with nourishment, and occasion the furrows ob- servable in them when that covering is stript off: the impression is deeper at the bottom, where the vessels are larger, and diminishes towards the point where they are smooth. When the horns are at their full growth, they acquire strength and solidity ; and the velvet covering or skin, with its blood-vessels, dries up, and begins to fall off; which the animal endeavours to hasten, by rubbing them against the trees ; and, in this manner, the whole head gradually acquires its complete hardness, expansion and beauty. Soon after the Stags have polished thek horns, which is not completed till July or August, they quit the thickets, and return to the forests ; they cry with a loud and tremulous note, and fly from place to place, in search of the females, with exti'eme ardour : their necks swell ; they strike with their horns against trees, and other obstacles, and become extremely furious. At this season, when two Stags meet, their contests HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 137 are often desperate, and terminate in the defeat or flight of one of them ; while the other remains in pos- session of his mistress and the field, till another rival approaches, that he is also obliged to attack and repel. During this time, which usually lasts about three weeks, the Stag is frequently seen by the sides of rivers and pools of water, where he can quench his thirst, as well as cool his ardour. He swims with great ease and strength ; and, it is said, will even venture out to sea, allured by the Hinds, and swim from one island to another, though at a considerable distance. The Hinds go with young eight months and a few days, and seldom produce more than one, called a Fawn. They bring forth in May, or the beginning of June, and conceal their young with great care in the most obscure retreats. They will even expose them- selves to the fury of the hounds, and suffer all the ter- rors of the chase, in order to draw off the dogs from their hiding-place. The Hind is also very bold in the protection of her offspring, and defends it with great courage against her numerous and rapacious enemies : the Wild Cat, the Dog, and even the Wolf, are fre- quently obliged to give way to her upon these occa- sions. But what appears to be strangely unnatural, the Staff himself is often one of her most dangerous foes, and would destroy the Fawn, if not prevented by the maternal care of the Hind, which carefully con- ceals the place of its retreat. The Fawn never quits the dam during the whole sum- mer ; and in winter, the Stags and Hinds of all ages keep together in herds, which are more or less numer- ous, accoixling to the mildness or rigour of the season. s 138 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. They separate in the spring : the Hinds retire to bring forth ; while none but the young ones remain together. Stags are gregarious, and fond of grazing in com- pany : it is danger or necessity alone that separates them. The Stag, in England, is usually of a reddish colour; in otlier countries it is generally brown or yellow. His eye is peculiarly beautiful, soft, and sparkling : his hearing is quick; and his sense of smelling acute. When listening, he raises his headj erects his ears, and seems attentive to every noise, which he can hear at a great distance. When he approaches a thicket, he stops to look round him on all sides, and attentive- ly surveys every object near him : if the wary ani- mal perceive nothing to alarm him, he moves slowly forward ; but on the least appearance of danger, he flies off with the rapidity of the wind. He appears to listen with great tranquillity and delight to the sound of the shepherd's pipe, which is sometimes made use of to allure the poor animal to its destruction. The Stag eats slowly, and is nice in the choice of his pasture. When his stomach is full, he lies down to chew the cud at leisure. This, however, seems to be attended with greater exertions than in the Ox or the Sheep ; for the grass is not returned from the first sto- mach without violent straining, owing to the great length of his neck, and the narrowness of the passage. This effort is made by a kind of hiccup, which conti- nues during the time of his ruminating. The voice of the Stag is stronger and more quiver- ing as he advances in age : in the rutting season, it is even terrible. That of the Hind is not so loud ; and HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 139 is seldom heard, but when excited by apprehension for herself or her young. The Stag has been said to be an uncommonly long- lived animal ; but later observations have fully confuted this unfounded opinion. It is a generally received maxim, that animals live seven times the number of years that bring them to perfection: thus the Stag, being five or six years in arriving at maturity, lives seven times that number, or from thirty-five to forty yearsu The following fact, recorded in history, will serve to shew that the Stag is possessed of an extraordinary share of courage, when his personal safety is concern- ed : — Some years ago, William, Duke of Cumberland, caused a Tiger and a Stag to be inclosed in the same area ; and the Stag made so bold a defence, that the Tiger was at length obliged to give up. The hunting of the Stag has been held, in all ages, a diversion of the noblest kind ; and former times bear witness of the great exploits performed on these occa- sions. In our island, large tracts of land were set apart for this purpose- ; villages and sacred edifices were wantonly thrown down, and converted into one wide waste, that the tyrant of the day might have room to pursue his favourite diversion. In the time of Wil- liam Rufus and Henry the First, it was less criminal to destroy one of the human species than a beast of chase. Happily for us, these wide extended scenes of desolation and oppression have been gradually con- tracted ; useful arts, agriculture, and commerce, have extensively spread themselves over the naked land ; s 2 l^O HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. and these superior beasts of the chase have given way to other animals more useful to the community. In the present cultivated state of this country, there- fore, the Stag is almost unknown in its wild state. Tlie few that remain are kept in parks among the Fallow- deer, and are distinguished by the name of Red Deer. Its viciousness during the rutting season, and the bad- ness of its flesh, which is poor and ill-flavoured, have occasioned almost the extinction of the species. Some few are yet to be found in the fnrfisfs that border on Cornwall and Devonshire, on most of the large moun- tains of Ireland, and in the Highlands of Scotland, where Dr Johnson describes them as not exceeding the Fallow-deer in size, and their flesh of equal flavour. The Red Deer of this kingdom are nearly of the same size and colour, without much variety : in other parts of the world, they differ in form and size, as well as in their horns and the colour of their bodies. THE CORSICAN STAG Is very small, not exceeding half the height of ours; his body is short and thick, his hair of a dark-brown colour, and his legs short. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 141 THE AXIS, OR GANGES STAG. (UAxis, BufF.) This animal is an inhabitant of those immense plains of India watered by the river Ganges. M. Buffon con- siders it as a variety or shade between the Stag and the Fallow-deer. It is of the size of the latter ; but its horns are round, like those of the Stag ; and it has no brow antlers. Its whole body is marked with white spots, elegantly disposed, and distinct from each other : • the belly, inside of the thighs, and legs, are white; along the back there are two rows of spots, parallel to each other ; those on the other parts of the body are irregular ; the head and neck are grey ; and the tail, which is red above and white beneath, is as long as that of the Fallow-deer. 1.42 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The continent of America abounds with Siags, and other animals of the Deer kind, in great variety. In some parts of that vast country, the inhabitants have domesticated them, and live chiefly upon the milk and cheese with which they supply them. Thus we find, that the same animal, which, in some parts, contributes only to the amusement of man, may, in others, be brought to supply his necessities. The stores of Nature are various and abundant : it is neces- sity alone that draws them out to supply our wants, and contribute to our comforts. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 143 THE FALLOW-DEER. (CerDus DamUf Lin. — Le Daitiy BuflF.) The principal difference between the Stag and the Fallow-deer, seems to be in their size and in the form of their horns; the latter is much smaller than the former, and its horns, instead of being rounds, like those of the Stag, are broad, palmated at the ends, and better garnished with antlers : the tail is also much longer than that of the Stag, and its hair is brighter ; in other respects they nearly resemble each other. The horns of the Fallow-deer are shed annually, like those of the Stag ; but they fall off later, and are re- newed nearly at the same time. Their rutting season arrives fifteen days or three weeks after that of the Stag. The males then bellow frequently, but with a 144 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. low and interrupted voice. They are not so furious at this season as the Stag, nor exhaust themselves by any imcommon ardour. They never leave their pasture in quest of the females, but generally fight with each other, till one buck becomes master of the field. They associate in herds, which sometimes divide into two parties, and maintain obstinate battles for the possession of some favourite part of the park : each party has its leader, which is always the oldest and strongest of the flock. They attack in i-egular order of battle ; they fight with courage and mutually sup- port each other ; they retire, they rally, and seldom give up after one defeat : the combat is frequently re- newed for several days together ; till after many de- feats, the weaker party is obliged to give way, and leave the conquerors in possession of the object of their contention. The Fallow-deer is easily tamed, feeds upon a va- riety of things which the Stag refuses, and preserves its condition nearly the same through the whole year, although its flesh is esteemed much finer at particular seasons. They are capable of procreation in their second year ; and, like the Stag, are fond of variety. The female goes with young eight months ; and produces one, sometimes two, and rarely three, at a time. They arrive at perfection at the age of three years, and live till about twenty. We have in England two varieties of the Fallow- deer, which are said to be of foreign origin : the beau- tiful spotted kind, supposed to have been brought from Bengal; and the deep-browii sort, now common in • HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 14S this country. These last were introduced by King James the First, out of Norway; where having ob- served their hardiness in bearing the cold of that se- vere climate, he brought some of them into Scotland, and from thence transported them into his chases of Enfield and Epping. Since that time they have mul- tiplied exceedingly in many parts of this kingdom, which is now become famous for venison of superior fatness and flavour to that of any other countiy in the world. The Fallow-deer, with some variation, is found in almost every country of Europe. Those of Spain are as large as Stags, but darker; their necks are also more slender; and their tails, which are longer than those of ours, are black above, and white beneath. In Guiana (a country of South America) according to Labat, there are Deer without horns, smaller than those of Europe, but resembling them in every other particular. They are very lively, light, and excessive- ly timid; of a reddish colour; with sharp, piercing eyes, and short tails. When pursued, they fly into places of difficult access. The natives frequently stand and watch for them in narrow paths; and, as soon as the Game appears within reach, shoot them unperceived. Their flesh is considered as a great delicacy. 146 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. jjivr THE ROE-BUCK. CCervus Capreolus, Lin. — La Chevreuil, BuflP.) The Roe was formerly common in many parts of England and Wales ; but at present it is to be found only in the Highlands of Scotland. It is the smallest of all the Deer kind, being only three feet four inches long, and somewhat more than two feet in height : the horns ai'e from eight to nine inches long, upright, round, and divided into three branches ; the body is covered with long hair ; the lower part of each hair is ash colour ; near the end is a narrow bar of black, and the point is yellow ; the hairs on the face are black, tipped with ash colour ; the ears are long, their insides of a pale yellow, and covered with long hair ; the chest, belly, legs, and the inside of the thighs, are of HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 147 a yellowish white; the rump is of a pure white, and the tail very short. The form of the Roe-buck is elegant, and its mo- tions light and easy. It bounds seemingly without effort, and runs with great swiftness. When hunted, it endeavours to elude its pursuers by the most subtle artifices: it repeatedly returns upon its former steps, till, by various windings, it has entirely confounded the scent. The cunning animal then, by a sudden spring, bounds to one side; and, lying close down upon its belly, permits the hounds to pass by, without offering to stir. They do not keep together in herds, like other Deer, but live in separate families. The sire, the dam, and the young ones, associate together, and sel- dom mix with others. The rutting season continues but fifteen days,- — from the latter end of October till about the middle of No- vember. During this period they will not suffer the fawns to remain with them : the buck obliges them to retire, in order that the dam and her succeeding pro- geny may remain undisturbed. The female goes with young five months and a half, and brings forth about the end of April, or beginning of May. On these occasions, she separates from the male, and conceals herself in the thickest and most retired part of the woods. She generally produces two fawns at a time, sometimes three. In ten or twelve days, these are able to follow their dam. When threatened with danger she hides them in a thicket; and, to preserve them, offers herself to be chased : but, notwithstanding her care, she is frequently rob- T 2 148 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. bed of her young. Numbers of fawns are found out and taken alive by the peasants : and many more ar© worried by dogs, foxes, and other carnivorous animals. By these continual depredations, this beautiful crea- ture is daily becoming more scarce; and in many countries, where it once was common, the race is now wholly extinct. When about eight or nine months old, their horns begin to appear in the form of two knobs: the first year they are without antlers. They shed tlieir horns in the latter end of autumn, and renew them in the winter ; in which they differ from the Stag, whose horns fall off in the spring, and are renewed in sum- mer. The life of the Roe-buck seldom exceeds twelve or fifteen years. They are very delicate in the choice of their food, and require a large tract of country, suited to the wild- ness of their nature, which can never be thoroughly subdued. No arts can teach them to be familiar with their keeper, nor in any degree attached to him. They are easily terrified ; and in their attempts to escape, will run with such force against the walls of their in- closure, as sometimes to disable themselves : they are also subject to capricious fits of fierceness ; and, on these occasions, will strike furiously with their horns and feet at the object of their dislike. Some years ago, one of these animals, after being hunted out of Scotland, through Cumberland, and va- rious parts of the North of England, at last took re- fuge in the woody recesses bordering upon the banks of the Tyne, between Prudhoe Castle and Wylam. It HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 149 was repeatedly seen and hunted, but no dogs wera equal to its speed: it frequently crossed the river; and, either by swiftness or artifice, eluded all its pur- suers. It happened, during the rigour of a severe winter, that, being pursued, it crossed the river upon the ice with some difficulty ; and being much strained by its violent exertions, was taken alive. It was kept for some weeks in the house, and was then again turn- ed out ; but all its cunning and activity were gone ; it seemed to have forgotten the places of its former re- treat; and, after running some time, it laid down in the midst of a brook, where it was killed by the dogs. The flesh of the Roe-buck is fine and well-tasted : that of the male, after the age of two years, is hard ; the flesh of the females, though farther advanced in years, is more tender: when very young, it is loose and soft; but at the age of eighteen months, is in its highest state of perfection. In America, the Roe-buck is much more common than in Europe. In Louisiana, it is very large. The inhabitants live chiefly upon its flesh, which is good and well-flavoured. 150 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS, THE CAMEL (Camelus Bactrianus, Lin. — Le Chameau, BufF.) Possesses the various qualities of the Horse, the Cow, and the Sheep ; and is to the Arabian, in a great measure, what those useful creatures are to us. Its milk is rich and nourishing; and being mixed with water, makes a wholesome and refreshing beverage, much used by the Arabs in their journies : the flesh of young Camels is also an excellent and wholesome food. Their hair or fleece, which falls off" entirely in the spring, is superior to that of any other domestic ani- mal, and is made into very fine stuffs, for cloaths, co- verings, tents, and other furniture. Possessed of his Camel, the Arabian has nothing either to want or to fear : in one day, he can perform a journey of fifty leagues into the desert, where he is safe from every enemy; for, without the aid of this HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 151 useful animal, no person could pursue him amidst sandy deserts, where nothing presents itself to the eye but one uniform void, naked and solitary. The Arabian regards the Camel as the most preci- ous gift of Heaven ; by the assistance of which he is enabled to subsist in those frightful intervals of Nature, which serve him for an asylum, and secure his inde- pendence. But it is not to the plundering Arab alone that the services of this useful quadruped are confined : in Tur- key, Persia, Barbary, and Egypt, every article of mer- chandise is carried by Camels. Merchants and tra- vellers unite together, and form themselves into nu- merous bodies, called caravans, to prevent the insults of the Arabs. One of these caravans frequently consists of many thousands : the Camels are always more nu- merous than the men. Each Camel is loaded in pro- portion to its strength. At the command of their con- ductor, they lie down on their belly, with their legs folded under them, and in this posture receive their burdens. As soon as they are loaded, they rise of their own accord, and will not suffer any greater weight to be imposed upon them than they can bear with ease ; when overloaded, they set up the most pitious cries, till part of the burden be taken off. The common load of a Camel is from three to four hundred weight; and the medium of the expence of the con- veyance for each hundred appears to be about one far- thing per mile. The usual rate of travelling is three miles in the hour ; and the number of hours that are actually employed on the route, exclusive of those al- lotted to refreshment is seldom more than seven or eight in a day. Of the number of days which are con- 152 HISTOBY OF QUADBUPEDS. samed in a long journey, many are devoted to the purposes of occasional trade, recruiting the strength of the Camels, and procuring additional stores of pix>- visiona and water. A particular mode of easy con- veyance is provided for women and children, and for persons oppressed with infirmity or illness : six or eight Camels are yoked together in a row; and a number of tent poles are placed in parallel lines upon their backs : these are covered with carpets : and bags of corn are superadded to bring the floor to a level, as well as to soften the harshness of the Camel's movements : other carpets are then spread, and the travellers sit or lie down with the most perfect ease. The general food of the Camels is such only as their nightly pasture af- fords; and is frequently confined to the hard and thorny shrubs of the desert, where a sullen kind of vegetation is created by the rains of the winter, and sustained by the dew that descends in copious abun- dance through all the remainder of the year. But the peculiar and distinguishing characteristic of the Camel is, its faculty of abstaining from water for a greater length of time than any other animal; for which Nature has made a wonderful provision, in giving it, besides the four stomachs which it has in common with other ruminating animals, a fifth bag, serving as a re- servoir for water, where it remains without corrupting or mixing with the other aliments. When the Camel is pressed with thirst, and has occasion for water to macerate its food while ruminating, it makes part of it pass into its stomach, by a simple contraction of cer- tain muscles. By this singular structure, it can take a prodigious quantity of water at one draught, and is enabled to pass several days without drinking; Leo HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 153 Africanus says fifteen. Camels can discover water by their smell at half a league's distance; and, after a long abstinence, will hasten towards it, some time before their drivers perceive where it lies. The feet of the Camel are peculiarly adapted to the soil on which it treads. On moist or slippery ground he cannot well support himself; and his broad and tender feet are liable to be injured by the resistance of stones : but he is observed to tread with perfect ease and security on the dry and yielding sand ; and whilst, from its peculiar structure, his hoof is incapable of fastening with any degree of security on the ground of a steep ascent or shelving declivity, his movements on a smooth and level surface are singularly firm and safe. Many attempts have been made to introduce this serviceable animal into other countries; but, as yet, none have succeeded. The race seems to be confined to certain districts, where its utility has been known for ages. Though a native of warm climates, the Camel dreads those which are excessively hot : it can neither subsist in the burning heat of the torrid zone, nor in the mild- er air of the temperate. It seems to be an original native of Arabia; for in that country, it is not only more numerous, but thrives better than in any other part of the world. There are two varieties of this animal, which have been distinguished previous to all historical record : that which is called the Bactrian Camel has two hunch- es on its back, and is found chiefly in Turkey and the countries of the Levant : whilst the Arabian Camel has only one hunch. u 154 HISTORY OF QUADSUPEDS. THE ARABIAN CAMEL, OR DROMEDARY, ( Camelus DromedariuSf Lin, — Le Dromedaire, BufF.) Is common in Arabia and all Ihe northern parts of Africa, from the Mediterranean sea to the river Niger ; and is infinitely more numerous, and more generally diffused than the Camel : it is also much swifter, and is therefore chiefly employed on business which re- quires dispatch. In Arabia, they are trained for running matches ; and in many places for carrying couriers, who can go above a hundred miles a day on them, and that for nine or ten days together, over burning and uninha- bitable deserts. They require neither whip nor spur to quicken their pace, but go freely, if gently treated ; and are much enlivened by singing or the sound of the pipe, which gives them spirits to pursue their journey. They are mild and gentle at all times, except when they are in heat : at that period they are seized with a HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 155 sort of madness; they eat little, and will sometimes attempt to bite their masters ; so that it is not safe to approach them. The Camel arrives at its full strength at the age of six years, and lives forty or fifty. The females are not usually put to hard labour, but are allowed to pasture and breed at full liberty. Their time of gestation is nearly twelve months; and they generally bring forth one at a birth. THE LAMA (Camelus Glamay Lin. — Le Lamay BufF.) Is the Camel of Peru and Chili ; and before the con- quest of those countries by the Spaniards, was the only beast of burden known to the Indians. Its disposition is mild, gentle and tractable. Before the introduction of Mules, these animals were used by the natives to plough the land, and now serve to carry burdens. They march slowly, and seldom ac- complish journies of more than four or five leagues a day ; but what they want in speed is made up by per- severance and industry. They travel long journies in countries impassable to most other animals ; are very sure-footed ; and are much employed in transporting the rich ores, dug out of the mines of Potosi, over the rugged hills and narrow paths of the Andes : Bolivar remarks, that, in his time, three hundred thousand of them were constantly employed in this work. They lie down to be loaded, and, when weary, no blows can u 2 156 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. excite them to quicken their pace. They neither de- fend themselves with their feet nor their teeth. When angry, they have no other method of revenging inju- ries, but by spitting. They can throw out their saliva to the distance of ten paces ; and if it fall on the skin it raises an itching, accompanied with a slight inflam- mation. Their flesh is eaten, and said to be as good as mutton. Like the Camel, they have the faculty of abstaining long from water (sometimes four or five days) ; and, like that animal, their food is coarse and trifling. They are neither allowed corn nor hay ; green herbage, of which they eat very moderately, is sufficient for their nourishment. The wild Lamas, called Guanacos, are stronger and more active than the domestic kind. They live in herds, and inhabit the highest regions of the Corde- lieres. They run with great swiftness in places of diffi- cult access, where dogs cannot easily follow them. The most usual way of killing them is with the gun. They ai'e hunted for the sake of their flesh and their hair : of the latter the Indians make cloth. The Lama resembles the Camel in the form of its body, but is without the dorsal hunch : its head is small and well shaped : its neck long, and very protu- berant near its junction with the body: in its domestic state, its hair is short and smooth ; when wild, it is coarse and long, of a yellowish colour: a black line runs along the top of the back, from the head to the tail. The tame ones vary in colour : some of them are white, others black, others of a mixed colour — white, grey, and russet, dispersed in spots. Its tail is short HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 157 its ears are four inclies long : its feet are cloven, like those of the Ox, and are armed behind with a spur, by which the animal is enabled to support itself on rugged and difficult ground. The height of the Lama is about four feet ; and its length, from the neck to the tail, six feet. THE PACOS (Camelus Pacos, Lin — Le Paco, BufF.) Greatly resembles the Lama in figure, but is much smaller. Its body is covered with very fine long wool of the colour of dried roses, or a dull purple : the belly is white. They live in vast herds, and inhabit the most elevated parts of the highest mountains, where they endure the utmost rigour of frost and snow. They are exceedingly swift; and so timid, that it is very difficult to come near them. The manner of taking them is singular. The Indians tie cords, with small pieces of wool or cloth hanging from them, across the narrow passes of the mountains, about three or four feet from the ground : they then drive a herd of these animals towards them, and they are so terrified by the flutter of the rags, that they dare not pass, but huddle together, and suffer them- selves to be killed in great numbers. Their wool is a valuable article of commerce, and is made into gloves, stockings, bed-cloaths, carpets, &c. The Pacos is domesticated ; and, lik^ the Lama, is employed in carrying burdens, but cannot bear more 1«58 HISTOr.Y OF QUADRUPEDS. than from fifty to seventy-five pounds ; and is still more subject to capricious fits of obstinacy. When once they lie down with their load, no blows can provoke them to rise. The great advantages derived from the wool of these creatures, induced the Spaniards to attempt their in- troduction into Europe. Some of them were brought over to Spain ; but, by not sufficiently attending to the necessity of placing them in situations similar to those which they had always been accustomed to, the expe- riment proved unsuccessful. HISTORY OF QUADRUrEDS. 1^9 THE HOG KIND. Animals of the Hog kind seem to possess a middle nature, between those that live upon grass and euch as are carnivorous, and unite in themselves most of those distinctions which are peculiar to each class. Like the one, they will feed on animal substances, and do not ruminate ; like the other, they are cloven-hoofed, live chiefly on vegetables, and seldom seek after animal food, except when urged by necessity. The most numerous breed of Hogs in this island is that generally known by the name of the Berkshire PigSi now spread through almost every part of Eng- land, and some parts of Scotland. They are in gene- ral of a reddish brown colour, with black spots upon them ; have large ears hanging over their eyes ; are short-legged, small-boned, and are readily made fat. Some of these have been fed to an almost incredible size. Mr Culley, in his Treatise on Live Stock, gives an account of one that was killed at Congleton, in Cheshire, which measured, from the nose to the end of the tail, three yards eight inches ; in height it was four feet and a half; and weighed, after it was killed, eighty six stones eleven pounds avoirdupoise. The Hog species, though very numerous, and dif- fused over Europe, Asia, and Africa, did not exist in America, till transported thither by the Spaniards. In many places they have multiplied exceedingly, and be- come wild. They resemble the domestic Hog; but their bodies are shorter, and their snout and skin thicker. 160 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. ■»*v,5l, ^;;j^ THE WILD-BOAR, f Sus Aper, Lin. — Le Sanglier, BufF.) Which is the original of all the varieties to be found in this creature, is much smaller than those of the do- mestic kind, and does not, like them, vary in colour, but is uniformly of a brindled or dark grey, inclining to black. His snout is longer than that of the tame Hog ; and his ears are short, round, and black. He is armed with formidable tusks in each jaw, which serve him for the double purpose of annoying his ene- my, or procuring his food, which is chiefly roots and vegetables: some of these tusks are almost a foot lon- \y marked with dusky spots ; on its face there are black stripes, pointing downward toward the nose ; on each side of the upper lip it has three rows of small black spots, with long whiskers issuing from them ; each cheek is marked with long black stripes, of a circular form, proceeding from the corners of the eyes ; the under part of the body, and insides of the legs, are white ; the in- side of each fore leg is marked on the upper part with two black bars ; its tail, which is short, is marked with bars of a dusky colour, and at the end with one of a deep black ; the tip and under side are white. The Lynxes of our days must be very different ani- mals from those which have been described by poets as drawing the chariot of Bacchus ; for, besides the im- practicability of training these animals to the yoke, we find, that the Lynx is not an inhabitant of Lidia, nor of any of the warmer countries of Asia conquered by that hero. It prefers cold to even temperate climates, and is common in the forests of the northern parts of Europe, Asia, and America. The ancients seem to have given the name of Lynx to an animal which existed only in imagination, and may be ranked with their other ideal monsters and pro- digies — the Sphynx, the Pegasus, and the Unicorn. Its sight was said to penetrate the most opaque bodies, and its urine to be converted into a precious stone. S38 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE CARACAL (Le Caracal, Buff.) Resembles the Lynx in size, figure, and aspect, as well as in having its ears tipt with a pencil of black hairs. It differs from the last-mentioned animal in not being spotted ; its hair is rougher, and of a pale red- dish bi own ; its tail is longer, and of a uniform colour ; its face is more lengthened, its look more fierce, and its nature and disposition are more savage. This animal is found only in warm climates, and is common in Persia, India, Barbary, and in all the countries inhabited by the Lion, the Panther, and the Ounce. It is called in Persia the Syah-Gush ; and in the Turkish language, the Karrah-KulaJc. Both these names signify the Cat mth black ears. It is said to fol- low the Lion, and to feed on the remains which that HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS- ^39 animal leaves of his prey ; for which reason it is called among the Arabs the LiorHs Guide. The Caracal is about the height of a Fox, but much stronger, and more ferocious. It has been known to attack a Hound, and instantly to tear it to pieces. This animal is extremely difficult to tame ; but when taken young, and reared with great caution, it may be trained to the chace. It is used in taking the smaller sort of animals, in which it is very successful ; but it is active only in the pursuit of those that are too feeble for resistance, or too timid to exert their powers. Whenever it meets with one that is superior to it in strength, it loses its courage, and gives up the chace. It is likewise employed in catching birds ; such as cranes, pelicans, peacocks, &c. which it surprises with singular address. When it has seized its prey, it holds it fast in its mouth, and lies upon it for some time quite motionless. There are some varieties in this animal. The face of the Nubian Caracal is rounder ; the ears black on the outside, interspersed with silver-coloured hairs ; on the breast, belly, and insides of the thighs, there are small bright yellow spots ; and it has the Mule-cross on the withers like most of the Barbary Caracals. In Lybia, there are Caracals with white ears, tufted at the end with thin black hairs : they have white tails, the extremities of which are surrounded with four black rings ; and on the hind part of each leg there are four black spots. They are small, not exceeding the size of a domestic Cat. W^e have now gone through all the principal varie- ties which constitute this numerous race: in all of S40 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. ■which, as been already observed, from the Lion to the common Cat, we may perceive a striking similitude in disposition, form, and manners. This agreement is likewise observable in their internal conformation, which is still more exact, — in the shortness of their intestines, the sharpness and number of their teeth, and in the structure of their feet and claws. They are all equally carnivorous, and tear, rather than chew their meat. They eat slowly, and growl whilst they feed, as if afraid of losing their prey. They are all cowardly, and seldom make an attack but where con- quest is certain. Animals of this race may be considered as the most formidable enemies of mankind. There are others more powerful, but their dispositions are milder, and they seldom offend till they feel themselves injured : others are more numerous, but they are weaker, and find their safety, not in opposing, but in flying from man. These are the only quadrupeds that in any de- gree make good their ground against him, and main- tain a kind of divided sway over many fair and fertile tracts, that seem, in other respects, formed for the comfort and convenience of social life. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. ^41 ANIMALS OF THE WEASEL KIND. These little, active, and enterprising animals are particularly distinguished from other carnivorous kinds by the length and slenderness of their bodies, which are admirably adapted to their manner of living, and methods of taking their prey. They are so small and flexible, as to wind like worms into very small crevices and openings ; whither they easily follow the little ani- mals that serve them for food. All the animals of this kind are furnished with small glands, placed near the anus, from which an unctuous matter continually exudes : the effluvium of it is ex- tremely offensive in the Polecat, Ferret, Weasel, &c. ; but in the Civet Cat, Martin, and Pine Weasel, it is an agreeable perfume. They are all equally marked for rapine and cruelty ; they subsist only by theft, and find their chief protection in their minuteness. They are all, from the shortness of their legs, slow in pur- suit ; and make up that deficiency by patience, assidui-, ty and cunning. As their prey is precarious, they can live a long time without food. When they fall in with plenty, they im- mediately kill every thing within their reach, before they begin to satisfy their appetite; and always suck the blood of every animal they kill, before they eat its flesh. These are the principal peculiarities common to this kind ; all the species of which have so striking a resem- blance to each other, that having seen one, we may form a very just idea of the rest. The most obvious difference consists in their size. We shall therefore begin with the smallest of this numerous class, and pro- ceed gradually upwards to the largest. 242 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE WEASEL. (Mustela Nivalis, Lin. — La Belette, Buff.) The length of this animal does not exceed seven inches from the nose to the tail, which is only two inches and a half long, and ends in a point: its height is not above two inches and a half; so that it is nearly four times as long as it is high. The most prevailing colour of the Weasel is a pale reddish brown on the back, sides, and legs ; the throat and belly are white ; beneath the corners of the mouth, on each jaw, is a spot of brown. It has whiskers, like a Cat : its ears are large, and have a fold at the lower part, that gives them the appearance of being double ; its eyes are small, round, and black ; its teeth are thirty-two in number, and extremely sharp. The Weasel is very common, and well known in most parts of this country ; is very destructive to young birds, poultry, rabbits, &c. ; and is a keen devourer of eggs, which it sucks with great avidity. It will follow a Hare,* which is terrified into a state of absolute im- * They sometimes pursue the Hare in packs. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 243 becility at the sight of this little animal, and gives itself up to it without resistance, making at the same time the most piteous outcries. The bite of the Weasel is generally fatal. It seizes its prey near the head, and fixes its sharp teeth into a vital part. A Hare, Rabbit, or any other small ani- mal, bitten in this manner, is never known to recover ; but lingers for some time and dies. The wound is so small, that the place where the teeth enter can scarcely be perceived. It is remarkably active, and will run up the sides of a wall with such facility, that no place is secure from it. The Weasel is very useful to the farmer, and is much encouraged by him. During winter it frequents his barns, out-houses, and granaries ; which it effectually clears of Rats and Mice. It is, indeed, a more deadly enemy to them than even the Cat itself; for being more active and slender, it pursues them into their holes, and kills them after a short resistance. It creeps also into pigeon-holes, and destroys the young ones ; catches sparrows, and all kinds of small birds ; and when it nas brought forth its young, it hunts with still greater boldness and avidity. In summer, it ventures to a dis- tance from its usual haunts ; is frequently found by the side of waters, near corn-mills ; and is almost sure to follow wherever a swarm of Rats has taken possession of any place. The evening is the time when it begins its depreda- tions. Towards the close of the day it may frequently be seen stealing from its hole, and creeping about the farmer's yard in search of its prey. If it enter the place where poultry are kept, it seldom attacks the cocks or 2 H 2 ^4 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. the old hens, but always aims at the young ones. Is does not eat its prey on the spot where it has killed it ; but, when it is not too large, carries it away to its re- treat. It also breaks and sucks all the eggs it can meet with: and, not unfrequently, kills the hen that at- tempts to defend them. The Weasel is a wild and untractable little animal. When kept in a cage, it seems in a continual state of agitation, is terrified at the sight of every person that approaches to look at it, and hides itself in the wool or hay which is given to it for that purpose. It conveys all its food to its hiding-place, and will not touch it till it begin to putrefy. It passes the great- er part of the day in sleeping, and usually employs the night in hunting for its prey. The female brings forth in the spring, and generally produces four or five at one litter. She prepares a bed for them, of straw, leaves, and moss. The young are brought forth blind, but very soon acquire strength enough to follow their dam, and assist in her excur- sions. They will attack serpents, water-rats, moles, field-mice, &c. : they overrun the meadows, and fre- quently kill the partridges, and suck their eggs. The motion of the Weasel consists of unequal and precipitant leaps; and in climbing a tree, it makes a considerable spring of some feet from the ground. It jumps in the same manner upon its prey; and being extremely limber, evades the attempts of much stronger animals to seize it. We are told, that an eagle having seized a Weasel, mounted into the air with it, and was soon after ob- served to be in great distress. Its little enemy had ex- tricated itself so far, as to be able to bite it severely in HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 345 the throat ; which presently brought the Eagle to the ground, and gave the Weasel an opportunity of escap- ing. Notwithstanding the wildness of its nature, there are not wanting instances to prove, that it is capable of being thoroughly tamed. M. Buffon, who asserted the impossibility of bringing the Weasel into any degree of subjection, is afterwards corrected by a lady, who as- sures him, that she has tried the experiment upon a young Weasel taken in her garden ; which soon learn- ed to recognise and lick the hand from which it received its food, and became as familiar, caressing, and frolic- some as a Dog or a Squirrel. The same author men- tions another experiment, made by a gentleman, who trained a young Weasel so completely, that it followed him wherever he went. The method of taming them is to stroke them gently over the back ; and to threaten, and even to beat them, when they bite. These facts may serve to shew the possibility of ren- dering this animal, domestic ; and hold out a useful hint to us, that its services might be very great in clearing ships, granaries, and other places, from the vermin with which they are frequently infested : for it is very well known, that one of these animals will kill more rats and mice than any Cat, being better able to pursue them into their holes and lurking-places. The odour of the Weasel is very strong, especially in the summer time, or when it is irritated and pursued ; it is then intolerable, and may be smelt at some distance. The following circumstance, related by BufFon, will shew, that this animal has a natural attachment to every thing that is corrupt : — A Weasel was taken in his neighbourhood, with three young ones, out of the 246 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. carcase of a Wolf that had been hung on a tree by the hind feet. The Wolf was almost entirely putrefied ; and the Weasel had made a nest of leaves and herbage for her young in the thorax of the putrid carcase. THE STOAT. (Mustela Ermineay Lin. — Le Roselet, BuflP.) The difference in shape between this animal and the Weasel is so small, that they have frequently been de- scribed under the same denomination ; a small Stoat being sometimes mistaken for a Weasel. Its length is about ten inches ; the tail five inches and a half, very hairy, and tipt with black at the end; the edges of the ears, and ends of the toes, are of a yellowish white : in other respects, it perfectly resem- bles the Weasel in colour as well as form. In the most northern parts of Europe, it regularly changes its colour in winter, and becomes perfectly HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 247 white, except the end of the tail, which remains inva- riably black. It is then called the Ermine, and is much sought after for its valuable fur, which makes a consi- derable article of commerce in Norway, Lapland, Rus- sia, and other cold countries ; where it is found in pro- digious numbers. It is also very common in Kams- chatka and Siberia, and is taken in traps baited with flesh. The skins are sold in the country for from two to three pounds sterling per hundred. In Norway, they are either shot with blunt arrows, or taken in traps made of two flat stones, one being propped up with a stick, to which is fastened a baited string : and as soon as the animal begins to nibble, the stone falls down, and crushes it to death. The Stoat is likewise found white in the winter time in Great Britain, and is then erroneously called a White Weasel. Its fur, how- ever, among us, is of little value, having neither the thickness, the closeness, nor the pure whiteness, of those which come from Siberia. One of them, which we had in our possession, had entirely assumed its winter robe ; but with a consider- able mixture of yellow, especially on the top of the head and back. They begin to change from brown to white in No- vember, and resume their summer vesture in March. The natural history of this animal is much the same with that of the Weasel ; its food being young birds, rabbits, mice, &c. ; its agility the same ; and its scent equally fetid. 248 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. *«5B™,Vl)rtU, V nv\iTi *i .* ^•n THE FERRET (Mustela Furo, Lin — Le Furet, BufF.) Is known to us only in a kind of domestic state. It is originally a native of Africa ; from whence, according to Strabo, it was brought into Spain ; and from its known enmity to the Rabbit, was made use of to re- duce the numbers of them with which that kingdom abounded. It has since been employed for the same purpose in various parts of Europe ; but as it is not able to bear the severity of a cold climate, it cannot subsist without great care and shelter. It is usually kept in a box with wool ; of which it makes itself a warm bed. It sleeps a great part of the day ; and the moment it awakes seems eager for its food, which is commonly bread and milk. It breeds twice a year. The female goes six weeks with young. Some of them devour their offspring as soon as they are brought forth ; when they immediate- ly come in season again, and have three litters, which HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 249 generally consist of five or six, but sometimes seven or eight, and even nine. It is apt to degenerate in this country, and lose in some degree its ferocity. Warreners are therefore obliged to procure an intercourse between the female and the Foumart. The produce is a breed of a much darker colour than the Ferret, partaking more of that of the Foumart. The length of the Ferret is about fourteen inches; that of the tail five : its nose is sharper than that of the Weasel or the Foumart ; its ears are round ; and its eyes red and fiery : the colour of the whole body is u very pale yellow. This animal is naturally such an enemy to the Rab- bit, that if a dead Rabbit be laid before a young Ferret, it instantly seizes upon it, although it has never seen one before: if a living Rabbit be presented to it, the Ferret is still more eager, seizes it by the neck, winds itself round it, and continues to suck its blood till it be satiated. When employed in the business of the war- ren, it must be muzzled, that it may not kill the Rab- bits in their holes, but only oblige them to come out, that the warrener may catch them in his nets. If the Ferret be suffered to go in without a muzzle, or should disengage itself from it whilst in the hole, there is a great danger of losing it : for, after satisfying itself with blood, it falls asleep, and it is then almost impossible to come at it. The most usual methods of recovering the Ferret are, by digging it out, or smoking the hole. If these do not succeed, it continues during the sum- mer among the Rabbit holes, and lives upon the prey 2 1 250 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. it finds there ; but being unable to endure the cold of the winter, is sure to perish. It is sometimes employed with great success in killing - Rats, and is frequently kept in granaries and mills for that purpose. It is extremely vigilant in the pursuit of them, and will not suffer one to live where it is. A young Ferret, after it has seized a Rat, will suffer itself to be dragged by it a considerable way before it has killed it, which it never fails to do in a short time. If the Ferret could be kept warm enough at sea, it might be extremely serviceable in destroying the Rats, which frequently commit such great depredations on board of ships, and have sometimes been the occasion of their total loss. The Ferret, though easily tamed, is soon irritated. Its odour is fetid ; its natui'e voracious ; it is tame with- out attachment ; and such is its appetite for blood, that it has been known to attack and kill children in the cradle. When angry, it is apt to bite ; and the wound is difficult to cure. The Madagascar Weasel, or Vansire of M. BufFon, may be referred to this species ; to which its size and form are strikingly similar. It is about fourteen inches in length ; the hair is of a dark brown colour, mixed with black : it differs from the Ferret in the number of its grinding teeth, which amount to twelve; whereas in the Ferret there are but eight : the tail is longer than that of the Ferret, and better furnished with hair. The same author mentions another animal of this species under the name of the Nems, which is a native of Arabia. It resembles the Ferret in every thing but the colour, being of a dark brown, mixed with white ; HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 251 the belly is of a bright yellow colour, without any mix- ture ; the prevailing colour on the head and round the eyes is a clear yellow ; on the nose, cheeks, and other parts of the face where the hair is short, a tincture of brown more or less prevails, and terminates gradually aboye the eyes ; the legs are covered with short hair, of a deep yellow colour ; on each foot there are four toes, and a small one behind ; the claws are small and black ; the tail, which is more than double the length of that of the Ferret, is very thick at its origin, termi- nates in a point, and is covered with long hair, similar to that on the body. 2i 2 252 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS, THE FOUMART, (Musiela Putorius, Lin. — Le Putois, BufF.) So called from its offensive smell, as well as to distin- guish it from the Martin, to which it bears a strong resemblance. It is likewise called the Polecat or Fitchet. Its length is about seventeen inches, exclusive of the tail, which is six inches ; its eyes are small, very brilli- ant, and when the animal is irritated or afraid, shine in the dark with singular lustre ; its ears are short, broad, and tipt ^vith white on their edges ; it is white about the mouth ; the rest of the body is for the most part of a deep chocolate colour ; the sides are covered with hairs of two colours ; the ends being dark like the rest of the body, and the middle of a full tawny colour. The shape of the Foumart, like all others of this ge- nus, is long and slender, the nose sharp-pointed, and the legs short; the toes are long, and the claws sharp. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 25S It is in every respect admirably formed for that pecu- liar mode of life assigned to it by the all-wise Author of Nature. It is very active and nimble, runs very fast, and will creep up the sides of walls with great agility. In run- ning, its belly seems to touch the ground ; in preparing to jump, it arches its back, and makes its spring with great force. It is very destructive to poultry, pigeons, and young game of all kinds. It makes great havoc amongst Rabbits ; and its thirst for blood is so great, that it kills many more than it can eat. One or two of them will almost destroy a whole warren. It is never seen abroad in the day-time, unless forced from its hole ; and is seldom hunted but in the winter, being at that season easily found by tracing its footsteps in the snow. It generally resides in woods or thick brakes; where it burrows under ground, forming a shallow retreat about two yards in length, commonly ending among the roots of trees. In the winter season, it frequents houses, barns, &c. feeding on poultry, eggs, and sometimes milk. But it has another mode of procuring subsistence, which has hitherto escaped the observation of the naturalist ; and which, though singular, we can vouch for the truth of. During a severe storm, one of these animals was traced in the snow from the side of a rivulet to its hole, at some distance from it : as it was observed to have made frequent trips, and as other marks were to be seen in the snow which could not easily be accounted for, it was thought a matter worthy of great attention : its hole was accordingly examined, the Foumart taljjpn. 254 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. and eleven fine eels were discovered to be the fruits of its nocturnal excursions. The marks in the snow were found to have been made by the motion of the eels in the creature's mouth. From the above curious circumstance, we have given a representation of this animal (which was drawn from the life) in possession of this singular booty. It may be matter of amusing investigation for some future na- turalist, to enquire by what arts this wily animal ob- tains a booty so apparently difficult for it to lay hold of. In attending to the instinctive faculties of animals, there is room for deep and diligent enquiry ; and though our progress is liable to many interruptions, it is a de- lightful task to follow the workings of Nature through all her intricate and curious windings: every step we gain is a sufficient reward for our trouble, and leads us to admire the wisdom and goodness of that dispensa- tion which furnishes every creature with sufficient and ample powers to provide for all its wants, necessities, and comforts. The female Foumart brings forth in the summer, generally five or six at a time. She suckles them but a short time, and accustoms them early to live upon blood and eggs. Though the smell of this animal is rank and disa- greeable, even to a proverb, yet the skin is drest with the hair on, and used as other furs, without retaining its offensive odour. The Foumart is very fierce and bold. When attack- ed by a Dog, it will defend itself with great spirit, at- tack in its turn, and fasten upon the nose of its enemy with so keen a bite, as frequently to oblige him to desist. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 255 THE PINE- WEASEL, OR YELLOW- BREASTED MARTIN, (La Marte, BufF.) Inhabits the North of Europe, Asia, and America : it is likewise found in Great Britain, but is not numerous there. It lives chiefly in large forests, especially where the pine-tree abounds, of the tops of which it is very fond. North America abounds with these animals. Prodi- gious numbers of their skins are annually imported from thence : about thirty thousand skins have been brought over from Canada in one year, and from Hud- son's Bay nearly fifteen thousand in the same time. The principal difference between the Pine- Weasel and the Martin is in the colour. The breast of the former is yellow ; the colour of the body much darker ; and the fur, in general, greatly superior in fineness, beauty, and value. 256 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE MARTIN (Mustela Martes, Lin. — La Foidne, Buff.) Is much more common in this country than the Pine- Weasel. It lives wholly in woods, and breeds in the hollows of trees. It produces from four to six young ones at a time. This species is the most beautiful of all the Weasel kind. Its head is small, and elegantly formed ; its eyes are lively ; and its motions quick and graceful. When taken young, it is easily tamed, and becomes extremely playful and good-humoured. Its attachment, however, is not to be depended upon. It readily takes advantage of the first opportunity to regain its liberty, and retire to the woods, its natural haunts. The food of the Martin is much the same with other animals of its kind. It makes incessant war upon Rats, Mice, and other vermin : poultry, game, and small birds, are its constant prey : it feeds also on grain, and is extremely fond of honey. M. Buffon tells us of one of them that he had tamed, which he remarks, drank frequently. It sometimes slept two days successively, and at other times would continue awake as long. In preparing itself for sleep, it folded itself up in a round form, and covered its head with its tail. W^hen awake, its motions were so violent, so constant, and so troublesome, that it was necessary to keep it chained. From the flexibility of its body, it easily eluded its fetters ; arid, after returning once or twice, at last absented itself entirely. HISTORY OP QUADRUPEDS. 257 The Martin is about eighteen inches long ; the tail ten, and full of hair, especially towards the end, which is thick and bushy ; the ears are broad, rounded, and open, the body is covered with a thick fur, of a dark brown colour ; the head brown, mixed with red ; the throat and breast are white ; the belly is of the same colour with the back, but a little paler; the feet are broad, and covered on the under side with a thick fur ; the claws white, large, and sharp, well adapted for climbing trees, which in this country are its constant residence. The skin and excrements have an agreeable musky scent, and are entirely free from that rankness which is so disgusting in other animals of this kind. Its fur is valuable, and in high estimation. 2 K 258 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS, THE SABLE, (Mustela Zibellina, Lin. — -La Zibeline, BuflF.) So highly esteemed for its skin, is a native of the snowy regions of the North : it is found chiefly in Siberia, Kamschatka, and some of the islands which lie between that country and Japan. It is also found in Lapland. The darkest furs are the most valuable. A single skin, though not above four inches broad, is sometimes valued as high as fifteen pounds. The Sable differs from all other furs in this, that the hair turns with equal ease to either side. The Sable resembles the Martin in form, and is about the same size. It lives in holes in the earth, by the banks of rivers, and under the roots of trees. It makes its nest of moss, small twigs, and grass. The female brings forth in the spring, and produces from three to five at one time. Sometimes, like the Martin, it forms its nest in the hollow of a tree. It is very lively and active, and leaps with great agi- lity from tree to tree, in pursuit of small birds, wood- HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 259 cocks, squirrels, &c. It likewise lives upon rats, fishes, pine tops, and wild fruits. It is affirmed by naturalists, that the Sable is not a,verse to the water; and from the fineness and close- ness of its fur, there is great reason to suppose that it is much accustomed to that element, from which it also derives a part of its subsistence : and as a further proof that this animal is in some degree amphibious, we are told by travellers,* that it is very numerous in small islands, whither the hunters go in quest of them. It is mentioned by Aristotle as a water animal, and is de- scribed by him under the name of Satherntis. The hunting of the Sable is chiefly carried on by criminals confined to the desert regions of Siberia, or by soldiers sent thither for that purpose, who generally remain there several years. They are obliged to fur- nish a certain quantity of furs, and shoot with a single ball, to injure the skin as little as possible. They fre- quently take them in traps, or kill them with blunt arrows. As an encouragement to the hunters, they are allowed to share among themselves whatever skins they take above the allotted number ; and this in a few years, amounts to a considerable premium. The hunters form themselves into small troops, each of which is directed by a leader of their own chusing. The season of hunting is from November to Febru- ary ; for at that time the Sables are in the highest per- fection : those caught at any other time of the year are full of short hairs, and are sold at inferior prices. The best skins are such as have only long hair, which is al- * Avril's Travels, p. 140. 2 ]•: 2 ^0 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. ways black, and of a glossy brightness. Old furs do not retain their gloss. Both the Russians and Chinese have a method of dyeing their furs ; but the dyed Sa- bles are easily discovered, having neither the smooth- ness nor the brightness of the natural hair. The bellies of Sables, which are sold in pairs, are about two fingers in breadth, and are tied together in bundles of forty pieces, which are sold at from one to two pounds sterling. The tails are sold by the hun- dred, from four to eight pounds. There are instances of Sables being found of a snowy whiteness ; but they are rare, and bought only as curi- osities. The hunters of these animals are frequently obliged to endure the utmost extremity of cold and hunger in the pursuit of their booty. They penetrate deep into immense woods, where they have no other method of finding their way back but by marking the trees as they advance : if this should by any means fail them, they are inevitably lost. They sometimes trace the Sables on the new-fallen snow to their holes, place their nets at the entrance, and wait frequently two or three days before the animal comes out. It has happened by the failure of their provisions, that these poor wretches have been reduced to the necessity of tying thin boards tight to their stomachs to prevent the cravings of ap- petite. Such are the hardships our fellow-creatures undergo to supply the wants of the vain and luxuriant ! An animal, similar to the Sable, is mentioned by Mr Pennant under the name of the Fisher. It is found in North America ; and by the number of skins imported, must be very numerous there, nearly six hundred of HISTORY OP QUADRUPEDS. 261 them having been brought in one season from New York and Pennsylvania. The hair on the body is mostly black ; the sides brown ,• the ears are broad and round, dusky on their outsides, and edged with white ; the face and sides of the neck pale brown, mixed with black ; the feet are very broad, and covered with hair, even to their soles ; the tail is full and bushy ; the length, from nose to tail, is twenty-eight inches ; the tail seventeen. >->uuiiwn<«iniiTv ,,,,,sD.-i!i^m,iijgi;m|[,piu,ujlk,,^ THE ICHNEUMON. ( Viverra Ichneumon, Lin. — La Ma7igouste, BufF. ) This animal, in Egypt, is domestic, like the Cat; and is retained by the natives for the same useful pur- pose of clearing their houses of rats and mice. With all the strength and agility of the Cat, it has a more general appetite for carnage. It attacks without dread, the most deadly serpents, and preys on every noxious reptile of the torrid zone, which it seizes and kills with great avidity. It is said, that when it is wounded by a serpent, and begins to feel the effect of the poison, it 262 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. immediately has recourse to a certain root, which the Indians call after its name, and assert that it is an anti- dote for the bite of any venomous reptile. The Ichneumon is the most formidable enemy of the Crocodile : it destroys its eggs, which it digs out of the sand, where they are laid to hatch by the heat of the sun; and kills great numbers of young Crocodiles soon after their production, before they are able to reach the M^ater. It was for this reason that the ancient Egyptians worshipped this animal, and ranked the Ichneumon among those deities that were most propitious to them. In its domestic state, it is perfectly tame and gentle. M. d'Obsonville speaks of one which he reared from a young one. It became tamer than a Cat, was obedient to the call of its master, and followed him wherever he went. One day he brought a small water serpent alive, being desirous to know how far its instinct would carry it against a being with whom it was hitherto entirely unacquainted. Its first emotion seemed to be astonish- ment mixed with anger : its hair became erect ; in an instant it slipped behind thfe reptile ; and with remark- able swiftness and agility, leaped upon its head, seized it, and crushed it with its teeth. This first essay seem- ed to have awakened in it its natural appetite for blood, which till then had given way to the gentleness of its education : it no longer suffered the poultry, among which it was brought up, to pass unregarded; but took the first opportunity, M^hen it was alone, to strangle them : it eat a part of their flesh, and drank only the blood of others. These animals are numerous in all the southern re- gions of Asia, from Egypt to the island of Java : they HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 266 are also found in Africa, in the country about the Cape of Good Hope. They frequent the banks of rivers, are fond of fish, are said to take the water like an Otter, and will continue in it a considerable time with- out rising to take breath. The Ichneumon varies in size. The domestic kind is generally larger than those that are wild, and its co- lours more variegated. It is in general about the size of a common Cat ; somewhat longer in the body, and shorter in the legs. Its fur contains tints of white, brown, fawn-colour, and a dirty silver grey, which al- together form a mixture very agreeable to the eye. Its form is like that of the Polecat. Its eyes are small, but inflamed, and sparkle with a singular vivacity ; its nose is long and slender; its ears small, rounded, and al- most naked ; its tail is very thick at the base, and ta- pers to a point ; underneath the tail is an orifice, from which a most fetid humour is secreted ; its claws are long. It darts upon its prey like an arrow, and seizes it with inevitable certainty. It has a small soft voice, somewhat like a murmur ; and, unless struck or irritated, never exerts it. When it sleeps, it folds itself up like a ball, and is not easily awaked. It frequently sits up like a Squirrel, and feeds itself with its fore feet; catches any thing that is thrown to it ; and will oflen feign itself dead, till ftS prey come within its reach. 264 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE FOSSANE (La Fossane, BufF.) Is rather smaller than the Martin. Its body is slender, and covered with hair of an ash colour, mixed with tawny ; the sides of the face are black ; at the hind part of the head there are four black lines, extending from thence towards the shoulders ; the tail is long, and an- nulated with black; its eye is full, round and black, which gives it a wild and mischievous aspect. It inhabits the island of Madagascar, Guinea, Co- chin-China, and the Philippine isles. It feeds on flesh and fruits, but prefers the latter, and is peculiarly fond of bananas. It is very fierce and not easily tamed. In Guinea, it is called the Berbe ,- and by Europe- ans, the Wine-bibber, being very greedy of palm-wine. When young, its flesh is reckoned very good to eat. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. ^Q5 THE SKUNK. ( Viverra Putorius, Lin. — Le Conepatey Buff.) It is called the Chinche by the natives of Brazil, and is about the size of a common Cat. Its nose is long and slender, and extends a considerable way beyond the lower jaw : its ears are large, short, and rounded ; a white stripe extends from the nose over the forehead and along the back, where it is intersected with a small line of black, commencing at the tail, and extending upwards along the middle of the back; its belly and legs are black ; its hair is long, especially on the tail, which is thick and bushy. It inhabits Peru, Brazil, and other parts of South America ; and is likewise found in North America, as far as Canada. It is remarkable for a most intolerable, suifocating, fetid vapour, which it emits from behind, when attack- ed, pursued, or frightened. The stench of this efflu- vium is insupportable, and is the creature's best means of defence. 2 L ^66 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. There are three or four varieties, mentioned by M. Buffon under the name of the Stinking Polecats ,• all of which possess this wonderful faculty of annoying their enemies from the same quarter. Some turn their tail ta their pursuers, and emit a most horrible stench, which keeps both Dogs and men at a considerable distance. Others eject their urine to the distance of several feet ; and it is of so virulent a quality, as almost to occasion blindness, if any of it should happen to faW into the eyes. Clothes infected with it retain the smell for many days : no washing can make them sweet ; but they must be even buried in fresh soil before they can be thoroughly cleansed. Dogs that are not properly bred, turn back as soon as they feel the smell : those that have been accus- tomed to it, will kill the animal ; but are obliged to relieve themselves by thrusting their noses into the ground. The Stifling or Sqtcash, which is the second variety, is nearly of the same size as the Skunk. Its hair is long, and of a deep brown colour. It lives in holes and clefts of rocks, where the female brings forth her young. It is a native of Mexico, and feeds on beetles, worms, and small birds. It destroys poultry, of which it eats only the brains. When afraid, or irritated, it voids the same offensive kind of odour, which no crea- ture dares venture to approach. Professor Kalm was in danger of being suffocated by one that was pursued into a house where he slept; and it affected the cattle so much, that they bellowed through pain. Another, which was killed by a maid-servant in a cellar, so af- fected her with its stench, that she lay ill for several HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 267 days : all the provisions that were in the place were so tainted by the smell, as to be utterly unfit for use. Another variety is called the Conepate, and is, per- haps, no more than the female of the last-mentioned animal. It is somewhat smaller, and differs chiefly from the Squash in being marked with five parallel white lines, which run along its back and sides from head to tail. It is a native of North America. When attacked, it bristles up its hair, throws itself into a round form, and emits an odour v/hich no creature can support. The last of this pestiferous family which we shall mention is the Zo7'illa. This animal is a native of New Spain, where it is called the Mariputa. It is found on the banks of the river Oronoque; and although extremely beautiful, it is at the same time the most offensive of all creatures. Its body is beautifully marked with white stripes upon a black ground, running from the head to the middle of the back, from whence they are crossed with other white bands, which cover the lower part of the back and flanks : its tail is long and bushy, black as far as the middle, and white to its extremity. It is an active and mischievous little animal. Its stench is said to ex- tend to a considerable distance, and is so powerful as to overcome even the Panther of America, which is one of its greatest enemies. Notwithstanding this offensive quality in these ani- mals, they are frequently tamed, and will follow their master. They do not omit their odour, unless when beaten or irritated. They are frequently killed by the native Indians, who immediately cut away the noxious 2 L 2 268 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. glands; thereby preventing the flesh, which is good eating, from being infected. Its taste is said nearly to resemble the flavour of a young Pig. The savage In- dians make purses of their skins. THE GENET (Viverra Genetta, Lin. — La Geneite, BufF.) Is as much distinguished for the agreeable perfume which it yields, as those we have just described are for the rankest and most disagreeable odour in nature. The body of the Genet is longer than that of the Martin ; its head is long and slender, with a sharp muzzle ; its ears are a little pointed ; its hair soft, smooth, and shining; of a tawny red colour, spotted with black ; along the ridge of the back there is a kind of mane of long hair, which forms a black line from head to tail ; the spots on the sides are round and dis- tinct, those on the back almost close; its tail is long, and marked with seven or eijjht rinsfs of black. From an orifice beneath its tail, it yields a kind of perfume, which smells faintly of musk. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 269 It is found in Turkey, Syria, and Spain. We are told by Belon, that he saw Genets in the houses at Constantinople as tame as Cats; and that they were useful to the inhabitants in destroying Rats, Mice, and other vermin. It is a most beautiful, cleanly, and industrious ani- mal, and very active in pursuing its prey. Its nature is mild and gentle, its colours beautifully variegated, and its fur valuable. Upon the whole, it seems to be one of those animals that, with proper care and atten- tion, might become a useful addition to our stock of domestic quadrupeds. 270 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE CIVET fViverra Zibetha, Lin. — La Civette, BufF.) Is larger than the Genet, and yields a perfume in much greater quantities, and of a stronger quality. Though originally a native of the warm climates of Africa or Asia, it can live in temperate, and even in cold countries ; but it must be fed with nourishing diet, and carefully defended against the severities of the weather. Numbers of them are kept in Holland, for the pur- pose of collecting this valuable perfume. The Civet procured at Amsterdam is more esteemed than that which comes from the Levant, or India, being less adulterated. To collect this perfume, the Civet is put into a cage, so narrow, that it cannot turn itself: the cage is opened at one end, and the animal drawn back- wards by the tail, and securely held by its hind legs : a small spoon is then introduced into the pouch which contains the perfume, with which it is carefully scraped, and the matter put into a vessel properly secured. This operation is performed two or three times a week. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 271 The quantity of odorous humour depends much on the quality of the nourishment and the appetite of the animal, which always produces more in proportion to the goodness of its food. Boiled flesh, eggs, rice, small animals, birds, and particularly fish, are the kinds of food the Civet mostly delights in ; and these ought to be varied, so as to excite its appetite, and preserve its health. It requires very little water ; and, though it drinks seldom, it discharges its urine frequently. It is somewhat remarkable, that in this operation the male is not to be distinguished from the female. From this circumstance, it has been supposed that this was the Hyena of the ancients ; and it is certain, that most of the fables related concerning that monster, are in a certain way applicable to the Civet. The ancients were well acquainted with the pomatum of the Civet, and ascribed to it certain powers of ex- citing love ; for which purpose it still constitutes one of the luxuries of the East. What has been fabulously related concerning the uncertainty of sex in the Hyena, applies much more strongly to the Civet ; for in the male nothing appears externally but three apertures, so perfectly similar to those of the female, that it is impossible to distinguish the sex otherwise than by dissection. The perfume of this animal is so strong, that it in- fects every part of its body : the hair and the skin are so thoroughly penetrated with it, that they retain it long after being taken from the body. If a person be shut up in the same apartment, it is almost insupport- able; and when heated with rage, it becomes still more pungent. ^72 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The Civet is naturally savage, and somewhat feroci- ous ; yet it is easily tamed, so as to be handled without danger. The teeth are strong and sharp ; but its claws are weak. It is very active and nimble, leaps like a Cat, and runs with great swiftness. It lives by hunting; surprises small animals and birds ; and, like the Wea- sel, will sometimes steal into the yard, and carry off poultry. Its eyes shine in the dark ; and it is proba- ble, that it can see well enough to pursue its prey du- ring the night, and it is known to be most active at that time. The Civet is very prolific in its native climate ; but though it lives and produces its perfume in temperate regions, it is never known to breed there. Its voice is stronger than that of the Cat, and has some resem- blance to the cry of an enraged Dog. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 273 111 IIIIIJIIUII I ' THE ZIBET (Le Zibet, BufF.) Is so similar to the Civet, as to be considered by some authors as only a variety of that animal ; and it must be allowed that they have many essential relations, both in their external and internal structure ; but they differ from each other by such distinguishing charac- teristics, as entitle them to be regarded as two distinct species. The ears of the Zibet are larger and more erect; and its muzzle is thinner and flatter; its body is longer than that of the Civet ; and its tail, which is also longer, is marked with annular spots, like that of the Genet : it has no mane or long hair on the neck and spine ; and its hair is shorter and softer. The perfume of the Zibet is peculiarly violent and piercing, beyond that of either the Civet or the Genet. This odorous matter is found in a fissure near the or- gans of generation. It is a thick humour, of the con- sistence of pomatum ; and though very strong, is agree- able, even as it issues from the body of the animal. 2 M 274 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. This matter of the Zibet must not be confounded with musk, which is sanguineous humour, derived from st species of the Roe-buck, or Goat without Horns* ; and has nothing in common with the Zibet, but its strong perfume. THE SURICATE, OR FOUR-TOED WEASEL, Is rather less than the Rabbit : it pretty much resem- bles the Ichneumon, both in size and in the colour of its hair ; only it is rougher, and its tail is not quite so long. Its upper jaw is much longer than the lower, and very pliant and moveable. It has only four toes on each foot. One of them, in the possession of M. de Seve, was observed sometimes to walk on its hind legs, and fre- quently to sit upright, with its fore feet hanging down on its breast. The Suricate is carnivorous, and preys on small ani- mals. It is fond offish, and still more so of eggs. Like the Squirrel, it makes use of its fore paws to convey its victuals to its mouth. In drinking, it laps like a Dog; but will not drink water, except when it is warm. * See page 115. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 275 That kept by M. dc Seve was extremely playful and familiar, knew its own name, and would return at a call. What was remarkable, it seemed to have an aversion to particular persons, whom it would always bite on their approaching it : some people were so dis- agreeable to it, that even when restrained, it would make use of several artifices to come near enough to bite them ; and when it could not lay hold of their legs, would fly at their shoes or petticoats. When discon- tented, it made a noise like the barking of a whelp 5 and when pleased or caressed, would utter a sound like the shaking of a rattle. ^^W^^iB^5?^P^|^|5^^§^?^^^^^^^ THE RATEL, Described by Mr Pennant under the name of the Fizz- ler, is a native of the Cape of Good Hope. It lives chiefly upon honey, and is endowed with a wonderful faculty of discovering the secret retreats where the bees deposit their stores. About sun-set, the Ratel is par- ticularly attentive in watching the motions of these in- dustrious insects ; and having observed their route, it follows with great care the direction in which they fly. 2 M 2 27^> HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. It is frequently assisted in discovering its delicious booty by a bird called the Honey Guide, (cuculus indi- cator J which is extremely fond both of honey and the eggs of bees ,• and, in the pursuit of its food, excites the attention of the Ratel by a loud grating cry of cJierr, cheiT, clierr ; at the same time flying slowly on towards the place where the swarm of bees have taken up their abode. The Ratel follows the sound with great attention ; and having plundered the nest, leaves sufficient behind it as a reward for the services of its faithful guide. The Ratel is well adapted to this pur- pose, as the toughness and thickness of its skin effec- tually defend it from the stings of the bees. On this account, it is not easily killed ; for its skin is so loosely attached to its body, that when seized by a hound, it gives way, and the animal has an opportunity of turn- ing round, and biting its assailant, which it frequently does so severely, as to oblige him to desist. The Ratel, according to Mr Pennant, is two feet long from the nose to the tail, which is eight inches ; its legs are short; on each foot it has four toes, armed with long claws; those on the fore feet are above an inch long, and very sharp ; its tongue is rough ; it has no ear-laps; the orifice of the ear is wide, and sur- rounded by a callous rim ; a broad stripe, of an ash- colour, extends along the back from the forehead to the tail, which is separated from the black hair on the sides and belly by a light grey list running from be- hind each ear to the tail. It burrows in holes under ground, is said to be very fetid, and is called the Stinking Badger by M. de la Caille. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 277 THE COATI, OR BRAZILIAN WEASEL, ( Viverra Nasua^ Lin, — -Le Coati, BufF.) Has some resemblance to the Bear in the length of its hind legs, in the form of its feet, in the bushiness of its hair, and in the structure of its paws. It is small. Its tail is long, and variegated with different colours ; its upper jaw is much longer than the lower, and very pli- ant ; its ears are round ; its hair is smooth, soft, and glossy, of a bright bay colour; and its breast is whitish. Linnaeus describes one of them which he kept a con- siderable time, and in vain attempted to bring into subjection. It was very obstinate and capricious. It killed the poultry, tore off their heads, and sucked their blood. It defended itself with great force whenever any person attempted to lay hold of it contrary to its inclination, and it stuck flist to the legs of those with whom it was familiar, when it wanted to ransack their pockets, and carry off any thing that it found in them. 278 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. It had an extreme aversion to hog's bristles, and the smallest brush made it desist. Its mode of livins; was very singular: it slept from midnight to noon, kept awake the rest of the day, and uniformly walked about from six in the evening till midnight, without the least regard to the weather. This is probably the time as- signed by nature to this species of animals for procu- ring their food, which consists chiefly of young birds, eggs, and small animals. It inhabits Brazil and Guiana, runs up trees very nimbly, eats like a dog, and holds its food between its fore legs like the bear. The Coati stands with ease on its hind feet. It is said to gnaw its own tail, which it generally carries erect, and sweeps it about from side to side. HISTORY CF QUADRUPEDS. 279 THE RACCOON ( Ursus Lotor, Lin. — Le Raton, Buff.) Is very common in the warm regions of America. It is found also in the mountains of Jamaica ; from whence great numbers of them frequently descend into the plantations, and make sad havoc among the sugar- canes, of which they are particularly fond. The plant- ers consider these animals as their greatest enemies, as they frequently do infinite mischief in one night's ex- cursion. They have contrived various methods of de- stroying them, yet still they propagate in such num- bers, that neither traps nor fire-arms can extirpate them. The Raccoon is somewhat less than the Badger : its head resembles that of a Fox, but its ears are round and much shorter, and its upper jaw very pointed, and longer than the lower : its eyes, which are large, are surrounded with two broad patches of black : its body is thick and short, covered with long hair, black at the points and grey underneath ; its tail is long and bushy, 280 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS, and marked with alternate rings of black and white ; its feet and toes are black. The Raccoon is very active and nimble. Its claws, which are extremely sharp, enable it to climb trees with great facility. It moves forward chiefly by bounding ; and though it proceeds in an oblique direction, runs very swiftly. When tamed, it is good-natured and sportive ; but is almost constantly in motion, and as unlucky and inqui- sitive as a Monkey, examining every thing Avith its paws, which it makes use of as hands to lay hold of any thing that is given to it, and to carry its meat to its mouth. It sits up to eat, is extremely fond of sweet things and strong liquors, with which it will get exces- sively drunk. It has all the cunning of a Fox, is very destructive of poultry, but will eat all sorts of fruits, grain, and roots. It has a peculiar method of dipping every thing in water it intends to eat, and will seldom taste bread till it be well soaked. It opens oysters with astonishing dexterity, separates the shells, and leaves not a vestige of the fish. It does this without looking at the oyster, but places it under its hind paws, and with its fore feet, searches for the weakest part, where it fixes its claws, forces it open, and snatches out the fish. It likewise devours all kinds of insects, delights in hunting spiders, and when at liberty in a garden, will eat grasshoppers, snails, worms, &c. It is very cleanly, and always retires to obey the calls of Nature. It is familiar, and even caressing, leaps upon those it is fond of, plays sportively, and moves about with great agility. This animal is hunted for its skin, which is next in value to that of the Beaver for making hats. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 281 THE BADGER. % fUrsus MeleSy Lin. — Le Blaireau, ou Taison, Buff.) 'Although Nature has furnished this animal with formidable weapons of oifence, and has besides given it strength sufficient to use them with great effect, it is notwithstanding very harmless and inoffensive; and, unless attacked, employs them only for its support. The Badger retires to the most secret recesses, where it digs its hole, and forms its habitation under ground. Its food consists chiefly of roots, fruits, grass, insects, and frogs. It is charged with destroying Lambs and Rabbits, but there seems to be no other reason to consider it as a beast of prey, than the analo- gy between its teeth and those of carnivorous animals. Few creatures defend themselves better, or bite with greater keenness, than the Badger. On that account it is frequently baited with Dogs trained for the purpose. This inhuman diversion is chiefly confined to the idle and the vicious, who take a cruel pleasure in seeing this 2 N 282 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. harmless animal surrounded by its enemies, and de- fending itself from their attacks, which it does with astonishing agility and success. Its motions are so quick, that a Dog is frequently desperately wounded in the first moment of assault, and obliged to fly. The thickness of the Badger's skin, and the length and coarseness of its hair, are an excellent defence against the bites of the Dogs : its skin is so loose, as to resist the impressions of their teeth, and give the animal an opportunity of turning itself round, and wounding its adversaries in their tenderest parts. In this manner this singular creature is able to resist repeated attacks both of men and • dogs, from all quarters ; till, being overpowered with numbers, and enfeebled by many desperate wounds, it is at last obliged to submit. The Badger is an indolent animal, and sleeps much. It confines itself to its hole during the whole day, and feeds only in the night. It is so cleanly, as never to defile its habitation with its ordure. It breeds only once in a year, and brings forth four or five at a time. It is not known to exist in warm countries. It is an original native of the temperate climates of Europe; and is found, without any variety, in Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Britain, Poland, and Sweden, The usual length of the Badger is somewhat above two feet, exclusive of the tail, which is about six inches long ; its eyes are small, and are placed in a black stripe, which begins behind the ears, and runs tapering to- wards the nose; the throat and legs are black; the back, sides, and tail, are of a dirty grey, mixed with black ; the legs and feet are very short, strong, and thick ; each foot consists of five toes ; those on the fore HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 283 feet are armed with strong daws, well adapted for dig- ging its subterranean habitation. In walking, the Badger treads on its whole heel, like the Bear ; which brings its belly very near the ground. Immediately below the tail, between that and the anus, there is a narrow transverse orifice, whence a white substance, of a very fetid smell, constantly ex- udes. The skin, when dressed with the hair on, is used for pistol furniture. Its flesh is eaten : the hind quarters are sometimes made into hams, which, when cured, are not inferior in goodness, to the best bacon. The hairs are made into brushes, which are used by paint- ers to soften and harmonise their shades. 2 n2 284 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. Ihuui pmnmuiiiniuuiiiniiiiumiu iiini iuiiujii i nuniiiinmiii m miiiiiiiii iiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimn3| Uiniin.imm iHHuuBg B i iii THE SAND-BEAR. We have given the figure of this animal, drawn from one kept in the Tower ; of which we have not been able to obtain any further description, than its being some- what less than the Badger, almost without hair, ex- tremely sensible of cold, and burrows in the ground. From these circumstances, as well as from the striking similarity of its figure to that of the Badger, we are in- clined to think it is a variety of that animal, mentioned by naturalists under the name of the Sots:-Badgc7\ Its colour is a yellowish white: its eyes are small; and its head thicker than that of the common Badger: its legs are short ; and on each foot there are four toes, armed with sharp white claws. M. Brisson describes a white Badger, from New York, so similar to this, that we suspect it to be the same species. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 285 "''/////y THE WOLVERINE, OR GLUTTON. (Mustela Gulo, Lin. — Le Glutton, Buff.) This voracious animal is found in all the countries bordering on the Northern Ocean, both in Europe and Asia : it is likewise common in Canada, the country about Hudson's Bay, and other parts of North Ame- rica, where it is known by the name of the Carcajou. It has been variously described by naturalists. We have selected the account given by M. BufFon, which was taken from a living one in his possession. Its length, from the nose to the insertion of the tail, was two feet two inches; the tail eight inches long; the length of the fore legs was eleven inches, and the hind ones twelve ; it had five tees on each foot, armed with long sharp claws ; the middle claw of the fore foot was one inch and a half long; the muzzle, as far as the eye- brows, was black ; its eyes were small and black, and its ears short ; its breast and under jaw were spotted with white ; the back, legs, belly, and tail, were black. During its confinement, it did not discover symptoms 286 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. of great ferocity. It eat voraciously ; and after a full meal, covered itself in its cage with straw. It ate no bread, but would devour more than four pounds of flesh every day, which it swallowed greedily, almost without chewing. In a state of liberty, it is said to lead a life of conti- nual rapine. It lurks in the branches of trees, in order to surprise Deer and other animals that pass under them. It waits with great patience the arrival of its prey, and darts from its hiding-place with unerring certainty. In this manner it indiscriminately surprises the Horse, the Elk, the Stag, and the Rein-deer, and fixes itself between their shoulders with its teeth and claws. The wild Rein-deer, which are numerous both in Lapland and North- America, frequently fall victims to the Glutton. When seized by this blood-thirsty ani- mal, it is in vain that the wounded Deer endeavours to disengage itself from its enemy by rushing among the branches of the trees : no force can oblige it to quit its hold : it maintains its position, and continues to suck the blood of the flying animal till it falls down exhaust- ed with pain and fatigue. It then devours the carcase with insatiable voracity, and gorges itself with the flesh till it is almost in danger of bursting. In Kamschatka, the Glutton makes use of a singular stratagem for killing the Fallow-deer. *It climbs up a tree, taking with it a quantity of that species of moss of which the Deer is very fond. When one of them approaches the tree, the Glutton throws down the moss ; and if the Deer stop to eat it, the Glutton darts upon its back, and fixing itself firmly between its horns, HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. £87 tears out its eyes, and by that means secures its prey. It then divides the flesh of the Deer into a number of portions, which it conceals in the earth, to serve for future provision. The motions of the Glutton are slow. There are few quadrupeds that cannot escape from it, except the Beaver, which it frequently pursues and overtakes. In America, it is called the Beaver-eater. It sometimes lies in wait, and surprises those animals coming out of their burrows, or breaks into their habitations, and kills great numbers of them. The Glutton often defeats the labour of the hunts- men by stealing away the Sables and other animals that have been caught in their traps ; and it is some- times taken in the snares laid for them. When attacked, it makes a strong resistance. It will tear the stock from the gun with its teeth, or break the trap in pieces in which it is caught. Notwithstanding its fierceness, it is capable of being tamed, and of learning several entertaining tricks. It is hunted only for its skin, which is very valuable, of a most beautiful glossy black, which shines with a peculiar lustre, and reflects the light like damask silk. The skins are sold in Siberia at five or six shillings each, at Jakutsk at twelve, and still dearer in Kams- chatka. There the women dress their hair with its white paws, which they esteem a great ornament. The furs of this animal, from the North of Europe and Asia, are infinitely finer, blacker, and more glossy, than those of the American kind. 288 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE BROWN BEAR. (Vrsus Cauda abrupta, Lin. — L'Oicrs, BufF.) There are two principal varieties of the Bear, — the hroiion and the hlacTc. The former is found in almost every climate, the black Bear chiefly in the forests of the northern regions of Europe and America. The brown Bear is sometimes carnivorous ; but its general food is roots, fruits, and vegetables. It is a savage and solitary animal, lives in desert and unfrequented places, and chuses its den in the most dangerous and inaccessible precipices of unfrequented mountains. It retires alone to its den about the end of autumn, (at which time it is exceedingly fat) and lives for several weeks in a state of total inactivity and absti- nence from food. During this time, the female brings forth her young, and suckles them. She chuses her re- treat for that purpose, in the most retired places, apart from the male, lest he should devour them. She makes HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 289 a warm bed for her young, and attends them with un- remitting care during four months, and in all that time scarcely allows herself any nourishment. She brings forth two, and sometimes three young at a time. The cubs are round and shapeless, with pointed muzzles ; but they are not licked into form by the female, as Pli- ny and other ancient naturalists supposed. At first they do not exceed eight inches in length. They are blind during the first four weeks, are of a pale yellow colour, and have scarcely any resemblance of the crea- ture when arrived at maturity. The time of gestation in these animals is about six months, and they bring forth in the beginning of January. In the spring, the old Bears, attended by their young, come out from their retreats, lean, and almost famished by their long confinement. They then ransack every quarter in search of food. They frequently climb trees, and devour the fruit in great quantities, particularly the date-plum tree, of which they are exceedingly fond. They ascend these trees with surprising agility, keep themselves firm on the branches with the hinder paws, and with the other collect the fruit. The Bear is remarkably fond of honey, which it will encounter great difficulties to obtain, and seeks for with great cunning and avidity. It enjoys, in a superior degree, the senses of hearing, smelling, and touching. Its ears are short and round- ed; and its eyes small, but lively and penetrating, and defended by a nictating membrane : from the peculiar formation of the internal parts of its nose, its sense of smelling is exceedingly exquisite : the legs and thiglis are strong and muscular : it has five toes on each foot, 2 o 290 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS, and uses its fore feet as hands, although the toes are not separated as in most animals that do so ; the largest finger is on the outside. The voice of the Bear is a deep and surly kind of growl, which it frequently exerts without the least cause. It is very easily irritated, and at that time its resentment is furious, and often capriciously exerted. When tamed, it appears mild and obedient to its master; but is not to be trusted without the utmost caution. It may be taught to walk upright, to dance, to lay hold of a pole with its paws, and perform various tricks to entertain the multitude, who are highly pleased to see the awkward movements of this rugged creature, which it seems to suit to the sound of an instrument, or to the voice of its leader. But to give the Bear this kind of education, it must be taken when young, and accustomed early to restraint and discipline : an old Bear will suffer neither, without discovering the most furious resentment : neither the voice nor the menaces of his keeper have any effect upon him; he equally growls at the hand that is held out to feed, as at that which is raised to correct him. The excessive cruelties practised upon this poor ani- mal, in teaching it to walk erect, and regulate its mo- tions to the sound of the flagelet, are such as make sensibility shudder. Its eyes are put out, and an iron ring being put through the cartilage of the nose to lead it by, it is kept from food, and beaten, till it yield obe- dience to the will of its savage tutors. Some of them are taught to perform by setting their feet upon hot iron plates, and then playing to them whilst in this un-» easy situation. It is truly shocking to every feeling HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 2Q1 mind to reflect, that such cruelties should be exercised upon any part of the brute creation by our fellow men. That they should be rewarded by numbers of unthink- ing people, who crowd around them to see the animal's rude attempts to imitate human actions, is not to be wondered at: but it is much to be wished, that the timely interference of the magistrate would prevent every exhibition of this kind, that, in Britain, at least, we might not be reproached with tolerating practices so disgraceful to humanity. One of these animals presented to the Prince of Wales, a few years ago, was kept in the Tower. By the carelessness of the servant, the door of his den was left open ; and the keeper's wife happening to go across the court at the same time, the animal flew out, seized the woman, threw her down, and fastened upon her neck, which he bit, and, without offering any fur- ther violence, lay upon her, sucking the blood out of the wound. Resistance was in vain, as it only served to irritate the brute ; and she must inevitably have pe- rished, had not her husband luckily discovered her situation. By a sudden blow, he obliged the Bear to quit his hold, and retire to his den, which he did with great reluctance, and not without making a second at- tempt to come at the woman, who was almost dead through fear and loss of blood. It is somewhat re- markable, that whenever it happened to see her after- wards, it growled, and made most violent struggles to get out to her. The Prince, upon hearing of the cir- cumstance, ordered the Bear to be killed. The flesh of the young Bear is reckoned a great de- licacy ; and the paws of an old one are esteemed a most 2 o 2 292 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. exquisite morsel. The fat is white, and very sweet; and the oil is said to be of great use in softening swell- ings proceeding from sprains. Great numbers are killed annually in America for the sake of their skins, which form a considerable arti- cle of commerce. The Bear was once an inhabitant of this island, and was included in the ancient laws and regulations re- specting beasts of chase. Long after their extirpation, they were imported for the cruel purpose of baiting them, which at that time was a favourite amusement of our ancestors. We find it, in Queen Elizabeth's days, among the various entertainments prepared for her Majesty on her visit at Kenilworth. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 293 S^S We have here given a faithful representation, drawn from the life, of an animal which has hitherto escaped the observation of naturalists. Its features and leading characters seem to be so strong, as to leave no room for doubt with respect to its rank in the animal crea- tion : and from the striking correspondence of parts observable between it and the common Bear, we are induced to dispose of them in the same class. We are the more confirmed in this opinion, from an attentive examination of its disposition and manners ; notwith- standing it seems to differ in some of those character- istics which have been pointed out by naturalists as the guides to a regular and systematic arrangement. Its body is covered with a long, rough, and shaggy coat of hair, which gives it, when lying down, the ap- pearance of a rude and shapeless mass ; on the top of its back, the hair, which is twelve inches long, rises €94 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. up like a hunch, separates in the middle, and falls down in different directions; its head is large, very broad at the forehead, and is the only part on which the hair is short; its snout is long, and ends in a thin, broad cartilage, overhanging the nostrils about an inch and a half; its lips are thin and very long, and seem to be furnished with muscles, by which the animal can protrude them in a most singular manner, which it never fails to do when its attention is directed to any particular object, or when food is held out to it; its eyes are small, black, and heavy, and its aspect lour- ing; its ears and tail are short, and hid in the hair; its legs and thighs are remarkably thick and strong; it treads on its heel like a Bear, and its toes are not divided ; it has five long crooked white claws on each foot, which it uses with great dexterity, either sepa- rately or together, like fingers, to break its food into smaller portions, or to convey it to its mouth. Its co- lour is a deep, shining black ; excepting the snout and a spot above each eye, which are of a yellowish white colour; there is likewise a crescent of white underneath the throat : it has no cutting teeth, but two very strong canine teeth, and six grinders, in each jaw. It appears to be a gentle, good-natured animal ; but when irritated or disturbed, utters a short abrupt roar, like a Bear, ending in a whining tone, expressive of impatience. It feeds on bread, fruit, and nuts ; is fond of honey ; and will eat marrow, or the fat of meat, either raw or dressed ; but refuses roots of all kinds, and the lean or muscuJar parts of flesh. This rare animal is said to have been brought from the interior parts of Bengal ; and that it burrows in the ground. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 295 THE POLAR OR GREAT WHITE BEAR fUrsus AlbuSf Lin. — UOurs Blanc, BufF.) Differs greatly from the common Bear in the length of its head and neck, and grows to above twice the size. Some of them are thirteen feet long. Its limbs are of great size and strength ; its hair long, harsh and disa- greeable to the touch, and of a yellowish white colour ; its ears are short and round ; and its teeth large. It inhabits only the coldest parts of the globe, and has been found above latitude 80, as far as navigators have penetrated northwards. These inhospitable re- gions seem adapted to its sullen nature. 296 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. " There the shapeless Bear, " With dangling ice all horrid, stalks forlorn : " Slow pac'd, and sourer as the storms increase, " He makes his bed beneath th' inclement drift ; " And, with stern patience, scorning weak complaint, " Hardens his heart against assailing want." It has seldom been seen farther south than New- foundland, but abounds chiefly on the shores of Hud- son's Bay, Greenland, and Spitzbergen on one side, and those of Nova-Zembla on the other. It has been sometimes found in the intermediate countries of Nor- way and Iceland ; but such as have appeared in those parts have always been driven thither upon floating sheets of ice; so that those countries are only acquaint- ed with them by accident. During summer, they take up their residence on large islands of ice, and frequently pass fi'om one to another. They swim well, and can go to the distance of six or seven leagues ; they likewise dive, but do not continue long under water. When the pieces of ice are detached by strong winds or currents, the Bears allow themselves to be carried along with them ; and as they cannot regain the land, or abandon the ice on which they are embarked, they often perish in the open sea. Those which arrive with the ice on the coasts of Iceland and Norway, are almost famished with hunger from the length of their voyage, and are extremely voracious. As soon as the natives discover one of them, they arm themselves, and presently dis- patch him. The ferocity of the Bear is as remarkable as its at- tachment to its young. A few years since, the crew of HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. §97 » boat belonging to a ship in the whale fishery, shot at a Bear at a short distance, and wounded it. The ani- mal immediately set up the most dreadful yells, and ran along the ice towards the boat. Before it reached it, a second shot was fired, and hit it. This served to increase its fury. It presently swam to the boat ; and in attempting to get on board, reached its fore foot upon the gunwale ; but one of the crew having a hat- chet, cut it off. The animal still, however, continued to swim after them till they arrived at the ship ; and seve- ral shots were fired at it, which also took eifect : but on reaching the ship, it immediately ascended the deck; and the crew having fled into the shi'ouds, it was pursuing them thither, when a shot from one of them laid it dead upon the deck. Its flesh is white, and is said to taste like mutton. The fat is melted for train oil ; and that of the feet is used in medicine. The White Bear brings forth two young at a time. Their fondness for their offspring is so great that they will die rather than desert them : wounds serve only to make the attachment more violent : they embrace their cubs to the last, and bemoan them with the most pite- ous cries. They feed on fish, seals, and the carcases of whales. Allured by the scent of seal's flesh, they often break into the huts of the Greenlanders. They sometimes attack the morse, with which they have terrible con- flicts ; but the large teeth of that animal give it a de- cided superiority over the Bear, which is generally worstecL 2 p 298 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE STRIPED HYENA. (Canis Hycena, Lin. — UHycene, BufF.) Although naturalists, both ancient and modern, have described the Hyena under different denomina- tions, and have ascribed to it properties which it is now known not to possess, yet its characters are so singular, that it is impossible to mistake them, and so peculiar, as to distinguish it from every other class of animals. In many respects it resembles those of the Dog kind, has some similitude to the Wolf in form and disposition, and is about the same size. The Hyena has only four toes on each foot; its head is broad and flat, and its muzzle shorter than that of the Wolf; its fore legs are longer than the hind ones ; its ears are long, pointed, and bare; and its eyes are remarkably wild, sullen, and ferocious. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 299 There are two varieties, — the one striped, and the other spotted. The hair of the former is of an ash co- lour, marked with long black stripes, disposed in waves, from the back downward ; there are others across the legs ; the hair in general is coarse and rough ; its tail is short and bushy, with pretty long hair, sometimes plain, and sometimes barred with black ; immediately under- neath the tail, and above the anus, there is an orifice like that of the Badger, which opens into a kind of pouch, and contains a substance of the consistence of civet, but of a rank, disagreeable odour. This open- ing may probably have given rise to the error of the ancients, who asserted, that the Hyena was every al- ternate year male and female. Its manner of holding its head is somewhat like a Dog pursuing a scent with its nose near the ground. This position of the head makes the shoulders appear more elevated. A bristly mane runs along the top of the back from head to tail, which gives it an appearance somewhat like a Hog; from which probably it may have derived its name ; the word Jiuaina being a Greek word derived from hus, which signifies a Sow. Such are the most striking distinc- tions of the Hyena, which has been pictured by igno- rance and timidity under every form that can strike ter- ror into the imagination. Wonderful powers were ascribed to it by the ancients; who believed that it changed its sex ; that it imitated the human voice, and by that means attracted unwary travellers, and destroy- ed them ; that it had the power of charming the shep- herds, and as it were riveting them to the place where they stood. Many other things, equally absurd, have been told of this animal : but these are sufficient to 2 p 2 SOO HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. shew, that objects of terror and superstition are nearly allied; and when once they have taken possession of the human mind, the most improbable stories are easily received and credited. It resides in the caverns of mountains, in the clefts of rocks, or in holes and dens, which it digs in the earth. Its disposition is extremely ferocious ; and though taken young, it never can be tamed. It lives by depredations, like the Wolf, but is stronger, and more daring and rapacious. It follows the flocks, ra- vages the sheepfold, and destroys every thing within its reach with the most insatiable voracity. Its eyes shine in the dark ; and it is asserted, with some ap- pearance of probability, that it can see nearly as well by night as by day. When destitute of other provi- sions, it ransacks the graves, and devours putrid hu- man bodies that have been long buried. The voice of the Hyena is very peculiar : its begin- ning seems to be somewhat like the moaning of a hu- man voice, and the ending like one making a violent effort to vomit. It inhabits Asiatic Turkey, Syria, Persia, and Bar- bary. The superstitious Arabs, when they kill one of them, carefully bury the head, lest it should be applied to magical purposes. The courage of the Hyena is equal to its rapacity. It will defend itself with great obstinacy against much larger quadrupeds : it is not afraid of the Lion nor the Panther, will sometimes attack the Ounce, and seldom fails to conquer. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 301 THE SPOTTED HYENA Is called, at the Cape of Good Hope, the Tiger- Wolf, and is very common in that part of the world. Sparr- man describes it as a cruel, mischievous, and formida- ble animal. Its horrid yells are to be heard every night, whilst it prowls about for its prey, and lurks near farm yards, where cattle are kept. These are well defended by Dogs, of which the Hyena, though larger and stronger, is much afraid ; and will not ven- ture an attack, unless pressed by the most urgent ne- cessity : neither will it dare to seize upon any of the larger animals, such as Oxen, Cows, Horses, &c. whilst they make the least appearance of defending themselves, or even if they do not betray any symp- toms of fear. It sometimes endeavours to disperse the cattle by its hideous roaring ; after which it selects and pursues one of them, which it soon disables by a dead- ly bite, and then devours. 309. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. These animals were formerly so bold as to molest the Hottentots in their huts, and sometimes carry off their children ; but since the introduction of fire-arms, these and other wild beasts keep at a greater distance from the habitations of mankind. It is a fact, however, that numbers of them attend almost every night about the shambles at the Cape, where they meet with bones, skin, and other offals, which are left there by the in- habitants, who suffer these animals to come unmolest- ed, and carry off their refuse ; and it is somewhat re- markable that they have seldom been known to do any mischief there, though fed in the very heart of the town. The bowlings of the Hyena are dreadful beyond all conception, and spread a general alarm : they are almost incessant, and seem to be the natural consequence of its craving appetite. Perhaps it may not be going too far to say, that Nature has kindly impressed this invo- luntary disposition to yelling upon this animal, that every living creature may be upon its guard, and se- cure itself from the attacks of so cruel an enemy. The general colour is a reddish brown, marked with roundish dark spots; the hind legs, in some, with trans- verse black bars, — in others with spots ; its head is large and flat ; above each eye, as well as on the lips, it has whiskers ; a short shagged kind of mane runs along from the middle of the back to its head, the hair pointing forward ; its ears are short and rounded ; the hair on its face and the upper part of its head is short ; the skin on its brow is wrinkled. Our figure was drawn from a male Hyena exhibited in Newcastle in the spring and summer of 1 799. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 303 THE FOX. (Cams VulpeSf Lin. — Le Renard, Buff.) This lively and crafty animal is common to every part of Great Britain, and is so well known as not to require a particular description. M. BufFon has taken great pains to prove, that the Dog and the Fox will not breed together. For this purpose he kept two males and a female for a consi- derable time, and tried to make the males copulate with bitches, which they uniformly refused ; and from thence he concludes, that no mixture can take place between the two species. But it should be remembered, that the Foxes were in a state of confinement; and of course, many circumstances might concur to disgust them, and render the experiment abortive. In confirmation of this, we need only observe, that the same Foxes, which, when at liberty, darted on the poultry with their usual eagerness, never attempted to touch a sin- gle fowl after they were chained : and we are told fur- ther, *' that a living hen was generally fixed near them for a whole night; and though food was kept from them for many hours, yet, in spite of hunger and op- portunity, they never forgot that they were chained, and disturbed not the hen." Now if any one should be so hardy as to assert from this, that Foxes have a natural aversion to poultry, one may easily conceive how little credit would be given to the conclusion, and how much laughter it would excite. We just mention this to shew, that experiments of this kind, where Na- ture is thwarted in her process, or restrained in any of 304" HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. her operations, are not always to be depended upon. That the Fox and the Dog will breed together, is a fact too well known in several parts of the North of England, to admit of the smallest doubt. It is a com- mon practice in many places to tie up a bitch that is in season, where she may be visited by a Fox, and be impregnated by him. The fruits of the connexion are sufficiently obvious : most, if not all the puppies, have a strong resemblance to the Fox : the sharp nose, prick €ars, long body, and short legs of the Fox, evidently point out their origin. These Dogs are highly esteem- ed by farmers and graziers, as the most useful kind for driving cattle ; they bite keenly, are extremely active and playful, and are very expert at destroying Wea- sels, Rats, and other vermin. The Fox sleeps much during the day ; but the night is its season of activity, and the time when it roams about in search of prey. It will eat flesh of any kind, but prefers that of Hares, Rabbits, poultry, and all kinds of birds. Those that reside near the sea-coast will, for want of other food, eat crabs, shrimps, mus- cles, and other shell-fish. In France and Italy, the Fox does great damage among the vineyards, by feeding on the grapes, of which it is extremely fond. It boldly attacks the wild bees, and frequently robs them of their stores ; but not with impunity : the whole swarm flies out, and fastens upon the invader ; but he retires only for a few mi- nutes, and rids himself of the bees by rolling upon the ground; by which means he crushes such as stick to him, and then returns to his charge, and devours both wax and honey. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 505 The cunning of the Fox, in surprising and securing its prey, is equally remarkable. When it has acquired more than it can devour, its first care is to secure what it has killed, which is generally all within its reach. It digs holes in different places, where it conceals its booty, by carefully covering it with earth to prevent a discovery. If a flock of poultry have unfortunately fallen victims to its stratagems, it will bring them, one by one, to these hiding places, where it leaves them till hunger demands fresh supplies. The chase of the Fox is a very favourite diversion in this kingdom, and is no where pursued with such ar- dour and intrepidity. Both our Dogs and Horses are confessedly superior to those of any other country. The instant the Fox finds he is pursued, he flies to- wards his hole ; and finding it stopped, which is always carefully done before the chase begins, he has recourse to his speed and his cunning for safety. He does not double and measure his ground back like the Hare, but continues his course straio-ht forward before the Hounds, with great strength and perseverance. Both Dogs and Horses, particularly the latter, have fre- quently fallen victims to the ardour of the pursuit, which has sometimes continued for upwards of fifty miles without the smallest intermission, and almost at full speed.* As the scent of the Fox is very strong, • Mr Chahles Turner's Hounds hunted at Ayreyholra, near Hurworth, in the county of Durham, and found the noted old Fox CjESAR, which made an extraordinary chase. After a round of four miles, he led to Smeaton, through Hornby and Appleton ; then back again to Hornby, Worset-moor, Piersburgh, Lympton, Craythom, Middleton, Hilton, Seamer, Newby, Marton, Ormsby ; then upon 22 306 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. the Dogs follow with great alacrity and eagerness, and have been known to keep up a constant chase for eight or ten hours together; and it is hard to say, whether the spirited eagerness of the Hounds, the ardour of the Horses, or the enthusiasm of the Hunters, is most to be admired. The Fox is the only one of the party which has the plea of necessity on his side: and it ope- rates so strongly, that he often escapes the utmost ef- forts of his pursuers, and returns to his hole in safety. The smell of his urine is so offensive to the Dogs, that it sometimes proves the means of his escape from them. When all his shifts have failed him, and he is at last overtaken, he then defends himself with great obstina- cy, and fights in silence till he is torn in pieces by the Dogs. There are three varieties of Foxes in this island, which differ from each other more in form than in co- lour. Hambleton, through Kirkleatham-park, Upleatham, Skelton and Kelton. Mr Turner tired three Horses : and onl}' three Hounds were in pursuit, when he thought proper to call them off, it being »ear five in the evening. The cliase was upwards of fifty nailes. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 307 THE GREYHOUND FOX Is the largest, and is chiefly found in the mountainous parts of England and Scotland : he is likewise the bold- est, and will attack a well-grown Sheep. His ears are long and erect, and his aspect wild. THE MASTIFF FOX Is rather less ; but his limbs are more strongly formed. f q2 SOS HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS, THE CUR FOX Is the least, but the most common, and approaches nearest to the habitations of mankind. It lurks about the out-houses of the farmer, and carries off all the poultry' within its reach. It is remarkably playful and familiar when tamed ; but, like all wild animals half reclaimed, will, on the least oifence, bite those it is most familiar with. The eye of the Fox is of a lively hazel colour, very significant and expressive; and discovers very sensibly the different emotions of love, fear, or anger, by which it may be affected. The Fox seems greatly to admire its bushy tail, and frequently amuses itself by endeavouring to catch it as it runs round. In cold weather, when it lies down, it folds it about its head. The Fox sleeps soundly; and like the Dog, lies in a round form. When he is only reposing himself, he stretches out his hind legs, and lies on his belly. In this position, he spies the birds as they alight on the HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 309 hedges or places near him, and is ready to spring up- on such as are within his reach. He rarely lies ex- posed, but chuses the cover of some thick brake, where he is pretty secure from being surprised. Crows, Mag- pies, and other birds, which consider the Fox as a common enemy, will often give notice of his retreat by the most clamorous notes, and frequently follow him a considerable way from tree to tree, repeating their out- cries. Foxes produce but once a year, from three to six young ones at a time. When the female is pregnant she retires, and seldom goes out of her hole, where she prepares a bed for her young. She comes in season in the winter ; and young Foxes are found in the month of April. If she perceive that her habitation is disco- vered, she carries them off, one by one, to a more se- cure retreat. The young are brought forth blind, like puppies. They grow eighteen months or two years, and live thirteen or fourteen years. The Fox is frequently taken in traps ; but great cau- tion must be used to deceive this wily animal. The trap must be placed in the midst of a field, where there is neither hedge nor path near it, and so nicely cover- ed with mould, that not the least vestige can be seen where it lies : about the trap, and at a small distance from it, in different places, a few pieces of cheese, or other strongly-scented food, must be carelessly scatter- ed : then with a sheep's paunch, or some other animal substance, a trail is made, of about a mile in length, to the different places where the bait is laid, and from thence to the trap : the shoes of the person who carries the trail must be likewise well rubbed with the paunch. 310 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. that the Fox may not discover his scent. He then ap- proaches with more confidence, and if the design be well conducted, seldom fails of being cauffht. There are many varieties of this animal, apparently produced by the influence of climate. Those of this country are mostly of a tawny red, mixed with ash colour ; the fore part of the legs is black, and the tail tipt with white. In colder countries, Foxes are of va- rious colours. THE BLACK FOX Is most valuable for its fur, which is esteemed in Rus- sia superior to that of the finest sable. A single skin will sell for four hundred rubles. THE CROSS FOX (Le Renard Croise, BuflP.) Inhabits the coldest parts of Europe, Asia, and North America. Its fur is very valuable, being thicker and softer than the common sort. Great numbers of skins are imported from Canada. It derives its name from a black mark which passes over its back across the shoulders, and another along the back to the tail. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDSk 311 THE ARCTIC FOX (Canis LapoguSf Lin. — Isatis, BufF.) Inhabits the countries bordering on the Frozen Sea. It is found in Greenland, Iceland, Spitzbergen, Nova- Zembla, and Lapland ; in Kamschatka, and the oppo- site parts of America. It burrows, and makes holes in the ground, several feet in length ; at the end of which it forms a nest of moss. In Greenland and Spitzbergen, it lives in the clefts of rocks, being un- able to burrow, on account of the frost. Two or three of them inhabit the same hole. It is endowed with all the cunning of the common Fox, preys on young geese, ducks, and other water- fowl, before they are able to fly ; likewise on hares, wild-birds, and eggs : and in Greenland, for want of other food, it feeds on berries and shell-fish. In Lap- land and the North of Asia, its principal food is the Leming, or Lapland Marmot ; immense numbers of which sometimes cover the face of the country. The Foxes follow them in their migrations from one place to another ; and as the return of the Marmot is very 312 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. uncertain, and frequently after great intervals of time, they are sometimes absent three or four years in pur- suit of their favoui4te prey. The hair of the Arctic Fox is of an ash colour, but changes to white in the winter, when it is long, soft, and somewhat woolly : its tail is shorter than that of the common Fox, and more bushy ; and its toes are covered Avith fur on the under part, like those of a Hare : it is smaller and more slender than the Europe- an Fox : its nose is sharp and black ; and its ears short, and almost hid in the fur. It is sometimes taken in traps, but its skin is of little value. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 313 THE WOLF. (Canis Lujms, Lin. — Le Loup, Buff.) All naturalists agree in placing the Wolf and tlie Dog in the same class ; and from the slightest inspec- tion of its external form only, it would seem that the Wolf was in every respect a Dog in its state of natural freedom. The shape of its head is different ; and its eyes, being fixed in a more oblique position, give it a look of more savage fierceness : iis ears are sharp and erect ; its tail long, bushy, and bending inwards be- tween its hind legs ; its body is stronger than that of almost any species of Dog, its jaws and teeth larger, and its hair coarser and thicker. The internal struc- ture of these animals is perfectly similar. The Wolf couples in the same manner as the Dog ; and its im- mediate separation is prevented from the same cause ; the time of gestation is also nearly the same ; and from a variety of successful experiments related by the cele- brated Dr Hunter, there is no longer any room to 2 K 314 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. doubt, that the Wolf and the Dog will copulate toge- ther, and produce an intermediate species, capable of subsequent propagation. The appetite of the Wolf, for every kind of animal food, is excessively voracious ; and although nature has furnished it with every requisite for pursuing and conquering its prey, it is frequently reduced to the last extremity, and sometimes perishes for want of food. So great is the general detestation of this destructive creature, that all the wild animals endeavour to avoid it, and most commonly escape by their superior swift- ness. When pressed with hunger from repeated disap- pointments, the Wolf becomes courageous from ne- cessity. It then braves every dnngcr, and even at- tacks those animals that are under the protection of man. Sometimes whole droves of them join in the cruel work of genend devastation, roam through the villages, and attack the sheepfolds : they dig the earth imder the doors, enter with dreadful ferocity, and put every living creature to death before they depart. The Horse is the only tame animal that can defend itself against them : all the weaker animals become their prey : even man himself, upon these occasions, fre- quently falls a victim to their rapacity ; and it is said, that when once they have tasted human blood, they al- ways give it the preference. Hence many superstitious stories have been told of the Wolf. The old Saxons believed, that it was possessed by some evil spirit, and called it the Were-Wulf; and the French peasants, from the same reason, called it the Loup-garou. The language of the poet is beautifully descriptive of this creature's insatiable fury :— HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 315 " By wintry famine rous'd, from all the tract *' Of horrid mountains, which the shining Alps, "" And wavy Appenine, and Pyrenees, *' Branch out, stupendous, into distant lands, " Cruel as death ! and hungry as the grave ! " Burning for blood ! bony, and ghaunt, and grimi " Assembling Wolves, in raging ti'oops, descend ; " And, pourmg o'er the country, bear along, *' Keen as the north wind sweeps the glossy snow, " All is their prize." The Wolf lias great strength, especially in the mus- cles of his neck and jaws : he can carry a Sheep in his mouth, and easily run off with it in tliat manner. His bite is cruel and deadly, and keener as it meets with less resistance ; but when opposed, he is cautious and cii'cumspect, and seldom fights but from necessity. He is harder and more robust, but not so sensible as the Dog. He almost incessantly prowls about for prey, and of all animals is the most difficult to conquer in the chase. His sense of smelling is peculiarly strong; he scents the track of animals, and follows it with great perseverance: the odour of carrion strikes him at the distance of near a league. Wolves are capable of bearing want of food for a long time. To allay their hunger, they will sometimes fill their stomachs with nuul. They have been known to follow armies, and assemble in troops upon the field of battle ; tear up such bodies as have been carelessly interred, and devour them with insatiable avidity. In all ages the Wolf has been considered as the most savage enemy of mankind, and rewards were given for its head. Various methods have been taken to rid the world of this rapacious invader : pitfalls, traps, and poison, have all been employed against him ; and hap- 2 R 2 316 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. pily for these islands, the whole race has long been ex- tirpated here. King Edgar attempted to effect it in England, by remitting the punishment of certain crimes on producing a number of Wolves' tongues ; and in Wales, the tax of gold and silver was commuted for an annual tribute of W^olves' heads. Some centuries after that, they increased to such a degree, as to be- come an object of royal attention ; and great rewards were given for destroying them. Cambden informs us, that certain persons held their lands on condition of hunting and destroying the Wolves that infested the country ; whence they were called the JVolve-hunt. In the reign of Athelstan, Wolves abounded so much in Yorkshire, that a retreat was built at Flixton, to defend passengers from their attacks. As the ravages of these animals were greatest during winter, particularly in Ja- nuary, when the cold was severest, our Saxon ances- tors distinguished that month by the title of Wolf- moneth. They also called an outlaw Wolf shed, as being out of the protection of the law, and as liable to be killed as that destructive beast. They infested Ireland many centuries after their extinction in England : the last presentment for killing Wolves was made in the county of Cork about the year 1710. These animals abound in the immense forests of Ger- many, where the following methods are taken to destroy them : — In some very sequestered part of the forest, they hang up a large piece of carrion on the branch of a tree, having previously made a train of some miles long, leaving small pieces of putrid flesh here and there 1(1 allure the Wolves to the spot : they then wait till it is dark, and approach the place with great circum- spection ; where they sometimes find two or three HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 317 Wolves assembled, leaping up, and straining them- selves to catch the bait, which is placed just within their reach ; and while the animals are busily employ- ed in this way, the hunters being provided with fire- arms, seldom fail to dispatch them. In a convenient place at the foot of a declivity, they make a small in- closure of strong pales, so high, that the Wolf, having once entered, cannot return again. An opening is left at the top of the bank ; and a Sheep that has been long dead, is the bait ; to which he is allured by long trains, made from different places where he is known to haunt. As soon as he arrives at the spot, he examines every part of the inclosure ; and finding no other way to come at the booty, he precipitates himself to the bot- tom ; and having made a plentiful meal, endeavours in vain to re-ascend. His disappointment at not being able to get back is productive of the most dreadful howlings, which alarm his enemies ; and they either take him alive, or dispatch him with bludgeons. It is remarkable, that when this animal finds there is no possibility of escaping, his courage entirely forsakes him, and he is for some time so stupified with fear, that he may be killed v/ithout offering to resist, or taken alive without much danger. Wolves are sometimes taken in strong nets, into which they are driven by the hunters, who surround a large tract of land, and with drums, horns, and other instruments, accompanied with loud cries from a large company assembled upon the occasion, drive the animals towards the entrance of the nets, where they are entangled, and killed with clubs and hatchets. Great care must be taken to se- cure them at first: if they recover from their conster- nation, they easily escape by tearing the net to pieces. 31S HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. Wolves are found, with some variety, in almost every country of tlie world. Those of Senegal are larger and fiercer than those of Europe. In North America they are small, of a dark colour, and may be easily tamed. Before the introduction of Dogs, the Indians made use of them in hunting the wild animals of the country; and they are still employed for the same purpose in the more remote parts of that vast continent. They are said to hunt in packs, and run down the Deer by their scent. The appearance of these animals near the habi- tations of the Indians, sometimes indicates that the Bison or the Deer is at no great distance; and when any of those are taken, the Wolves are rewarded with the offal. Catesby affirms, that the Wolves of that country have mixed with the Dogs carried thither by the Europeans, and produced an intermediate race. In the northern regions there are Wolves entirely white, and others of a deep black. In Mexico there is a variety of the Wolf, with a very large head, strong jaws, and great teeth: on the upper lip it has strong bristles, not unlike the softer spines of the Porcupine, of a grey and white colour; its ears are large and erect ; its body is ash coloured, spotted with black ; on its sides there are black stripes from the back down- ward ; its neck is fat and thick, covered with a loose skin, marked with a long tawny stroke ; on the breast is another of the same kind; the tail is long, and tinged in the middle with tawny; the legs and feet are striped with black. It inhabits the hot parts of Mexico or New Spain, is equally voracious with the European Wolf, attacks cattle, and sometimes men. There are no Wolves further south on the new continent. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. S19 THE NEW SOUTH WALES WOLF Has been called a Dog ; but its wild and savage nature seems strongly to point out its affinity to the Wolf; to which, in other respects, it bears a great resemblance. It neither barks nor growls ; but when vexed, erects the hairs of its whole body like bristles, and appears extremely furious. It is fond of Rabbits and poultry, which it eagerly devours raw ; but will not touch dress- ed meat. One of them sent to this country from Botany Bay, was extremely nimble; and so fierce, as to seize on every animal it saw. If not restrained, it would have run down Deer and Sheep : an Ass had also nearly fallen a victim to its fury. Its height is rather less than two feet ; the length two feet and a half: it is formed much like a Wolf; its ears short and erect, and its tail long and bushy : the general colour is a pale brown, lighter on the belly ; the feet and inside of the legs are white. 320 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE JACKAL. (Cams Aureus^ Lin. — Le Chacaly Buff.) We beff leave to make our acknowledgments to Mr Pennant for the drawing of this animal, which he as- sures us was drawn from the life ; and we doubt not, therefore, its being a faithful representation. The species of the Jackal is diffused, with some va- riety, through almost every part of Asia; and is found in Barbary, and other parts of Africa, as far as the Cape of Good Hope. Although it is one of the most numerous of all the wild animals of the East, there is scarcely any one less known in Europe, or more confusedly described by natural historians. They vary in size. Those of the warmest climates are said to be the largest. They are of a reddish brown colour. The smaller Jackal is about the size of a Fox. and its colour is a bright yellow. That the Jackal is nearly allied to the Dog, has been HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 321 clearly proved, from a circumstance related by Mr Hunter, of a female Jackal taken on board an East- Indiaman at Bombay whilst a cub, and being impreg- nated by a Dog during the voyage, brought forth six puppies ; one of which afterwards produced young ones, from an intercourse with a Dog. From these and other recent facts, it appears, that the Fox, the Wolf, the Jackal, and the Dog, may be considered as different species of the same genus ; and that the Jackal makes nearer approaches to the Dog than either the Fox or the Wolf. Jackals go in packs of forty or fifty, and hunt like hounds in full cry from evening till morning. They destroy the poultry, and attack the flocks : they roam through the villages and gardens, and carry off every thing they can eat : they enter stables, yards, and out- houses, and devour skins, and every thing that is made of leather ; such as harnessing, boots, shoes, &c. No- thing can escape their rapacity. They will ransack the repositories of the dead, and greedily devour the most putrid bodies; for which reason, in those countries where they abound, the inhabitants are objiged to make the graves of a great depth, and secure them with spines, to prevent the Jackals from raking up the earth with their feet. They are said to attend caravans, and follow armies, in hopes of being furnished with a ban- quet by disease or battle. They may be considered as the vulture among quadrupeds ; and like that voraci- ous bird, devour every thing indiscriminately that has once had animal life. They hide themselves in holes and dens by day, and seldom appear abroad till the evening, when they fill the air with the most horrid 2 s 322 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. bowlings, and begin the chase. The Lion, the Pan- ther, and other beasts of prey that do not follow by the scent, take advantage of the general consternation, and follow in silence till the Jackals have hunted down tlieir prey : they then devour the fruits of their labours, and leave them only the remains of the spoil ; whence the Jackal has been vulgarly called the Lion^s Provider^ as if those two animals acted in concert, and had formed a plan for their mutual support. The Jackal frequently pursues the Gazelle ; and is so bold as to follow it even into the midst of a town or vil- lage, whither that timid animal frequently flies for pro- tection, and by that means sometimes escapes. Sparrman's description of those he saw at the Cape differs materially from the accounts we have been able to collect from other authors. He says they are about three feet in length, and their tails little more than a foot long : the predominant colour is a reddish yellow; the legs are of a pale gold colour ; under the belly, and on the inside of the legs, the colour inclines to white ; the nose and ears are of a bright red; the head, neck, and back are grey ; the tail is partly grey, and partly of an umber colour, and black at the tip. He says it resembles the European Fox in form, manners, and disposition ; and is not known to assemble in packs for the purpose of hunting ; neither is its voracity equal to that ascribed to it by other naturalists. It is probable it may have been confounded with the Wild Dog, which is common at the Cape, and hunts its prey in packs. It is very fierce and mischievous, and very de- structive to the flocks of Sheep and Goats in those parts. There are two kinds of these Dogs, — the one HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 323 large, and of a reddish colour; the other less, and browner. They are very bold, and wander about night and day in search of prey. They make a noise somewhat like the cry of our common Hounds, and hunt with great sagacity, acting perfectly in concert with each other till the game falls a prey to the pack. They are said to be always extremely lean, and very ugly. M. Buffon mentions an animal of the Jackal kind by the name of the Adive ; of which he gives a drawing, somewhat resembling a small Fox. It is less than the common Jackal, and is sometimes tamed, and kept in a domestic state. 2 s 2 3^4) HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS, THE DOG. The services of this truly valuable creature have been so eminently useful to the domestic interests of man, in all ages, that to give the history of the Dog would be little less than to trace mankind back to their original state of simplicity and freedom, to mark the progress of civilization through the various changes of the world, and to follow attentively the gradual ad- vancement of that order which placed man at the head of the animal world, and gave him a manifest superio- rity over every part of the brute creation. Let us consider for a moment the state of man with- out the aid of this useful domestic : with what arts shall he oppose the numerous host of foes that surround him on all sides, seeking every opportunity to encroach upon his possessions, to destroy his labours, or en- danger his personal safety ; or how shall he bring into subjection such as are necessary for his well-being? His utmost vigilance will not be sufficient to secure him from the rapacity of one, nor his greatest exertions enable him to overcome the speed of another. To maintain his independence, to insure his safety, and to provide for his support, it was necessary that some one amons the animals should be brought over to his assist- ance, whose zeal and fidelity might be depended on : and where, amidst all the various orders of animated being, could one be found so entirely adapted to this purpose ? where could one be found so bold, so tracta- ble, and so obedient as the Dog ? To confirm the truth of these observations, we need only turn our attention HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 325 to the present condition of those nations not yet emerg- ed from a state of barbarism, where the uses of the Doo- are but little known or attended to, and we shall find that they lead a precarious and wretched life of perpetual warfare with the still more savage inhabitants of the forest, with which they are obliged to dispute the possession of their uncultivated fields, and not un- frequently to divide with them the fruits of their la- bours. Hence we may conclude, that the attention of mankind, in the earliest ages, would be engaged in trainino; and rendering this animal subservient to the important purposes of domestic utility ; and the result of this art has been the conquest and peaceable posses- sion of the earth. Of all animals, the Dog seems most susceptible of change, and most easily modified by difference of cli- mate, food, and education ; not only the figure of his body, but his faculties, habits, and dispositions, vary in a surprising manner : nothing appears constant in them but their internal conformation, which is alike in all ; in every other respect they are very dissimilar : they vary in size, in figure, in the length of the nose and shape of the head, in the length and direction of the ears and tail, in the colour, quality, and quantity of the hair, &c. To enumerate the different kinds, or mark the discriminations by which each is distinguish- ed, would be a task as fruitless as it would be impossi- ble ; to account for this wonderful variety, or investi- gate the character of the primitive stock from which they have sprung, would be equally vain. Of this only we are certain, that, in every age, Dogs have been found possessed of qualities most admirably 326 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. adapted for the various purposes to which they have been from time to time applied. We have seen, in the history of the Cow and the Sheep, that those ani- mals which have been long under the management of man, never preserve the stamp of nature in its original purity. In wild animals, which still enjoy their natural freedom from restraint, and have the independent choice of food and climate, this impression is still faith- fully preserved ; but those which man has subdued, transported from climate to climate, and changed their food, habits, and manner of living, must necessarily have suffered the greatest alterations in their form; and as the Dog, of all other domestic animals, is most ac- customed to this influence, is endowed with dispositions the most docile and obedient, is susceptible of every impression, and submissive to every restraint, we need not wonder that he should be subject to the greatest variety. To an attentive observer of the canine race, it is truly wonderful and curious to observe the rapid changes and singular combinations of forms, arising from promiscuous intercourse, which every where pre- sent themselves : they appear in endless succession, and seem more like the effect of whimsical caprice than the regular and uniform production of Nature, rendering every idea of a systematic arrangement dubious and problematical : but in whatever light we consider the various mixtures which at present abound, we may fairly presume, that the services of the Shepherd's Dog would be first required in maintaining and preserving the superiority of man over those animals which were destined for his support. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS, 327 SBW THE SHEPHERD'S DOG. (Canis domesticus, Lin. — Le Chien de Berger, Buff.) This useful animal, ever faithful to his charge, reigns at the head of the flock; where he is better heard, and juore attended to, than even the voice of the shepherd. Safety, order, and discipline, are the fruits of his vigilance and activity. In those large tracts of land which, in many parts of our island, are solely appropriated to the feeding of Sheep and other cattle, this sagacious animal is of the utmost importance. Immense flocks may be seen con- tinually ranging over these extensive wilds, as far as the eye can reach, seemingly without control : their only guide is the shepherd, attended by his Dog, the constant companion of his toils : it receives his com- mands, and is always prompt to execute them ; it is the watchful guardian of the flock, prevents them from straggling, keeps them together, and conducts them from one part of their pasture to another : it will not 328 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. suffer any strangers to mix with them, but carefully keeps off every intruder. In driving a number of Sheep to any distant part, a well trained Dog never fails to confine them to the road ; he watches every avenue that leads from it, where he takes his stand, threatening every delinquent, and pursues the strag- glers, if any should escape, and forces them into order, without doing them the least injury. If the herdsman be at any time absent from the flock, he depends up- on his Dog to keep them together ; and as soon as he gives the well-known signal, this faithful creature con- ducts them to his master, though at a considerable distance. There is a very remarkable singularity in the feet of the Shepherd's Dog, which we have likewise sometimes observed in those of the Cur and the Spaniel. They have one, and sometimes two extra toes on the hind feet, though they seem not to be of much use. They appear to be destitute of muscles, and hang dangling at the hind part of the leg more like an unnatural ex- crescence than a necessary part of the animal. But the adage, that ' Nature has made nothing in vain,' ought to correct our decision on their utility, which probably may exist unknown to us. This breed of Dogs, at present, appears to be pre- served in the greatest purity, in the northern parts of England and Scotland ; where its aid is highly necessa- ry in managing the numerous herds of Sheep bred in those extensive wilds and fells. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 329 l/t/^/K^T'— ^ '' THE CUR DOG Is a trusty and useful servant to the farmer and grazier; and although it is not taken notice of by naturalists as a distinct race, yet it is now so generally used, especi- ally in the North of England, and such great attention is paid in breeding it, that we cannot help considering it as a permanent kind. In the North of England, this and the foregoing are called Coally Dogs. These are chiefly employed in driving cattle; in which way they are extremely useful. They are larger, stronger, and fiercer than the Shepherd's Dog; and their hair is smoother and shorter. They are mostly of a black and white colour ; their ears are half-prick- ed ; and many of them are whelped with short tails, which seem as if they had been cut : these are called Self-tailed Dogs. They bite very keenly ; and as they always make their attack at the heels, the cattle have no defence against them : in this way, they are more than a match for a Bull, which they will compel to run. 2 T 330 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. Their sagacity is uncommonly great : they know their master's fields, and are singularly attentive to the cat- tle that are in them. A good Dog watches, goes his rounds, and if any strange cattle should happen to ap- pear among the herd, although unbidden, he quickly flies at them, and with keen bites obliges them to de- part. Similar to the Cui", is that which is commonly used in driving cattle to the slaughter : and as these Dogs have frequently to go long journies, great strength, as well as swiftness, is required for that purpose. They are therefore generally of a mixed kind, and unite in them the several qualities of the Shepherd's Dog, the Cur, the Mastiff, and the Greyhound. Thus, by a judicious mixture of different kinds, the services of the Dog are rendered still more various and extensive, and the great purposes of domestic utility more fully answered. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 331 THE GREENLAND DOG. (Le Chien de Sibirie, BufF.) The savage aspect and disposition of this Dog seem to bear some affinity to the rigours of the climate it in- habits. The Pomeranian or Wolf Dog of M. BiifFon, the Siberian, Lapland, and Iceland Dogs are somewhat similar to it in the sharpness of their muzzles, in their long shaggy hair, and bushy curling tails. The prin- cipal difference is in their size. Though much larger, they all of them have some resemblance to the Shep- herd's Dog. Most of the Greenland Dogs are white; but some are spotted, and some black. They may rather be said to howl than bark. The Greenlanders sometimes eat their flesh : they make garments of their skins, and use them in drawing sledges; to which they yoke them, 2 T 2 332 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. four, five, and sometimes six together.* The Dogs of Kamschatka are commonly black or white. They are strong, nimble, and active, and are very useful in draw- ing sledges, the only method of travelling in that drea- ry country during the winter. They travel with great expedition. Captain King relates, that during his stay there, a courier, with dispatches, drawn by them, per- formed a journey of 270 miles in less than four days. The sledges are usually drawn by five Dogs, four of them yoked two and two abreast : the foremost acts as a leader to the rest. The reins being fastened to a collar round the leading Dog's neck, are of little use in direct- ing the pack ; the driver depending chiefly upon their obedience to his voice, with which he animates them to proceed. Great care and attention are consequently used in training up those for leaders, which are more valuable according to their steadiness and docility, the sum of forty roubles, or nine pounds, being no unusual price for one of them. The rider has a crooked stick, answering the purpose of both whip and reins ; with which, by striking on the snow, he regulates the speed of the Dogs, or stops them at his pleasure. When they are inattentive to their duty, he often chastises them by throwing it at them. He discovers great dexterity in regaining his stick, which is the greatest difficulty at- tending his situation ; for if he should happen to lose it, the dogs immediately discover the circumstance, and never fail to set oif at full speed, and continue to run till their strength is exhausted, or till the carriage is * Five of these Dogs, that had escaped with theu* trappings, were found in Greenland, and brought to this country, a few years ago, by one of our ships in the fishery. *■ # I HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 333 overturned and dashed to pieces, or hurried down a precipice. In December, 1784, a Dog was left by a smuggling vessel, near Boomer, on the coast of Northumberland. Finding himself deserted, he began to worry sheep ; and did so much damage, that he became the terror of the country within a circuit of about twenty miles. We are assured, that when he caught a sheep, he bit a hole in its right side, and after eating the tallow about the kidnies, left it : several of them, thus lacerated, were found alive by the shepherds ; and being taken proper care of, some of them recovered, and afterwards had lambs. From his delicacy in this respect, the destruc- tion he made may in some measure be conceived j as it may be supposed, that the fat of one sheep in a day would hardly satisfy his hunger. The farmers were so much alarmed by his depredations, that various means were used for his destruction. They frequently pur- sued him with Hounds, Greyhounds, &c. ; but when the Dogs came up with him, he laid down on his back, as if supplicating for mercy ; and in this position they never hurt him : he therefore laid quietly, taking his rest till the hunters approached, when he made off without being followed by the Hounds, till they were again excited to the pursuit, which always terminated unsuccessfully. It is worthy of notice, that he was one day pursued from Howick to upwards of thirty miles distance : but returned thither and killed sheep the same evening. His constant residence, during the day, was upon a rock on the Heugh-hill, near Howick, where he had a view of four roads that approached it ; and in March, 1785, after many fruitless attempts, he was at last shot there. 334 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS, THE BULL-DOG Is the fiercest of all the Dog kind, and is probably the most courageous creature in the world. It is low in stature, but very strong and muscular. Its nose is short; and the under jaw projects beyond the upper, which gives it a fierce and unpleasing aspect. Its cou- rage in attacking the Bull is well known : its fury in seizing, and its invincible obstinacy in maintaining its hold, are truly astonishing. It always aims at the front ; and generally fastens upon the lip, the tongue, the eye, or some part of the face; where it hangs, in spite of every effort of the Bull to disengage himself. The uncommon ardour of these Dogs in fighting will be best illustrated by the following fact, related by an eye-witness; which at the same time corroborates, in some degree, that wonderful account of the Dogs of Epirus, given by Elian, and quoted by Dr Goldsmith in the history of the Dog :— Some years ago, at a bull- baiting in the North of England, when that barbarous custom was very common, a young man, confident of HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 335 the courage of his Dog, laid some trifling wager, that he would, at separate times, cut off all the four feet of his Dog; and that after every amputation, it would attack the Bull. The cruel experiment was tried, and the Dog continued to seize the Bull as eagerly as if he had been perfectly whole. Of late years this inhuman custom of baiting the Bull has been almost entirely laid aside in the North of England ; and consequently there are now few of this kind of Dogs to be seen. As the Bull-Dog always makes his attack without barking, it is very dangerous to approach him alone, without the greatest precaution. 336 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE MASTIFF ( Canis Molossusy 'Lin.'-^Le DoguCf Buff.) Is much larger and stronger than the Bull-Dog ; its ears are more pendulous ; its lips are large and loose ; its aspect is sullen and grave, and its bark loud and terrific. He seems every way formed for the impor- tant trust of guarding and securing the valuable pro- perty committed to his care. Houses, gardens, yards, &c. are safe from depredations whilst in his custody. Confined during the day, as soon as the gates are lock- ed, he is left to range at full liberty : he then goes round the premises, examines every part of them, and by loud barkings gives notice that he is ready to defend his charge. Dr Caius, in his curious treatise on British Dogs, tells us, that three of these animals were reckoned a match for a Bear, and four for a Lion. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 337 We have a curious account, recorded in Stow's An- nals, of an engagement between three Mastiffs and a Lion, in the presence of James the First. " One of the Dogs being put into the den, was soon disabled by the Lion, which took it by the head and neck, and dragged it about ; another Dog was then let loose, and served in the same manner : but the third being put in, immediately seized the Lion by the lip, and held him for a considerable time ; till being severely torn by his claws, the Dog was obliged to quit its hold : and the Lion, greatly exhausted in the conflict, refused to re- new the engagement : but taking a sudden leap over the Dogs, fled into the interior part of his den. Two of the Dogs soon died of their wounds : the last sur- vived, and was taken great care of by the king's son ; who said, * he that had fought with the king of beasts, should never after fight with any inferior creature.' " The Mastiffs of Great Britain were noted in the time of the Roman Emperors, who appointed an ofiicer, whose sole business it was to breed and send from hence such as would prove equal to the combats of the amphitheatre. The following anecdote will shew, that the Mastifl^ conscious of its superior strength, knows how to chas- tise the impertinence of an inferior : — A large Dog of this kind, belonging to the late M. Ridley, Esq. of Heaton, near Newcastle, being frequently molested by a Mongrel, and teazed by its continual barking, at last took it up in his mouth by the back, and with great composure dropped it over the quay into the river, without doing any further injury to an enemy so much hi;- inferior. 2 u i^o.S HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The Mastiff, in its pure and unmixed state, is now seldom to be met with. The generality of Dogs dis- tinguished by that name, seem to be compounded of i.he Bull-Dog, Danish Mastiff, and the Ban-Dog. THE BAN-DOG Is a variety of this fierce tribe, not often to be seen at present. It is lighter, smaller, more active and vigi- lant than the Mastiff, but not so powerful ; its nose is siiialler, and possesses in some degree, the scent of the Hound; its hair is rougher, and generally of a yel- lowish grey, streaked with shades of a black or brown colour. It does not invariably, like the preceding kinds, attack its adversary in front, but frequently seizes cattle by the flank. It attacks with eagerness, and its bite is keen and dangerous. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 339 THE DALMATIAN, OR COACH DOG, (Le Braque de Bengal, BufF.) Has been erroneously called the Danish Dog ; and by M. BufFon, the Harrier of Bengal ; but for what rea- son it is difficult to ascertain, as its incapacity of scent- ing is sufficient to destroy all affinity to any Dog em- ployed in the pursuit of the Hare. It is common in this country at present, and is fre- quently kept in genteel houses, as an elegant attendant on a carriage. We do not, however, admire the cruel practice of depriving the poor animal of its ears, in order to increase its beauty ; a practice so general, that we do not remember ever to have seen one of these Dbgs unmutilated in that way. 2 u 2 340 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS, THE IRISH GREYHOUND ( Canis Grains HibernicuSy Ray. — Le Matin, Buff.) Is the largest of the Dog kind, and its appearance the most beautiful and majestic. It is only to be found in Ireland; where it was formerly of great use in clearing the country from Wolves. It is now extremely rare, and is kept rather for show than use, being equallj^ un- serviceable for hunting either the Stag, the Fox, or the Hare. These Dogs are about three feet high, generally of a white or cinnamon colour, and made somewhat like a Greyhound, but more robust ; their aspect is mild, and HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 34J. their disposition gentle and peaceable : their strength is so great, that in combat the MastiiF or Bull-Dog is far from being equal to them. They mostly seize their antagonists by the back, and shake them to death, which their great size generally enables them to do with ease. M. Buffon supposes the Great Danish Dog to be only a variety of the Irish Greyhound. Next to this, in size and strength, is THE SCOTTISH HIGHLAND GREYHOUND, OR WOLF-DOG, Which was formerly used by the chieftains of that country in their grand hunting parties. One of them, which we saw some years ago, was a large, powerful, fierce-looking Dog; its ears were pendulous, and its eyes half hid in the hair ; its body was strong and mus- cular, and covered with harsh, wiry, reddish hair, mixed with white. THE GAZEHOUND Was somewhat similar to the Greyhound; and, like that animal, hunted only by the eye. It was formerly in great repute, but is now unknown to us. It was used in hunting either the Fox, the Hare, pr the Stag. It would select from the rest the fattest Deer, pursue it by the eye, and though it should rejoin the herd, would infallibly fix upon the same, and pursue it till taken. 342 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. ■'•^^H\\\VV\>^VVMn«>w»*i»wiC::ri2'«»i«ww///-T^^ THE GREYHOUND (Cams Grains f Lin. — Le Levrier, BuflP.) M. BuFFON supposes to be the Irish Greyhound, ren- dered thinner and more delicate by the difference of climate and culture: and whatever errors there may be in the fanciful arrangements of that ingenious au- thor, there is an evident similarity of form in all of those just mentioned ; particularly in the depth of the chest, in the length of the legs, and in the smallness of the muzzle. The Greyhound is the fleetest of all Dogs, and can outrun every animal of the chase ; but as it wants the faculty of scenting, it follows only by the eye. It was formerly held in such estimation, as to be considered the peculiar companion of gentlemen ; and by the fo- rest laws of King Canute, it was enacted, that no per- son under that degree should presume to keep a Grey- hound. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 343 The Small Italian Greyhound is not above half the size, but perfectly similar in form. Its shape is exqui- sitely beautiful and delicate. It is not common in this country, the climate being too rigorous for the extreme delicacy of its constitution. THE LYEMMER, So called from its being led in a thong, and slipped at the game. Dr Caius informs us, that it hunted both by the scent and sight ; and, in its form, was between the Hound and the Greyhound. It is now unknown to us. THE LURCHER Is less and shorter than the Greyhound, and its limbs stronger : its body is covered with a rough coat of hair most commonly of a pale yellow colour; its aspect is sullen, and its habits, whence it derives its name, are dark and cunning. d44t HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. As this Dog possesses the advantage of a fine scent, it is often employed in killing Hares and Rabbits in the night time. When taken to the warren, it steals out with the utmost precaution, watches and scents the Rabbits while they are feeding, and darts upon them without barking or making the least noise. One of them will singly make incredible havock in a short time ; and is so trained as to bring its booty to its master, who waits in some convenient place to receive it.* They are so destructive, and have been so often employed in illicit practices, that they are now, with great propriety, proscribed, and the breed is almost extinct. Another Dog of this family, formerly in use, biit now only known to us by its name, is THE TUMBLER; Which was so called from its cunning manner of taking Rabbits and other game. It did not run di- rectly at them, but, in a careless and inattentive man- ner, tumbled itself about till it came within reach of its prey, which it always seized by a sudden spring. • We have seen a Dog and Bitch of this kind in the possession of a man who had formerly used them for the purpose above described. He declared, that he could at that time procure in an evening as many Rabbits with them as he could carry home. mSTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 345 ""tninuniif. THE TERRIER Has a most acute smell, is generally an attendant on every pack of Hounds, and is very expert in forcing Foxes or other game out of their coverts. It is the de- termined enemy of all the vermin kind ; such as Wea- sels, Foumarts, Badgers, Rats, Mice, &c. It is fierce, keen, and hardy; and in its encounters with the Bad- ger, sometimes meets with very severe treatment, which it sustains with great courage and fortitude. A well- trained veteran Dog frequently proves more than a match for that hard-biting animal. There are two kinds of Terriers, — the one rough, short-legged, long-backed, very strong, and most com- monly of a yellowish colour, or mixed with black and white, the other is smooth, sleek, and beautifully form- ed, having a shorter body, and more sprightly appear- ance: it is generally of a reddish brown colour, or black, with tanned legs ; and is similar to the rough Terrier in disposition and faculties, but inferior in size, strength, and hardiness. 346 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. -N ^'i, 8 m xfcS-:. THE BEAGLE. Of those Dogs that are kept for the business of the chase in this country, the Beagle is the smallest, and is used only in hunting the Hare. Although far inferior in point of speed to that animal, it follows by the ex- quisiteness of its scent, and traces her footsteps through all her various windings, with great exactness and per- severance. Its tones are soft and musical, and add greatly to the pleasures of the chase. "jj t 'rifrfi)".;'^,.„w.u. t. »,t»♦^^>^^^^'^i5^\5«v■^ THE MONAX (Mus Monax, Lin.-^Glis Marmota, Buff.) Is found in various parts of North America, and seems to be the same with the Marmot of Canada, described by M. Buffon. It is larger dian a Rabbit ; its tail is short and rough ; its ribs are so flexible, that it can easily pass through a hole of not more than two inches in width ; its eyes are black and prominent; its back is of a deep brown co- lour, lighter on the sides and belly ; and its feet and legs are black. It sleeps during winter, in holes under the roots of trees, and lives on fruits and other vegetables. Its flesh is good and well tasted. An animal of the same kind is found in the Bahama isles; but whether it retires to sleep, in a climate so mild, is not well known. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 403 THE QUEBEC MARMOT Is rather larger than a Rabbit : its ears are short, and its whole head round ; its cheeks are of a grey colour, and its nose black ; its back is variegated, each hair be- ing grey at the bottom, black in the middle, and white at the tips ; its belly and legs are of an orange colour; its to^es black and naked, and its tail short and rather bushy. It inhabits Hudson's Bay and Canada. One of them, exhibited in I^ondon some years ago, was perfectly tame. Mr Pennant supposes it to be the species called the SiFFLEUR by the French of Canada. 3 E 2 404 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE HAMSTER. (Mils CricetnSf Lin. — Le Hamster, BufF.) Although the qualities of" this animal are sufficient- ly noxious to render it an object of universal detestation in those countries where it abounds; yet, when consi- dered with regard to those instincts which conduce to its own preservation and support, it well deserves our highest admiration. Its habitation is curious, and constructed with great art. It consists of a variety of apartments, adapted to various purposes, and extremely well fitted both for the comfort and convenience of tlie inhabitants. The first entrance is formed in an oblique direction, at the end of whicli the male sinks a perpendicular hole, which he reserves for his own use. The female makes seve- ral, for the accommodation of herself and family, that her young, during the short time they arc allowed to stay with her, may have a free passage to the general stores. One of the holes is lined with straw, and serves as a lodging; the others contain provisions, of which great quantities are always accumulated during the time of harvest. They begin to lay in their stores in August. To facilitate the transportation of their food, Nature has furnished them with two pouches in each HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 405 cheek, which they fill with corn, beans, or pease, till they seem ready to burst ; and on their return to their holes, empty them, by pressing their two fore feet ao-ainst their cheeks. The quantity of provision found in these magazines, depends on the age or sex of the inhabitants. The old Hamsters often amass an hun- dred pounds weight of grain; but the young and the females are satisfied with much less. At the approach of winter, the Hamsters retire into their subterraneous abodes, the entrance to which they shut up with great care: there they remain in perfect tranquillity, and feed on their provisions till the frost becomes severe, when they sink into a torpid slate, in which they continue till the return of spring. During this period, if any of the holes be opened, the Hamster is always found lying upon a bed of soft straw, with its head turned under its belly between the two fore legs, and the muzzle resting upon the hind ones : its eyes are shut, every member perfectly stiff, and sensation so to- tally suspended, that neither respiration nor any other sign of life can be perceived. When dissected in this situation, the heart may be seen alternately contracting and dilating very slowly ; the fat appears to be coagu- lated ; and the intestines are quite cold. During this operation, the animal seems to feel very little : it some- times opens its mouth, as if it wanted to respire; but the lethargy is too strong to admit of its entirely awak- ing. They copulate about the end of April, when the males enter the apartments of the females, but remain only a few days. If two males happen to meet in the same hole, a furious combat ensues, which generally terminates in the death of the weaker. 405 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The females bring forth twice or thrice every year ; each litter consisting of six or eight. In about three •weeks the young are driven from their holes, and left to provide for themselves. Their increase is so rapid in some years, as to be almost sufficient to occasion a dearth ; but the ferocity with which they upon all occa- sions attack and devour each other, is so great, as to be the happy means of preventing the ill effects of their fecundity. It is not only its own species to which the fury of the Hamster is directed : he attacks and devours every ani- mal, without distinction, that he is able to conquer : and frequently opposes himself to enemies much supe- rior to himself in strength. Rather than fly, he allows himself to be beaten to death. If lie seize a man's hand, he must be killed before he can be made to quit his hold. A Horse or a Dog are equally objects of his rage ; and wherever he seizes, it is with difficulty he can be disenoaaed. The Hamster is about the size of a large Water- Rat; has a short tail, almost naked : its head and back are of a reddish brown colour, not unlike that of a Hare ; its throat is white, and it has three white spots on each side; its breast and belly are black. It is found in various parts of Germany, Poland, and Ukraine. The Polecat is its greatest enemy. It pursues the Hamster into its hole, and destroys great numbers. Mr Ray observes, that the hair of this animal is so closely united to the skin, that it cannot be pulled off without great difficulty ; on which account it is held in high estimation. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 407 — •^ir/r^y^,^^.^'-,-^'"^^. THE SOUSLIK (Mus Citellus, Lin. — Le Souslih, Buff.) Is about the size of a large Rat. Its skin is beautifully marked with small white spots upon a yellowish ground. It is found upon the banks of the Wolga, and in the adjoining provinces as far as Austria. It burrows in the ground like a Rabbit, and lays in store of provi- sions, consisting of grain, herbs, and roots : it also feeds on young Mice, is very fond of salt, and is fre- quently taken on board the barges laden with that commodity. The female brings forthfrom two to five at one time. THE EARLESS MARMOT, (Le Zisel, Buff.) Instead of ears, has only a small orifice on each side of its head. It is of a dark grey colour. Its body is long and slender, and its tail short. It is found in Bohemia, Austria, Hungary, and Si- beria. It forms its hole in the ground, with a double entrance; and sleeps during the winter in the centre 408 HISTORY o/ QUADRUPEDS. of its lodge. It lays in a store of corn, nuts, &c. ; and sits up like a Squirrel when it eats. It is easily pro- voked, and bites hard. Its fur is of little value ; but its flesh is reckoned good eating. In Poland and Russia, there is an animal of this kind, called the Zemni; and by Mr Pennant, the Podolian Marmot. Its habits are similar to those of the Souslik ; but it is larger, stronger, and more mischievous. The head is thick, the body slender, and the ears short and round : it has two cutting teeth in each jaw; those of the under jaw are much longer than the upper: the eyes are small, and concealed in the fur like those of the Mole : its tail is short, and of an ash colour. THE TAILLESS MARMOT. We are favoured by Mr Pennant with the drawing of this animal, which has hitheilo been undescribed. In the form of its body, it seems to agree with the de- scription given of the Zisel, and probably may be a variety of that animal. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS, 409 THE LAPLAND MARMOT. (Mils Lemmus, luin. — Le Leming, BufF.) This wonderful little animal is found only in the northern parts of Europe and Asia; and is sometimes seen in immense numbers, overspreading large tracts of country, in Norway, Sweden, and Lapland. But as its appearance is at very uncertain periods, and the source from whence it is derived has not been hitherto explored by any naturalist, its existence has been seriously attri- buted, by superstitious ignorance, to the generation of the clouds ; from whence, it has been supposed, it was poured down in showers of rain. Myriads of them march together; and, like a torrent, which nothing can resist, their course is marked with ruin and desolation. Neither fire nor water prevents their progress. They go straight forward, in I'egular lines, about three feet asun- der, and generally in a south-east direction : they swim across lakes and rivers: no opposition impedes them. If thousands are destroyed, thousands supply their places : the void is quickly filled up ; and their number does not appear diminished. They persist in their course, in spite of every obstacle ; and if prevented from proceeding, they either by assiduity surmount it, or die in the attempt. Their march is mostly in the 410 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. night. They rest during the day, and devour every root and vegetable they meet with. They infect the very herbage ; and cattle are said to perish that feed upon the grass they have touched. An enemy so numerous and destructive would soon render the countries they pass through utterly uninha- bitable, did it not fortunately happen, that the same ra- pacity which excites them to lay waste the productions of the earth, at last impels them to destroy each other. Having nothing more to subsist on, they are said to separate into two armies, which engage with the most deadly hatred, and continue fighting and devouring each other till they are all entirely destroyed. Thou- sands of them have been found dead ; and the air, in- fected by their putrid carcases, has sometimes been the occasion of malignant distempers. Great numbers of them are likewise destroyed by Foxes, Lynxes, Weasels, and other beasts of pre}^, which follow them during their march. The Leming runs swiftly, although its legs are short and slender. It is somewhat less than the Rat : its head is pointed ; and in each jaw are two very long cutting- teeth, with which it bites keenly : its ears are shorty eyes small, fore legs shorter than the hind : the colour of the head and body black and tawny, disposed in ir- regular patches ; the belly white, tinged with yellow. Though perfectly disgusting to every other people, its flesh is said to be eaten by the Laplanders. Where these emigrants are collected, as was before observed, is not certainly known. Linnaeus says they are produced among the Norwegian and Lapland Alps ; and Pontoppidan supposes, that Kolen's Rock, which divides Nordland from Sweden, is their native place. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS, 411 THE BEAVER. (Castor Fiber, Lin. — Le Castor y ou Le Bievre, Buff.) The Beaver is amphibious, and is remarkable for its sagacity and foresight in building houses to shelter and protect itself in winter, and dams to supply them with water. The great size and strength of its cutting teeth, of which it has two in each jaw, enable it to cut or gnaw down trees of considerable magnitude, with ease. Its ears are short and almost hid in the fur ; its nose is blunt ; tail broad and flat, nearly of an oval form, and covered with scales ; it serves as a rudder to guide its motions in the water ; and by flapping it on the surface, as well as on the ground, serves as a signal to apprise the community of danger. Its fore feet are small, not unlike those of a Rat; the hinder feet are large and strong, with membranes between each toe ; it has five toes on each foot. Its length from nose to tail is about two feet : the tail, which they cannot raise upwards over their backs, is eleven inches long, 3 F -2 412 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. and three broad. The Beavers vary in colour. The most valuable skins are black, but the general colour is a chesnut-brovvn, more or less dark; some have been found entirely white, others spotted; but both these kinds are very rare. They breed once a year, and bring forth from two to six at a birth. Beavers are found chiefly in the northern }3arts of Europe, Asia, and America; particularly the latter, from whence many thousands of their skins are annually brought into Europe,* where the fur is used as an im- portant and valuable article in the manufacture of hats. The Beaver is one of the most industrious and saga- cious of quadrupeds ; their labours seem the result of a social compact, formed for mutual convenience, preser- vation, and support; and as in all well regulated socie- ties, a due subordination is necessary for the ordering and conducting each individual effort to the advantage of the whole ; so amongst these curious animals, it would appear, according to the accounts of some authors, that in forming their habitations, in which their sagacity and foresight are indeed remarkable, all have their pro- per part assigned to them, that by dividing their. la- bour, safety, stability, and expedition may be the general effect. For this purpose, after assembling in certain numbers, a convenient place is chosen for the erection of their buildings, which is generallyf a level piece of ground with a rivulet running through it: they begin early in the summer, to prepare for the comple- * The Hudion's Eay Company in tlie year 1763, sold o4/!70 Beaver ffkins at one sale. • -f Those vhidi build their houses by the sides of lakes and deep B'aters, do not build dams. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 413 tion of their works, by cutting down with their teeth, such trees and branches as suit them; these consist chiefly of green willows, birch and poplars, which, together with such drift wood as they can meet with, their foresight directs them to drag to the water with their teeth, and float the whole down the stream to the place where it is wanted : having thus provided a stock of materials, the next operation, where an apprehend- ed want of water makes it necessary, is building the dam; but they do not fall to work upon this until about the middle or latter end of August, when the timbers are then laid in and bedded together across the stream, with stones, earth, clay, and mud, which they collect during the night, and carry between their fore feet and their throat, with surprising labour and per- severance. The dam or mound is always made in an arched shape, of greater or lesser convexity, according to the rapidity of the stream; it is of great strength and thickness, being eight or ten feet at the base, gradually tapering upwards to near the top, of a height sufficient to secure to them an abundance of water below the reach of the frost, and is capable of sustaining a great weight or pressure of that element. Having completed the mole, their next care is, for each family to erect their own habitations ; these are made of the same kind of materials, and are built at a convenient distance above the dam, and are more or less of a circular, or of an oblong form, both on the sides and on the top, and are at first about two feet in thickness, but strengthened on the sides, and heightened on the top by different plasterings, every season, to about eight feet high, and the last plastering is not put on until 414 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. the frost sets in with severity, by which it is rendered impenetrable to their mortal enemy the Quiquehatch or Wolverine, which voracious animal, without these precautions, would not leave one of them alive. The house consists of one apartment, with only one en- trance, (which always leads to the water) and is made of a size to accommodate one family, which in number commonly amounts to about four old and six young ones, seldom to fewer, but often to more. It is a com- mon plan with the society to have their houses built one at the end of each other, under one roof, but kept quite separate by the walls or partitions between each. In them, after laying in a stock of provisions, they lodge and sleep warmly and comfortably upon their mossy beds, during the long winter months, and live upon the bark of trees and branches, laid in store for that purpose; they also eat a root something like a cabbage stalk, as well as other kinds, which they seek under the ice, on the sides and bottom of the river. Besides their houses they have a number of holes, or vaults, in the bank of the river, which serve them as places of retreat, when any injury is offered to their houses, and, in general, it is in these holes or vaults that they are taken by the hunters, on account of their skins, and by whom, in the winter, when they are fat, they are esteemed delicious eating. The ca^stor produced by these animals is found in a liquid state, in bags near the anus, about the size of an egg ; when taken off, the matter dries, and is reducible to a powder, which is oily, of a sharp bitter taste, and a strong disagreeable smell. These bags are found indifferently in males and females, and were formerly supposed to be the HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 415 animal's testicles ; which, when pursued, it was said to bite off, and by that means escape with its life. In winter they never go farther than their provisions and stores; but in summer they wander abroad, and live upon berries, fruits, leaves, &c. and though not car- nivorous, they will from necessity sometimes eat cray- fish, and such other kinds of fish as they can fall in with. Mr Hearne,* from a long residence at Hud- son's Bay, in the service of the company, had abun- dant opportunities of observing the oeconomy of these interesting animals, and from his work we have cor- rected our former account. He contradicts many things said of them by natural- ists, but allows they have great sagacity and foresight in building their houses and dams. He says they do not drive stakes into the ground, nor use their large flat tails to carry burthens upon, neither do they use them as a trowel in plastering their houses, or build- ing their dams, both of which are a rude mass of wood and stones. He treats as a fable the accounts given by authors of their assembling in large bodies, for the purpose of conjointly erecting large towns and cities, and commonwealths, and of their finishing their houses in different stories and apartments, in the neat manner ascribed to them. They merely cut off the projecting branches on the inside, and round and make even the habitation within. • See Heame's journey from Prince of Wales's Fort, to the mouth of the Copper Mine River, where it empties itself into the northern ocean. 416 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS* THE MUSQUASH, MUSK BEAVER, OR LITTLE BEAVER, Is about the size of a Rabbit, the head and nose nearly resembling thos^ of the Beaver, with strong white whis- kers, and very large cutting teeth, of a red colour ; the eyes small, the ears also small, and a good deal hidden in the fur. The hairs on the body, which nearly hide the dark coloured fur underneath them, are of a ferru- ginous brown. The legs and toes black, the hinder ones larger and stronger than the fore ones, with five toes, bare, and webbed together; the fore legs are short, with four toes unwebbed, and a very short one on the inside of the foot. The tail is flattish, the up- per side covered with scales, and the under with coarse hair. Pennant's description of the Musk Beaver dif- fers from this animal : He says the eyes are large, toes on each foot separated, those behind fringed on each side with strong hairs, closely set together. The figure of BufFon's Musk Rat of Canada, also diifers greatly HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 417 from this, but whether it may be from defect in the drawing, or from being taken from a different species, we cannot determine. Hearne, in his journey of dis- covery to the north-western ocean, describes the vari- ous animals he met with in those dreary regions, and has given an account of one which he calls the Mus- quash, Musk Rat, or Musk Beaver, and which we think can be no other than this. He says their man- ner of life resembles that of the Beaver ; like that ani- mal they are provident, and build houses with mud and grass, to shelter themselves from the inclemency of the cold in winter : these, however, they do not build on the banks of rivulets, like the Beaver, but generally on the ice, at a considerable distance from the shore, as soon as the water is skinned over, always taking care, to keep a hole open in it to admit them to dive for their food, which chiefly consists of the roots of water plants : and in the southern parts of the coun- try, they feed much on the root called calamus aroma- ticus. When the water happens, from the long seve- rity of the frost, to freeze to the bottom, and their stores of provisions fail, they prey upon each other, so that only one entire animal is left dead, surrounded by the skeletons of those which have been devoured. Though they generally build their winter habitations in such places as are just described, yet this is not invariably the case, for they also raise mounds or small islands in the midst of deep swamps over-run with rushes and long grass, and upon these, in clumps together, form their sheltered retreats. The Musk Beaver is very cleanly, and when fat, is good eating. It is easily tamed, and soon becomes playful and familiar, and smells pleasantly of musk. 3 G 418 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEI>S» THE MUSK-RAT OF CANADA (Castor Zibethicus, Lin. — U Ondatra, BufF.) Is about the size of a young Rabbit : its head is thick and short, resembling that of a Water-Rat ; its hair soft and glossy ; beneath the outward hair there is a thick fine down, very useful in the manufacture of hats; it is of a reddish brown colour; its breast and belly ash, tinged with red ; its tail is long and flat, co- vered with scales ; its eyes are large ; its ears short and hairy ; it has two strong cutting-teeth in each jaw ; those of the under jaw are about an inch long, but the upper ones are shorter. This animal is a native of Canada, where it is called the Ondatra. In many respects it very much resembles the Beaver, both in form and manners. It is fond of the water, and swims well. At the approach of winter, several fami- lies associate together. They build little huts, about two feet in diametei', composed of herbs and rushes, cemented with clay, forming a dome-like covering : from these are several passages, in different directions, HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 419 by which they go out in quest of roots and other food. The hunters take them in the spring, by opening their holes, and letting the light suddenly in upon them. At that time their flesh is tolerably good, and is fre- quently eaten ; but in the summer it acquires a scent of musk, so strong as to render it perfectly unpalatable. THE MUSCOVY MUSK-RAT (Castor Moschatus, Lin. — Dcesman, Buff.) Is about the size of the common Rat : its nose is long and slender, like that of the Shrew-Mouse ; it has no external ears, and its eyes are very small ; the tail is compressed sideways, and its hind feet are webbed ; it is of a dusky colour ; the belly of a light ash. It is a native of Lapland and Russia, frequents the banks of rivers, and feeds on small fishes. It is often devoured by pikes and other fishes ; to which it com- municates so strong a flavour of musk, as renders them very unpleasant to the taste. From its tail is extracted a kind of musk, very much resembling the genuine sort. Their skins are frequent- ly laid among clothes to preserve them from moths. In Lapland it is called the Desman. 420 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE WATER-RAT (Mas Amphibius, Lin. — Le Rat d'eau, BufF.) Is much about the size of the land Rat ; its head and nose are thicker ; its eyes are small ; its ears short, scarcely appearing through the hair ; its teeth are large, strong, and yellow. In an old one which we examined, the lower incisors measured somewhat more than half an inch in length. The hair on its head and body is thicker and longer than that of the common Rat, and chiefly of a dark brown colour, mixed with red ; the belly is grey ; the tail five inches long, covered with short black hairs, and the tip with white. The Water-Rat generally frequents the sides of rivers, ponds, and ditches, where it burrows, and forms its nest. It feeds on frogs, small fish, and spawn ; swims and dives remarkably fast ; and can continue a long time imder water. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 421 THE RAT, (Mus Rattus, Lin. — Le Rat, BufF.) Though small, weak, and contemptible in its appear- ance, possesses properties which render it a more for- midable enemy to mankind, and more injurious to the ' interests of society, than even those animals that are endued with the greatest strength and most rapacious dispositions. To the one we can oppose united powers and superior arts ; with regard to the other, experience has convinced us, that no art can counteract the effects of its amazing fecundity, and that force is ineifectually opposed to an enemy possessed of such variety of means to elude it. There are two kinds known in this country — the Black Rat, which was formerly universal here, but is now very rarely seen, having been almost extirpated by the large brown kind, generally distinguished by the name of the Norway Rat. This formidable in- vader is now universally diffused through the whole country ; from whence every method has been tried in vain to exterminate it. It is about nine inches long ; of a light brown colour, mixed with tawny and ash ; 4 BufF.) Is smaller than the common Mouse, being only two inches and a half long from the nose to the tail : the nose is long and slender ; the ears short ; and the eyes, like those of the Mole, almost concealed in the fur. It is of a reddish brown colour ; the belly white. The two upper fore teeth of this animal are singularly con- structed, and deserve particular notice ; having a small barb on each side, so fine, as to be scarcely visible. The Shrew-Mouse frequents old walls and heaps of stones ; feeds on insects, corn, and putrid substances ; and is sometimes seen on dunghills, where it roots with its nose like a How. It has so stronar and disagreeable O CO a smell, that the Cat, after she has killed, refuses to eat it. It forms its nest of dry grass, moss, &c. on the sur- face of meadows or pastures, and is said to breed four or five young at a time. There seems to be an annual mortality, of these ani- mals in August, numbers of them being found dead in the fields, highways, &c. about that time. 3 H 2 428 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE WATER-SHREW-MOUSE (La Musaraigne d'Eau, Buff.) Is larger than the last. The upper part of its body is black ; the throat, breast, and belly, of a light ash co- lour. It is rarely to be seen ; frequents the banks of rivulets and marshy places, where it burrows. It is very numerous in Lincolnshire, but was never observed there till about twenty years ago. It is called, in that county, the Blmd Mouse, HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 429 THE DWARF-MOUSE Is a native of the Cape of Good Hope, where it was discovered, and first described, by Sparrman. It is distinguished from every other species of the genus, by four black lines along its back, from the head to the tail. It is supposed to be the most diminutive quadruped in the world, being scarcely two inches in length. In the annexed representation, it is drawn the natural size, and forms a striking contrast with those gigantic animals which inhabit that quarter of the world. 4^30 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE MOLE. (Talpa Europeus, Lin. — La TaupCf BufiP.) This animal, destined to seek its food and provide for its subsistence under the surface of the earth, is wonderfully adapted, by the all-wise Author of Nature, to its peculiar mode of living. It enjoys the senses of hearing and smelling in a very eminent degree : the former gives notice of every approach of danger; whilst the latter enables it to find its prey in the midst of darkness, and compensates in a great measure for an almost total want of sight. To an animal so circum- stanced, a larger degree of vision would be attended with manifest inconveniences, as well as liable to con- tinual injuries. We are told by anatomists, that, for theh" better security, the eyes of the Mole are furnish- ed with muscles, by which it has the power of with- drawing or exerting them at pleasure. Its eyes are extremely small, and perfectly hid in the fur. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 431 The form of this creature's body, and particularly the construction of its fore feet, are admirably adapted to the purpose of making its way in the earth, which it does with wonderful facility : these are quite naked, very broad, with large palms, almost like a hand : there are five toes on each, terminated with strong nails, very concave on the under side; and in place of a thumb, a strong bone under the skin. The hind feet are very small, with five slender toes, and a small thumb on the inside. Whenever it happens to be sur- prised on the surface of the ground, it disappears in an instant ; and every attempt to prevent its subterra- neous retreat would be vain. The Mole is mostly found in grounds where the soil is loose and soft, and affords the greatest quantity of worms and insects, on which it feeds. The female brings forth in the spring, and generally produces four or five at a time. The young are quite naked, and continue so till they. are grown to a consi- derable size. It makes its nest a little below the sur- face of the ground, forming a commodious apartment, where it prepares a warm bed of moss and herbage : from this there are several passages in different direc- tions, to which it can retreat with its young ones in case of danger; into these likewise it makes excursions in quest of food. In the act of forming its tracks or runs, it throws up large heaps of mould, which are extremely injurious in meadows, grass lands, and cul- tivated grounds. Its destruction is consequently an object of importance to farmers, gardeners, &c. The skin of the Mole is extremely tough; its fur short, close set, and softer than the finest velvet, or perhaps the fur of any other animal. 432 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS, THE RADIATED MOLE (Sorex CristatuSi Lin.) Is less than the common Mole, being not quite four inches long : its fur is very close, short, and fine : it is a native of North America, feeds on roots, and forms subterraneous passages in different directions. There is a kind, found in Siberia, with a very short nose, and no tail. It is of a beautiful green and gold colour, variable with the light. There are some other varieties, that differ chiefly in the colour of the hair; such as the Yelloio Mole of North America, which is larger than the European. Its hair is soft, and of a silky gloss. That which is found in Virginia, resembles the com- mon Mole. It is of a black colour, mixed with deep purple. It is said that hats, peculiarly fine and beautiful, have been made of the fur of the Mole. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 433 THE OPOSSUM. (DidelphiSi Lin. — L' Opossum, Buff.) This animal is found in great numbers in various parts of North and South America, and was supposed by BufFon to. belong entirely to the new continent. We are now, however, assured, that it exists in many of the Indian islands. Several varieties of the Opos- sum kind have been seen also in the newly discovered ountries in the South Seas. THE SARAGOY. THE MURINE. The Saragoy, or Mulucca Opossubi of Mr Pen- nant, is about the size of a Cat : its head is long ; nose sharp and pointed ; ears large, thin, and naked ; eyes small, black, and lively, having a white spot above each of them: its fur is soft, long, and of a dusky ash colour ; its belly white ; its tail is similar to that of a 3 I 434 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. Rat, naked and scaly, excepting a small part near the body, which is covered with hair ; its legs are short ; and its feet or hands not unlike those of a Monkey, having five toes or fingers on each ; the thumbs on the hind feet are destitute of nails. But the peculiar and distinguishing characteristic of the Opossum is a pouch or false belly, in which the female deposits her young immediately after they are brought forth, and nourishes them in it till they are able to provide for themselves. The Chevalier d'Aboville, whilst in America, during the late war, in order to be satisfied respecting the time of its gestation, manner of bringing forth, and suckling its young, procured a male and female Opossum, which he tamed, and kept in his chamber till they copulated. Ten days after, he observed a considerable alteration in the size and form of the pouch ; its aperture being wider than it was before, and its orifice thicker : from that time it gradually grew closer, leaving only a small opening in the middle, similar to a navel : on the fif- teenth day he introduced his finger, and found at the bottom of the bag a small round body, about the size of a pea: the twenty-fifth day he could feel a motion under his finger. After the young had been a month in the pouch, they were plainly to be seen, on opening it a little. At the end of two mouths, on examining the pouch, there appeared to be six young ones, all of them attached to the mother by a canal that entered the mouth, which, if withdrawn, could not be replaced; but when six weeks old, the young Opossum could re- sume it by strong suction, the mouth being then large enough to receive the pap, which is about two lines in length, and the size of the second or third string of a violin. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 4>S5 The number of the young varies from five to ten or eleven. The paps are not disposed in regular order, as in other animals, but seem as if they were formed in those places where the embryos attach themselves to the mo- ther. The Opossum is a slow, helpless animal, when on the ground ; but climbs trees with great ease and quick- ness; sometimes conceals itself among the branches, and surprises the birds that come .within its reach. It frequently hangs suspended by its tail, and in that si- tuation, watches for its prey, which it darts upon with great agility. By means of this tail, the Opossum flings itself from one tree to another. It feeds on birds, reptiles, insects, roots, leaves, and bark of trees. It is easily tamed, is neither mischievous nor ferocious ; but its figure is dis- agreeable, and the odour that exhales from its skin rank and disgusting. THE MURINE OPOSSUM (Didelphis Murina, Lin. — La Marmose, BufF,) Inhabits the warmest parts of South America. It re- sembles the former, but is much less. Its food and manner of living are likewise very similar to it. It brings forth from ten to fourteen young at a time; but, instead of a bag, the female has two longitudinal folds under her belly, within which the young are se- cured. When first produced, they are not larger than beans, and remain closely attached to the teat till they attain sufficient growth and strength to provide for themselves. 3 I 2 436 HISTORY OP QUADRUPEDS. '■'-^-aij^ai THE MEXICAN OPOSSUM Differs little fi-om the preceding, either in size or form. It is found in the mountainous parts of New Spain, and lives in trees. Its tail is useful in twisting round the branches, and securing its hold. The young attach themselves to their mother by their hands and tails ; and upon the least alarm, em- brace her closely ; whilst she carries them to the shelter of some neighbouring tree. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 437 THE PHALANGER Is somewhat larger than a Rat : its nose is thick ; ears short and hairy ; its fur is of a reddish colour, varie- gated with light ash and yellow ; the under part of the body yellowish white ; it is distinguished from all those of the Opossum kind we have hitherto mentioned, in having the first and second toes of the hind feet closely united ; its claws are large ; tail long, very broad and thick at its junction with the body, and naked at the end. It inhabits the East Indies. 4^8 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDSt THE SPOTTED OPOSSUM OF NEW SOUTH WALES. The general colour of this animal is black; the body spotted with irregular roundish patches of white ; the ears are large and erect; muzzle long, pointed, and furnished with long slender whiskers; both fore and hind legs thinly covered with hair of an ash co- lour; on the fore feet it has five claws, and on the hind four ; length, from nose to tail, about twenty-five inches ; tail thick and bushy, like that of a Squirrel, except a part near the body, which is small, and co- vered with short hairs. The female has six teats, placed circularly within the pouch. THE VULPINE OPOSSUM OF NEW SOUTH WALES Is long-nosed and short-legged ; from the nose to the insertion of the tail, measures two feet two inches; tail fifteen inches ; upper part of the body grisly, consist- HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 439 ing of dusky, reddish, and white hairs ; the under parts light tawny ; two-thirds of the tail black ; a blackish space round each eye ; long black whiskers ; five toes on the fore feet, and four on the hind, with a thumb of two joints placed at the base of the inner toe ; the toes of the fore feet are long, and answer the pur- pose of a hand ; the ears are about an inch and a half in length; in the upper jaw are six cutting teeth, four grinders, and two canine teeth ; in the lower jaw, two long cutting teeth, like those of a Squirrel, and four grinders, but no canine teeth. -^r- */■ THE FLYING OPOSSUM OF NEW SOUTH WALES. Its nose is pointed ; its ears large and erect ; the fur more delicate, and of a finer texture, than that of the Sea-Otter; is of a beautiful dark colour, and very glossy, mixed with grey; the under parts white; on 440 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS* each hip is a tan-coloured spot ; the rar is continued to the claws ; the sailing membrane is the same as that of the Grey Squirrel, but broader in proportion ; on the fore legs it has five toes, with a claw on each ; on the hind ones, four toes, and a long thumb, which enables the animal to use it as a hand ; it is remarka- ble, that the three outside claws of the hind feet are not separated like the others. THE OPOSSUM OF VAN DIEMEN's LAND Was discovered in January, 1777, by Captain Cook, who describes it as about twice the size of a large Rat. It is covered with long soft glossy hair, of a rusty brown colour ; its belly is of a dirty white. It inhabits Van Diemen's Land, the southern point of New Holland. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 441 THE SQUIRREL OPOSSUM. We are favoured with a drawinfj of this beautiful animal, taken from a living one in the possession of the reverend Mr Egerton, prebendary of Durham, by the ingenious Mr Carfrae. It is a native of New South Wales ; is about eigh- teen inches long, exclusive of the tail, which is twelve : its head is broad, and pointed at the muzzle, which is furnished with long whiskers; its eyes are full, exceed- ingly prominent, and of a fiery redness ; it has five claws on the fore feet, three on the hind, and a thumb ; two cutting teeth on each jaw, the upper projecting beyond the under. Its manners are similar to those of a Squirrel. It sits up, holds its food in its fore paws with great dexterity, and feeds itself. When irritated, it sits still more erect, or throws itself upon its back, making a loud and harsh noise. It feeds on vegeta- bles, small birds, &c. 3 K 442 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS, The fur is long, soft, and very close ; of a mixed' brown or greyish colour on the back ; the under parts of a yellowish white. Its tail is prehensile, very broad at the base, tapers to the end, and is naked on the un- der side. The female is furnished with a pouch. THE KANGUROO Is a native of New Holland, where it was first disco- vered by Sir Joseph Banks. Its head is small and taper, ears large and erect, upper lip divided, the end of the nose black, nostrils wide, lower jaw shorter than the upper, and there are whiskers on both ; it likewise has strong hairs above and below the eyes ; its head, neck and shoulders, are small ; the lower parts of the body increasing in thickness to the rump ; its tail is EIISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 4>4S long, very thick near the rump, and taper; its fore feet are extremely short, and are mostly used in dig- ging or bringing its food to its mouth ; it moves alto- gether on its hind legs, making successive bounds of ten or twelve feet, with such rapidity, as to outstrip the fleetest greyhound. In hopping forward, the whole weight of the hinder parts is supported by the tail. It springs from rock to rock, and leaps over bushes seven or eight feet high, with great ease ; it has five toes on its fore feet, three on the hind, the middle one very long ; the inner claw is divided down the middle into two parts. The Kanguroo rests on its hind legs, which are hard, black, and naked on the under side. Its fur is short and soft, of a reddish ash colour, lighter on the lower parts. It is the only quadruped our colonists have yet met with in New South Wales that supplies them with ani- mal food. There are two kinds. The largest that had been shot weighed about 140lbs., and measured, from the point of the nose to the end of the tail, six feet one inch ; the tail, two feet one inch ; head eight inches ; fore legs, one foot ; hind legs, two feet eight inches ; circumference of the fore part of the body, near the legs, one foot one inch ; and of the hind part, three feet. The smaller kind seldom exceed 60lbs. This animal is furnished with a pouch, similar to that of the Opossum, in which its young are nursed and sheltered. 3 K 2 44<4 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE KANGUROO-RAT OF NEW SOUTH WALES Is about the size of a Rabbit, and in shape resembles the Kanguroo, both in respect to the shortness of the fore legs, and the peculiar use and construction of the hind ones ; the form of the head is like that of a Rat, and its body nearly of the same colour ; in the upper jaw it has two long cutting teeth, with three short ones on each side of them ; in the lower jaw, two long cut- tino; teeth, and three oninders on each side. The female, like most of the animals of the country, has a pouch, like the Opossum. It feeds on vegetables, burrows in the ground, and is very tame and inoffensive. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 445 THE YELLOW MACAUCO. THE RING-TAILED MACAUCO. (Lemur Catta, Lin. — Le Mococo, BufF.) The Ring-tailed Macauco is a very beautiful ani- mal, about the size of a Cat. Its body and limbs are long and slender ,• its tail very long, and marked with alternate bars of black and white : in the conformation of its paws, it seems to approach the Monkey kind ; but its nose is long and sharp, like that of a Fox, and its ears are also large and pointed : its head and throat are white ; eyes large, and surrounded with black : its fur is glossy, soft, and delicate, of a reddish ash colour on the back ; belly white. 44.6 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. It is found in Madagascar and the neighbouring isles, is very playful, but not mischievous. When in motion, it makes a sort of galloping progress in an oblique direction, and carries its tail almost erect ; but when sitting, it is twisted round the body, and brought over its head. Troops of thirty or forty are sometimes seen together. It is a cleanly animal ; and when taken young, may be easily tamed. The Yellow Macauco has been classed with the Weasel tribe by Mr Pennant, in his History of Qua- drupeds ; and it seems to bear some general resemblance to that species of animals. Its head is flat and broad ; its ears are short, eyes small, body long and slender, legs and thighs short and thick, and it has five straight toes on each foot : its fur is short, soft, and glossy, of a black colour, mixed with yellow, on the back ; the cheeks, inside of the legs, and belly, yellow ; along the back, from head to tail, there is a broad dusky stripe ; and another on the belly, halfway from the tail, which is nearly as long as its body, of a bright tawny colour, mixed with black, and has the same prehensile faculty as those of some kinds of Monkies. Its length, from nose to tail, is nineteen inches. One of this species was shewn in London some years ago, and was said to have been brought from Jamaica, where it is called the Potto. It was good-natured and sportive, would catch hold of any. thing with its tail, and suspend itself by it. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 447 THE TAILLESS MACAITCO. (Lemur Tardigradus, Lin.) THE MONGOOZ. (Lemur Mongooz, Lin. — Xe Mongooz, Buff.) The Tailless Macauco is found in Ceylon and Bengal, lives in woods, and feeds on fruits j is fond of eggs and small birds, which it devours greedily. It is a very inactive animal, and its motions slow j very tenacious of its hold, and makes a plaintive noise. Its head is small, and nose pointed ; each eye is edged with a circle of white, which is also surrounded 44S HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. with another of black ; its body is covered with a short silky fur, of a reddish ash colour ; the toes naked ; nails flat, except those on the inner toes of the bind feet, which are sharp and crooked. Its length, from the nose to the rinnp, is sixteen inches. The MoNGooz is nearly of the same size as the Ring-tailed Macauco. Its fur is fine, soft, and woolly, of a deep brownish ash colour ; the eyes are of a beautiful orange colour, surrounded with black; the ears are short; cheeks white; end of the nose black; the tail very long, and covered with hair of the same sort and colour as the body ; iU hands and feet are naked, and of a dusky colour ; its nails, except one upon the inner toe of each hind foot, are flat. It inhabits Madagascar and the isles adjacent, sleeps in trees, is very playful and good-natured, feeds on fruits, is extremely tender, and cannot bear any change to a less temperate climate. THE LORIS Is a very slender animal, and differs greatly from the preceding, both in form and manners. It is not much larger than a Squirrel, but its limbs are longer; the hind legs greatly exceed the fore in length ; the thumbs on each foot are more distinct and separate from the toes than those of other Macaucos ; its nose is pointed, like that of a Dog; its forehead high ; ears round and thin ; its fur is short and deli- cately soft, of a tawny colour on the back, and whitish below : it has no tail. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 449 The Loris is a native of Ceylon, very active, lives in trees, and feeds on fruits. Seba says, the male climbs the trees, and tastes the fruit before he presents it to his mate. THE BLACK MACAUCO (Lemur Niger, Lin. — Le Vari, Buff.) Is larger than the Mongooz. It is a native of Mada- gascar, is very fierce, and makes a loud noise in the vi'oods ; but when tamed, is gentle and good-natured. Its eyes are of a deep orange colour. Round its head, the hair is long, and stands out like a ruff. The general colour of this animal is black ; but some are white, spotted with black. The feet are black and naked. THE TARSIER Is remarkable for the great length of its hind legs, in which it resembles the Jerboa; has four slender toes and a distinct thumb on each foot : its visage is point- ed ; eyes large and prominent ; ears erect, broad, and naked ; its hair is soft and woolly, of a deep ash co- lour, mixed with tawny : its length, from the nose to the rump, is nearly six inches ; the tail is nine inches long, round, scaly, almost naked, like that of a Rat, and tufted at the end. It is found in some of the remote islands of India, especially Amboyna. 3 L 450 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS, ANIMALS OF THE MONKEY KIND, We now come to the description of a numerous race of animals, consisting of a greater variety of kinds, and making nearer approaches to the human species, both in form and action, than any other class of quadrupeds. Monkies are found only in the warmest parts of the world, and chiefly in the torrid zone. They abound ill the woods of Africa, from Senegal to the Cape of Good Hope, and from thence to Ethiopia ; in all parts of India, and its isles ; in the South of China ; in Ja- pan ; and in South America, from the Isthmus of Da- rien as far as Paraguay. A species or two are also met with in Arabia and the province of Barbary. On account of the numbers and different appearances of these animals, they have been divided into three classes, and described under the following denomina- tions; viz. — Apes, or such as have no tails; Baboons, or such as have short tails ; Monkies, or such as have long tails. In the Ape kind, we see the whole external machine strongly impressed with the human likeness, and capa- ble of similar exertions ; they walk upright, their pos- teriors are fleshy, their legs are furnished with calves, and their hands and feet are nearly like the human. In the Baboon we perceive a more distant resem- blance of the human form : he generally goes upon all four, seldom upright, but when constrained to it in a state of servitude. Some of them are as tall as a man^ They have short tails, long faces, sunk eyes, are ex- HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 451 tremely disgusting, lascivious, and possessed of the most brutal fierceness. The Monkey kind are removed still farther, and are much less than the former. Their tails are gene- rally longer than their bodies ; and although they sit upon their posteriors, they always move upon all four. They are a lively active race of animals, full of frolic and grimace, greatly addicted to thieving, and extreme- ly fond of imitating human actions, but always with a mischievous intention. «RiDiiiBiiDiaiwmniniHDnuDiimiinnninl 3 L 2 452 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE ORAN-OUTANG, OR WILD MAN OF THE WOODS, f Simla Satyrus, Lin. — Le Pongo, Buff.) Is the largest of all the Ape kind, and makes the near- est approach to the human figure. One of this kind, dissected by Dr Tyson, has been very accurately de- scribed by him. The principal external differences pointed out by that learned physician, consisted in the great length of the arms, and shortness of the thighs; the thumb is also much smaller, and the palm of the hand longer and narrower, than in man ; the form of the feet is very dissimilar, the toes being much longer, and the large toe placed at a greater distance from the others; the forehead is higher, the nose flat, and the HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 453 eyes much sunk : beside these, that anatomist has enu- merated a variety of essential differences in the internal conformation of the Oran-Outang ; all of which suffi- ciently evince, that, though he has the strongest affini- ty to the human form of any other quadruped, yet, as BuffiDU elegantly observes, " the interval which sepa- rates the two species is immense ; the resemblance in figure and organization, and the movements of imita- tion which seem to result from these similarities, nei- ther make him approach the nature of man, nor elevate him above that of the brute." The Oran-Outang is found in the interior parts of Africa, in Madagascar, Borneo, and some parts of the East Indies. It is a solitary animal, avoids mankind, and lives only in the most desert places. The largest of the kind are said to be about six feet high, very active, powerful, and intrepid, capable of overcoming the strongest man : they are likewise ex- ceedingly swift, and cannot easily be taken alive. They live entirely on fruits and nuts, will sometimes attack and kill the negroes who wander in the woods, and drive away the Elephants that happen to approach too near the place of their residence. It is said that they sometimes surprise the female negroes, and carry them off into the woods, where they compel them to stay with them. When taken young, however, the Oran-Outang is capable of being tamed, and rendered extremely do- cile. One of them shewn in London some years ago, was taught to sit at table, make use of a spoon or fork in eating its victuals, and drink wine or other liquors 454 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. out of a glass. It was extremely mild, affectionate, and good-natured ; much attached to its keeper, and obe- dient to his commands. Its aspect was grave, and its disposition melancholy. It was young, and only two feet four inches high. Its body was covered with hair of a black colour, which was much thicker and closer on the back than on the fore part of the body; the hands and soles of the feet were naked, and of a dusky colour. THE PIGMY APE. (Simla SylvanuSf Lin. — Le PithequCy Buff.) A variety, found in Guinea, Ethiopia, and other parts of Africa, much smaller than the last, being not more than a foot and a half in length. It is very tract- able, good-natured, and easily tamed; is supposed to have been the Pithecos of the ancients. It lives in woods, and feeds on fruits and insects. Troops of them assemble together, and defend themselves from the attacks of wild beasts in the desert, by throwing a cloud of sand behind them, which blinds their pursuers, and facilitates their escape. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 455 THE LONG-ARMED APE (Le Grand Gibbon, Buff.) Is distinguished by the extraordinary length of its arms, which reach to the ground when its body is up- right, and give it a disgusting appearance. Its face is flat, and of a tawny colour, surrounded with a circle of grey hairs, which adds to the singularity of its aspect ; its eyes are large and deep sunk; ears round and naked ; body covered on all parts with black rough hair, except its buttocks, which are quite naked. It is a mild, gentle, and tractable animal ; feeds on fruits, leaves, and the bark of trees ; is a native of the East Indies, Sumatra, and the Molucca isles; and measures from three to four feet in height. 456 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. '"•^^m^ THE BARBARY APE (Simia Inuus, Lin. — Le Magot, Buff.) Is wilder and more untractable than the others. His head is large, and his nose prominent : he likewise dif- fers from the last, in having cheek pouches, which he frequently fills with food before he begins to eat : the canine teeth are large and strong; ears round, and somewhat like those of a man ; the body is covered with hair of a brown colour, inclining to green ; lighter on the belly. When standing erect upon his hind legs he is generally two feet and a half or three feet high. He walks oftener on four than on two feet ; and when resting, supports his body on two prominent callosities, situated on his buttocks. This is a very common species, and is found in most parts of Africa, from Barbary to the Cape of Good Hope. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 457 THE BABOON (Simla Sphi/nx, Lin.) Differs from animals of the Ape kind, not only in ex- ternal appearance, but also in temper and disposition. Fierce, untractable, and libidinous, its disposition seems to partake of the hideous and disgusting deformities of its outward figure. Its body is thick, compact, and nervous, and its strength prodigious. Neither art nor caresses can render it in any degree docile or obedient. It seems to be continually fretting with rage, and seek- ing every opportunity of shewing its savage and vicious propensities. In a state of captivity, it must be kept closely confined ; and even in that state, we have seen one shake the bars of his cage so powerfully with his hands, as to excite the utmost terror in the spectators. This animal, of which we have given a very faithful 3 M 458 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. representation from the life, M'as about four feet high when standing on its hind legs : its head was large, shoulders of an amazing strength and thickness, its muzzle long and thick, eyes small and deep sunk, its canine teeth very large and formidable, and it had pouches in its cheeks : the hair on its head was long, and formed a very elegant tupee from its forehead and each side of its face, which, when angry, it erected ; the hair on the body was uniformly of a light reddish brown ; the tail short, and darker at the end ; buttocks red and naked. The Baboon inhabits the hottest parts of Africa ; feeds on fruits, roots, and other vegetables. Numerous troops sometimes make their appearance, plundering gardens and cultivated grounds. They are extremely dexterous in throwing the fruit from one to another, and by this means will do incredible damage in a very short time. The female brings forth only one young at a time, which she carries in her arms, and suckles at her breast. Notwithstanding its libidinous disposition, it will not breed in temperate climates. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 4,59 ''**5S^^m(mmmmi™,,„,,mJ)iHas«a^ THE RIBBED-NOSE BABOON. ( Simla Maimon, Lin. — Le Mandrill, Buff.) This singular creature is no less remarkable for its great size and strength, than for the variety of beauti- ful colours on different parts of its body. Its nose is marked with broad ribs on each side, of a fine violet- blue colour : a vermilion line begins a little above the eyes ; and running down on each side of the nose, which is somewhat similar to that of a Hog, spreads over the tip of it : the insides of the ears are bluCj which gradually softens to a purple, and terminates in vermilion; the rump is also of a vermilion colour; and 3 M 2 460 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. the beautiful colours on the hips are gradations from red to blue; the l),air on the forehead is long, turns back, and forms a kind of pointed crest ; its beard is dark at the roots, orange at the middle, and yellow at the end ; the back and legs are covered with short hair, of a dark brown colour, mixed with yellow ; the breast and belly with long whitish hair, speckled with small dark spots ; its tail is short and hairy, nails flat, feet and hands black and naked. One of this kind was exhibited about twelve years ago in the North of England. It was five feet high, extremely fierce, libidinous, and strong. At the sight of women, it discovered marks of the most violent passion: it once ciiught hold of a lady, who was so in- cautious as to approach too near it ; and she was with some difficulty rescued by the interference of the keep- er. Its voice was strong and harsh, not unlike the ordinary growl of the Lion. It generally went upon its four feet, unless obliged by its keeper to stand erect. Its most usual attitude was sitting on its rump, with its arms placed before it. This creature inhabits the hottest parts of Africa. Schreber says, it lives on succulent fruits and nuts, is fond of eggs, will put eight at once into its pouches, then take them out one by one, break them at the end, and swallow the contents. Our representation of this animal was done from a drawing in the possession of the Rev. Mr Egerton, taken from the life by an eminent painter. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 461 THE SMALL RIBBED-NOSE BABOON. The annexed cut was done from the living animal, in the possession of Mr Rayne, surgeon, in Newcastle. It is about fifteen inches in height ; its face flat, of a fine blue colour; eyes bright hazel; the cheeks marked with small ribs, bounded with fine bushy hair, of a greenish colour, finely speckled with black; the hair on the forehead is very long, and runs up to a point on the top of the shoulders ; the muzzle is thick, and fur- nished with short hair, thinly scattered on each side ; it has a short thin beard, ending in a point, which is of an orange colour; the hair on the body is dark brown, mixed with shades of green on the back and sides ; the haunches dusky ; the ears are small, naked, and pointed; the tail short and hairy; the buttocks bare, and of a red flesh colour ; hands and feet naked : it has cheek pouches ; feeds on fruits, nuts, roots, and other vegetables. It is lively and playful, walks com- monly on all four, is in continual motion, and leaps with astonishing agility. This species is said to come from the coast of Guinea. 462 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE PIG-TAILED BABOON, (Simla Nemestrina, Lin. — Le Mawion, BuflF.) So termed from its short, naked, pig-like tail, is the least of all the Baboon kind ; a gentle, mild, and tract- able animal ; very lively and frolicsome, but has none of that impudent petulance so peculiar to most of its species. Its muzzle is large and thick ; face and ears naked, and of a flesh colour ; the hair on the head and back is of a deep olive, palest on the bell}^; it has hazel eyes, cheek pouches, callosities on the buttocks, which are naked, and of a red colour. It is a native of Su- matra and Japan. One of this kind was shewn in the North in 1788, from which this drawing was made. It is a curious circumstance, that not only this, but every animal of the Baboon and Monkey kind we have yet seen, have shewn a remarkable greediness for to- bacco, mustard, and even snuff, which they eat with- HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 4i63 out expressing the smallest inconvenience, and always seem extremely desirous of more. THE DOG-FACED BABOON ( Simla Hamadryas, Lin.) Is distinguished by a longer tail than the rest of its kind : in this respect it seems to bear some affinity to the Monkey, and has been mentioned under that deno- mination by several naturalists. We may observe here, that, in tracing the progress of animated Nature, we are led, by the most imper- ceptible gradations, from one kind to another: the line of separation seems so faintly drawn, that we are fre- quently at a loss how to fix the boundaries of one class without encroaching upon those of another; and not- 4f64 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS, withstanding the regularity and order which every where prevail among the numerous families that inha- bit the earth, the best and most improved systems of arrangement fall infinitely short of precision : they serve indeed, to direct us to the general characters which form the distinguishing features of each genus, but are very inadequate to discriminate the intermin- gled shades and nice touches by which all are diver- sified. The drawing of this animal was taken from one shewn in London under the name of the Persian Sa- vage. Its head was large ; muzzle long and thick ; eyes small ; face naked, and of an olive colour ; the hair on its forehead separated in the middle, and hung down on each side of the face ; from thence down its back as far as its waist, it was long and shaggy^ of a bluish grey colour, freckled with dark spots ; the hair on the lower part of the body short ; its buttocks bare and red. That described by Mr Pennant, which seems to agree with this, is represented as very fierce and untractable. It inhabits the hottest parts of Africa and Asia, lives in troops, and commits great depredations in gardens and cultivated grounds ; is above five feet high, exceed- ingly strong, vicious, and impudent. THE URSINE BABOON Is not unlike the last, but rather less. Its nose is long ; head large; ears short; forehead high and prominent, terminating in a ridge ; the body thick and strong, co- vered with long dusky hair, which gives it the appear- HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 465 ance of a young Bear ; its tail is half the length of the body ; buttocks red. This animal is very numerous about the Cape of Good Hope. Troops of them assemble together, and make expeditions for the sake of plunder, in which they observe the utmost precaution. To prevent sur- prise, they place a centinel, which upon sight of a man, gives a loud yell ; when the whole troop retreats with the greatest precipitation. It is highly entertain- ing to see the females carrying off their young onetj clinging to their backs ; whilst their pouches are cram- med so full of fruitj that they seem ready to burst. They sometimes form a line, and throw the fruit from one to another, in order to carry it off the more expe- ditiously. THE WANDEROU Is a native of Ceylon and the East Indies. Its head is thick and long, and surrounded with a large quantity of white hair, which falls down below the chin, forming a rough, shaggy beard; the rest of the body is covered with a dark brown coat, almost black. Like all ani- mals of this kind, it is wild and vicious; but when taken young, may easily be tamed; and appears to be more susceptible of education than other Baboons. There are several varieties of this species. The bo- die3 of some are black, with white beards ; in others, the body is whitish, and the beard black : some are found entirely white ; but this species is extremely rare, and is said to be stronger and more mischievous than the others. 3 N 466 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. These bearded Baboons are much esteemed for the gravity of their appearance; and are used by the Indians in their ceremonies and shows, in which they are said to acquit themselves to the admiration of the spectators. THE HARE-LIPPED MONKEY. ( Simia Cynomolgus, Lin. — Le Macaque, Buff.) We have placed this animal next to the Baboons, because it makes the nearest approach to them in the form of its body, which is short and thick : its head and muzzle are large ; its visage ugly, naked, and wrinkled ; and its nostrils divided, like those of a Hare: its tail, however, is long, like that of a Monkey : the colour of the hair on the upper part of the body is a greenish ash, lighter on the breast and belly. There are several varieties, which differ both in size and colour. This animal is found in Guinea, Congo, and some of the southern parts of Africa. They go in troops, and do infinite mischief to the plantations of millet, which they carry off under their arms and in their mouths. They are extremely nice and delicate in their choice; and by pulling up what does not please them, do more damage than by what they really eat. THE PATAS, OR RED MONKEY, Is nearly of the same size as the last, and inhabits the same country ; its body is, however, rather longer, its face less hideous, and its hair more beautiful. It is re- markable for the brilliancy of its coat, which is of so bright a red, as to have the appearance of being painted. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 467 There are two varieties of this kind : the one is dis- tinguished by a black line above the eyes, extending from ear to ear ; in (he other, the line is white. Both have long hair under the chin, and round the cheeks ; which in the first is yellow, and in the second white : the nose is black ,• the under part of the body of an ash colour, tinged with yellow. These Monkies are very numerous on the banks of the river Senegal. They are so curious, as sometimes to descend from the tops of trees to the extremities of the branches, while boats are passing, and seem to ob- serve them with great attention. If not disturbed, their familiarity becomes troublesome ; they break off branches, throw them at the passengers, and frequently with so sure an aim, as to annoy them not a little ; but upon being shot at, they set up most hideous cries, en- deavour to revenge themselves by collecting more of- fensive materials, such as stones, dirt, &c. which they throw at the enemy, and soon retire. Travellers relate that, in Guinea, Monkies are fre- quently seen together in troops of forty or fifty, plun- dering gardens and fields of corn with great boldness. One of them stands on a tree, listens and looks about on all sides, while the rest are busy. Upon the least appearance of interruption, he sets up a loud cry to alarm the party ; when they immediately fly off with the booty they have collected, leaping from tree to tree with prodigious agility. 468 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE CHINESE BONNET MONKEY Appears to be only a variety of the Malbrouck : the principal difference consists in its having the hair on its head disposed in the form of a flat bonnet, from which its name has been derived. It inhabits the same country, and lives in the same manner. When fruits and succulent plants fail, these animals are said to eat insects, and sometimes watch by the sea- side for crabs and other shell-fish, which they are very dexterous in catching. They are never thoroughly tamed, and cannot be trusted without a chain. They do not breed when in a state of confinement, even in their own country; but require to be at perfect freedom in their native woods. THE MANGABEY C Simla ^thiops, Lin.) Is distinguished from all other Monkies by a very re- markable character. Its eye-lids are naked, of a pure white colour ; and round each eye there is a prominent ring : the hair on the head and body is of a yellowish brown colour ; that on the belly white. Some of them have a broad collar of white hair surrounding their neck and face. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 469 THE GREEN MONKEY, (Simia Sabcea, Lin. — Le Callitriche) BufF.) So called from its beautiful hair, which, on the upper part of the body and tail, is of a fine green colour ; the throat, belly, and inner side of the limbs are of a sil- very whiteness : the tail is eighteen inches long ; length of the body thirteen, height eight and a half. It is common in the Cape de Verd islands and the East Indies, and is also found in Mauritania, and in the territories of ancient Carthage. Hence it is pro- bable, says M. BufFon, that it was known to the Greeks and Romans, and that it was one of those long-tailed Monkies, to which they gave the general name of Callitrix. It seems to be the same kind as that mentioned by Adanson ; who relates, that the woods of Podor, along the river Niger, are full of green Apes, which, from their colour, are scarcely discernible among the branches of the trees where they live. The animal from which the above was taken was a female, in the possession of William Hargrave, Esq. of Shawdon. 470 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE MUSTACHE ( Simla Cepkus, Lin. — Le Moustac, BufF.) Is a beautiful little animal, having a tuft of yellow hair on each cheek, and another on the top of the head, which is long and upright : its face is of a bluish co- lour, body of a greenish ash, breast and belly lighter. Its length is only one foot ; that of the tail eighteen inches. It is a native of Guinea. THE TALAPOIN Is a native of the East Indies, where it is suifered to multiply without molestation, owing to the religious tenets of the Bramins, which forbid them to take the life of any kind of animal whatever. They are so tame and familial", that numbers of them frequently come into their towns, enter the houses, and, if not prevent- ed, help themselves to whatever they meet with that is agreeable to them ; such as fruits, sweatmeats, &c. The Talapoin is about twelve inches long : its head is round ; ears black, and shaped like the human ; eyes of a bright hazel colour, with black pupils ; the hair on the back, upper part of the body, and limbs, of a dusky yellow, tinged with green ; the belly lighter ; its tail very long, slender, and of an olive colour. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 471 THE VARIED MONKEY, OR MONA, (La Money Buff.) Is the best known of all the Monkey-tribe, being more frequently brought into Europe than any other. It is a native of Barbary and other northern parts of Africa, Arabia, and Persia; where it is called the MoNA, from which our general term is derived. Its nose is short and thick ; its face of a dark lead colour ; the beard on each side long, and of a greenish yellow ; the top of the head is bright yellow, freckled with black ; back and sides deep brown, with black freckles ; legs, feet, and tail, black ; inside of the thighs of a pale blue colour, thinly covered with whitish hairs ; and on each side of the rump, close by the tail, is a large white spot. The drawing and description were taken from the living animal, in the possession of Robert Hedley, Esq. of Newcastle. It was remarkably gentle, tame, and familiar ; and seemed to have some attachment to those with whom it was acquainted. Its length was eighteen inches; tail about two feet. It was fed with 472 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. bread, roasted meat, and fruit of all kinds, of which it was particularly fond. All the Baboons and Monkies we have yet describedj are furnished with cheek-pouches, capable of contain- ing food sufficient to supply them for a day or two: they also serve as receptacles for whatever they obtain more than supplies their present wants. But we have thought it unnecessary to repeat this circumstance in the account of every animal of those kinds. THE DOUC Differs from other Monkies, in having no callosities on its buttocks, which are entirely covered with hair ; it is also much larger, being nearly four feet high when erect. Its face is short and rather flat, furnished on each side with long hairs of a pale yellow colour ; its body is beautifully variegated with differently coloured hair ; round the neck there is a collar of a bluish pur- ple colour ; the top of the head and body are grey ; breast and belly yellow ; arms white below, and black above ; tail white ; feet black ; face and ears red ; lips black ; and round each eye there is a black ring. It is found in Cochin-China, and in the island of Mada- gascar ; where it is called the Sifac. M. Buffon places the Douc in the last class of those animals of the Monkey kind that belong to the old con- tinent, and describes it as forming a shade between them and the Monkies of America, which he distin- guishes by the generic names of Sapajous and Sa- GOiNS. They both of them differ from Monkies, in having neither cheek-pouches nor callosities on their buttocks ; and they are distinguished from each other HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 473 by characters peculiar to each. The Sapajou is fur- nished with a prehensile tail, the under part of which is generally covered with a smooth naked skin: the animal can coil it up or extend it at pleasure, suspend itself by its extremity on the branches of trees, or use it as a hand to lay hold of any thing it wants. The tails of all the Sagoins, on the contrary, are longer than those of the Sapajous, straight, flaccid, and entirely covered with hair. This diiFerence alone is sufficient to distinguish a Sapajou from a Sagoin. We now proceed to the history and description of the most remarkable of this numerous race. THE PREACHER (Simla Beelzebub, Lin. — L'Otmrine, Buff.) Is the largest of all the American Mbnkies, being about the size of a large Fox. Its body is covered with long smooth hair, of a shining black colour, forming a kind of ruff round the animal's neck : its tail is long, and always twisted at the end. Great numbers of these Monkies inhabit the woods of Brazil and Guiana ; and from the noise they make, are called Hoxvling Monkies. Several of them assemble together; and placing themselves in a kind of regular order, one of them begins first with a loud tone, which may be heard to a great distance ; the rest soon join in a general chorus, the most dissonant and hideous that can be conceived : on a sudden they all stop, except the first, who finishes singly ; and the assembly breaks up. These Monkies are said to be very fierce, and so 3 o 474 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. wild and mischievous, that they can neither be con- quered nor tamed. They feed on fruits, grain, herbs, and sometimes insects ; live in trees, and leap from bough to bough with wonderful agility, catching hold with their hands and tails as they throw themselves from one branch to another, and maintain themselves so firmly, that even when shot, they remain fixed to the trees where they die. The flesh of the Preacher is good ; and is not only eaten by the natives, but also by Europeans who fre- quent those parts. THE COAITA Is somewhat less than the Preacher. Its face is naked and red ; ears short ; its body and limbs are long and slender ; hair black and rough ; tail long, and naked on the under side. This animal is found in the neighbourhood of Car- thagena, in Guiana, Brazil, and Peru. Great num- bers associate together. They seldom appear on the gi'ound, but live mostly in trees, and feed on fruits : when these are not to be had, they are said to eat fishes, worms, and insects ; are extremely dexterous in catching their prey, and make great use of their tails in seizing it. The Coaitas are very lively and active. In passing from one tree to another, they sometimes form a chain, linked to each other by their tails ; and swing in that manner till the lowest catches hold of a branch, and draws up the rest. When fruits are ripe, they are ge- nerally fat; and their flesh is said to be then excellent. There are many varieties of the Coaita, which differ HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 475 chiefly in colour. Some are totally black, others brown, and some have white hair on the upper parts of the body. They are called Spider Monkies by Ed- wards, on account of the length and slenderness of their legs and tails. M. Buffon supposes the Exouima to be another va- riety of this species. It is nearly of the same size ; but its colour is variegated. The hair on its back is black and yellow ; its throat and belly white. Its manner of living is the same with that of the Coaita : and it inha- bits the same countries. Both kinds are remarkable in having only four fingers on each hand, being quite destitute of the thumb. THE SAJOU, OR CAPUCIN. f Simla Capucinttf Lin. — Le Sai, BufF.) There are two varieties of this species, the Brown and the Grey ; which, in other respects, are perfectly similar. Their faces are of a flesh colour, thinly co- vered with down ; tails long, full of hair on the upper side, naked below, and prehensile; hands black and naked ; length of the body about twelve inches. These animals inhabit Guiana, are extremely lively and agile, and their constitution seems better adapted to the temperate climates of Europe than most of the Sapajou kind. M. Buffbn mentiojns a few instances of their having produced young ones in France. The Sajous are very capricious in their attachments, being fond of particular persons, and discovering the greatest aversion to others. 3 o 2 476 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDSo THE WEEPER (Simla Apella, Lin.) Inhabits Brazil ; is very mild, docile, and timid ; of a orave and serious aspect ; has an appearance of weep- injr : and when irritated, tnakes a plaintive noise. It is about fourteen inches long ; the tail longer than the body ; hair on the back and sides of a deep brown co- lour, mixed with red on the lower parts. There is a variety with white hair on the throat and breast. Great numbers of these creatures assemble together, particularly in stormy weather, and make a great chat- tering. They live much in trees, which bear a podded fruit as large as beans, on which they principally feed. THE ORANGE MONKEY (Simla Sciurea, Lin. — Le Saimiri, Buff.) Is a most beautiful animal ; but so extremely delicate, that it cannot well bear to be brought from its owji cli- mate to one less warm. It is about the size of a Squirrel : its head is round ; eyes remarkably lively and brilliant ; ears large ; hair on the body short and fine, of a shining gold colour; feet orange : its tail is very long : its prehensile faculty is much weaker than the rest of the Sapajous ; and on that account, it may be said to form a shade between them and the Sagoins, which have long tails, entirely covered with hair, but of no use in suspending their bodies from the branches of trees. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 477 THE FOX-TAILED MONKEY. ( Simla Pithecia, Lin. — Le Sakiy BufF.) The tail of this animal, like that of the Fox, is co- vered with long bushy hair. Its body is about seven- teen inches in length ; hair long, of a dark brown co- lour on the back, lighter on the under side ; its face is tawny, and covered with a fine short whitish down ; the forehead and sides of the face are white ; its hands and feet are black, with claws instead of nails. The Saki is a native of Guiana, where it is called the Sacca*winkee. THE GREAT-EARED MONKEY (Simia Midas, Lin. — Le Tamarirtf Buff.) Is about the size of a Squirrel : its face is naked, of a swarthy flesh colour ; its upper lip somewhat divided ; its ears are very large and erect ; its hair is soft, shag- gy, and of a black colour; hands and feet covered with orange-coloured hair, very fine and smooth; its nails long and crooked; tail black, and twice the length of its body. It inhabits the hotter parts of South America ; is a lively, pleasant animal ; easily tamed ; but so delicate, that it cannot bear a removal to a colder climate. ,«*!**^^ 478 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE STRIATED MONKEY (Simla lacchuSy Lin. — L'Ouistitiy BufF.) Is still smaller than the Great-eared Monkey, its head and body not exceeding twelve inches in length : its tail is long, bushy, and like that of the Macauco, marked with alternate rings of black and ash colour ; its face is naked, of a swarthy flesh colour; ears large, and like the human ; body beautifully marked with dusky, ash-coloured, and reddish bars ; its nails are sharp ; and its fingers like those of a Squirrel. It inhabits Brazil; feeds on fruits, vegetables, in- sects, and snails, and is fond of fish. Mr Edwards gives a description of one of these ani- mals, accompanied with an excellent figure. He says, that one day being at liberty, it darted upon a small gold-fish that was in a bason, which it killed and de- voured with avidity ; and that afterwards small eels were given to it, of which it seemed at first afraid, ■'**».. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 479 from their twisting themselves round its neck ; but that it soon overcame and eat them. He likewise says that it produced young ones in Portugal, which at first were extremely ugly, having hardly any hair on their bodies. They adhered closely to the teats of the mother; and when grown a little larger, fixed themselves upon her back, from whence she could not easily disengage them, without rubbing them off against a wall : upon these occasions, the male always allowed them to mount upon his back to relieve the female. THE SILKY MONKEY (Simia Rosalia, Lin. — Le Marikina, BufF:) Is by some called the Lion-Ape, from the quantity of hair which surrounds its face, falling backwards like a mane ; its tail is also somewhat bushy at the end ; its face is flat, and of a dull purple colour ; its hair long, bright, and silky ; it is of a pale yellow colour on the body ; the hair round the face of a bright bay, inclining to red; its hands and feet are without hair, and of the same colour as the face ; its body is ten inches long, tail thirteen. This creature is a native of Guiana, is very gentle and lively, and seems to be more hardy than the other Sagoins. BufFon says, that one oFthem lived at Paris several years, with no other precaution than keeping it in a warm room during winter. > 4^80 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE RED-TAILED MONKEY ( Simla Oedipus, Lin. — Le Pinche, BufF.) Is somewhat larger than the Striated Monkey. It is remarkable in having a great quantity of smooth white hair, which falls down from the top of the head on each side, forming a curious contrast with its face, which is black, thinly covered with a fine grey down : its eyes are black and lively ; throat black ; hair on the back and shoulders of a light reddish brown colour ; breast, belly, and legs, white; the tail is long, of a red colour from the rump to the middle ; from thence to the end it is black. It inhabits the woods on the banks of the river Amazon ; is a lively, beautiful little animal ; has a soft whistling voice, resembling more the chirping of a bird than the cry of a quadruped. It frequently walks with its long tail over its back. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 481 THE MICO, OR FAIR MONKEY*, Is the last that we shall describe of this numerous race, and is the most beautiful of them all. Its head is small and round ; face and ears of so lively a vermilion co- lour, as to appear the effect of art ; its body is cover- ed with long hair, of a bright silvery whiteness, and uncommon elegance ; tail long, and of a shining dark chesnut colour. It frequents the banks of the river Amazon, where it was discovered by M. Condamine, who preserved one alive till almost within sight of the French coast ; but it died before his arrival. We have now laid before our readers a few of the most noted varieties of this numerous race; many others might likewise be added to swell the account ; but of these little more is known than their names and places of habitation. There are, probably, still more, which neither the assiduity of the naturalist, nor the curiosity of the traveller has been able to draw from their native woods. Indeed, there is great room to conjecture, that the variations of the Monkey kind are somewhat like 3 p 482 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. tliose'of llie Dog, continually increasing; for it is very obvious, that among tlie smaller kinds of Monkies, the characteristic differences do not appear to be greatj however they may vary in size or in colour ; and it is certain that the modes of living, faculties, and propen- sities of these animals are strikingly similar : so that, if we reason from analogy on this subject, we may fairly conclude, that different kinds of Monkies may unite and propagate with the same facility as the Goat and the Sheep, or the almost innumerable kinds of Dogs.* The greater part of the cuts we have given of the Baboons, Apes, and Monkies, we were fortunate in pro- curing from living objects, or drawings which might be depended on: and it is to be lamented, that, amongst the numbers that have been published, so f'ev/ should possess that peculiar character so observable in the va- rious members of this imitative tribe, which it is wholly impossible to trace from a stuffed skin, void of every kind of expression ; the muscular parts, which should convey the idea of action, being generally ill supplied, or entirely wanting. * The following tact (communicated by J. Trevelyan, Esq. June 5, 1809,) is well authenticated. The ]Monke_y, belonging to a captain of the nav}', is yet alive : " Pug is a gentleman of excellent humour, and adored by the crew ; to make him perfectly happy they got him a wife. For some weeks he showed her every sort of attention. He then grew cool, and jea- lous of any sort of kindness shewn her by his master, and used her cruelly. As female hearts bear a great deal, this treatment only made her wretched without kilHng her : he then changed his battery, made up matters b}^ degrees, and appeared as fond of her as ever. One morning when the sea ran very high, he seduced her up aloft, and seemed shewing her some distant object from the yard-arm ; when, all of a sudden, her attention being fixed, he applied his paw to her rump, canted her into the sea, (where of course she was immediately drown- ed) and came down in high spirits I" HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 483 THE PORCUPINE. (Histrix Cristata, Lin. — Le Pore-epic, BuflF.) This animal, so formidable in its appearance, would be much more truly so, if it possessed the power, erro- neously ascribed to it, of darting its quills at its ene- mies, and wounding them at a distance. Though denied the privilege of making offensive war, it is sufficiently armed to resist the attacks of animals much more powerful than itself. Upon the smallest ir- ritation, it raises its quills, and shakes them with great violence, directing them to that quarter whence it is in danger of being attacked, and striking at the object of its resentment with its quills at the same time. We have observed on an occasion of this sort, at a time when the animal was moulting or casting its quills, that they would fly out, to the distance of a few yards, with such force, as to bend the points of them against the board where they struck : and it is not improbable, that a cir- cumstance of this kind may have given rise to an opinion of its power to use them in a more effectual manner. 3 p 2 484 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The largest of the quills are from ten to fifteen inches in length, thick in the middle, and extremely sharp at the end : between the quills, the hair is thin, black, and bristly : the tail is covered with white quills, which are short and transparent : its legs are short ; it has four toes before, and five behind. The Porcupine is found in India, Persia, and Pales- tine : it is likewise common in all parts of Africa. The Indians hunt it for its quills, of which they make a kind of embroidery : they also eat its flesh. There are Porcupines in a wild state in Spain and Italy, though they are not originally natives of any part of Europe. Their flesh is sometimes exposed in the markets at Rome, where it is eaten. The Italian Porcupines have shorter quills and a shorter crest than those of Asia or Africa. The Porcupine is an inoffensive animal; lives on fruits, roots, and vegetables ; sleeps during the day, and feeds by night. The female goes with young seven months, and brings forth one at a time. The drawing of this ani- mal was made from the life. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 485 THE BRAZILIAN PORCUPINE (Histrix Prehensilis, — Lin.) Differs so greatly from the last, that it can scarcely be said to bear any relation to it, except in its being covered with spines about three inches in length : they are white, very sharp, and have a bar of black near the points. The breast, belly, and lower part of the legs, are covered with strong bristly hairs of a brown colour. Its tail is long and slender, and almost naked at the end : the animal uses it in descending trees, by twisting it round the branches. It inhabits Mexico and Brazil, lives in woods, and feeds on fruits and small birds. It preys by night, and sleeps in the day. It makes a noise like the grunting of a Swine, and grows very fat. Its flesh is white, and esteemed good to eat. 486 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE CANADA PORCUPINE. (Histrix Dorsata, Lin. — L'Urson, BufF.) It is found in Canada, and various parts of North America, as high as Hudson's Bay. Its ears are short, and hid in the hair; its head, body, and upper part of its tail, are covered with long soft hair, in which are interspersed a number of strong sharp spines ; its tail is shorter than that of the pre- ceding species, but it uses it in the same manner in descending trees, frequently suspending itself from the branches. Many of the trading Indians, during their long ex- cursions, depend on this creature for a supply of food, and esteem it both wholesome and pleasant : they also make use of the quills to trim the edges of their deer- skin habits, so as to look like fringe ; and stick them in their noses and ears to make holes for their rings. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 487 THE HEDGE-HOG, OR URCHIN. (Erinaceus EuropeuSf Lin.— Le Herisson, BufF.) This animal, destitute of every other means of de- fence, is provided by nature with a spinous armour, which secures it from the attacks of all the smaller beasts of prey ; such as Weasels, Martins, Polecats, &c. When alarmed it immediately collects itself into the form of a ball, and presents on all sides a surface covered with sharp points, which few animals are hardy enough to engage. The more it is harassed, the closer it rolls itself; till its fears become an additional means of safety, by causing it to void its urine, which, run- ning over its whole body, frequently obliges its enemy to desist, disgusted by the smell. There are few Dogs that will venture to attack the Hedge-hog, except such as are trained to the sport, merely to gratify the cruel pleasure of seeing a harm- less animal endure, with astonishing patience, the most wanton outrages ; whilst the Dogs, becoming more en- raged at the wounds they receive from its prickles, at last oblige it to unfold itseltj and it then soon falls a 488 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. victim to their fury. This little animal has been so far domesticated as to learn to turn a spit by means of a small wheel in which it was placed ; it likewise answer- ed to its name. The Hedge-hog generally resides in small thickets and hedges; lives on fruits, worms, beetles, and all kinds of insects ; conceals itself in the day, and feeds during the night. It is easily taken, for it neither flies nor attempts to defend itself; but when touched, shrinks into its circular form, which it will not easily quit, unless thrown into water. The Hedge-hog, in the winter, wraps itself up in a warm nest, made of moss, dried grass, and leaves ; and sleeps out the rigours of that season. It is frequently found so completely encircled with herbage on all sides, that it resembles a ball of dried leaves. When taken out and placed before a fire, it soon recovers from its torpid 6tate. THE TENDRAC Is about the size of a Rat. The upper part of its body is covered with spines, shorter and smaller than those of the Hedge-hog, which it somewhat resembles, but does not roll itself up like that animal ; the rest of the HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 489 is covered with a kind of fine hard hair, of a whitish colour ; about the head and nose it has several long hairs, like whiskers. An animal similar to this is mentioned by M. Buffoii, under the name of the Tanrec. THE TANREC. This animal is larger than the last, and has fewer bristles : they occupy only the top of the head, and along the back, as far as the shoulders : the rest of the body is covered with a bristly kind of hair, of a yellow- ish colour, among which are intermixed some black hairs, much longer than the other. Its nose is long, and its ears more apparent than those of the Tendrac. Both of them are natives of India. These make a grunting noise, and are fond of wallowing in mud, like Hogs : they frequent the banks of rivers, can live a long time in the water, and are frequently caught in small inlets of the sea : they dig holes in the ground, where they continue in a kind of torpid state for seve- ral months. They are generally very fat ; and the In- dians eat their flesh, though it is reckoned insipid and stringy. 3 Q 490 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE OTTER. (Mustela Lutra, Lin. — Le Loutre^ Buff.) Although the Otter is not considered by natural- ists as wholly amphibious, it is nevertheless capable of remaining a considerable time under water, and can pursue and take its prey in that element with great facility. Its legs are very short, but remarkably strong, broad, and muscular ; on each foot are five toes, con- nected by strong membranes, like those of water fowl ; its head is broad, of an oval form, and flat on the up- per part ; the body is long and round, and the tail ta- pers to a point; the eyes are brilliant, and placed in such a manner, that the animal can see every object that is above it, which gives it a singular aspect, very much resembling an eel or an asp ; the ears arc short, and their orifice narrow. The fur of the Otter is of a deep-brown colour, M'ith HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 491 two small light spots on each side of the nose, and another under the chin. This animal makes its bed in some retired spot by the side of a lake or river, under a bank, where it has an easy and secure access to the water, to which it im- mediately flies upon the least alarm ; and as it swims with great rapidity, frequently escapes from its pur- suers. It destroys great numbers of fish ; and in pursuit of its prey, has been observed commonly to swim against the stream. As soon as the Otter has caught a fish, it immediately drags it to the shore ; devours a part, as far as the vent ; and unless pressed by extreme hunger, always leaves the remainder, and takes to the water in quest of more. Otters are sometimes taken in traps placed near their landing places, where they are carefully concealed in the sand. When hunted with Dogs, the old ones de- fend themselves with great obstinacy : they bite severe- ly, and do not readily quit their hold where they have once fastened. An old Otter will never give up while it has life; nor make the least complaint, though wounded ever so much by the Dogs, nor even when transfixed with a spear. There are many instances of Otters being tamed ; but in those which have come to our knowledge, they were taken when young : accustomed by degrees to obedience and restraint, they became so far domesti- cated, as to follow their master, answer to a name, and employ their excellent talents at fishing in his service. Indeed, when taken young, Otters may be easily reared and made tame. We have seen two young ones suck- 3Q2 492 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. ing a Bitch, and treated by her with as much tender- ness as her own offspring. *^ William Collins, of Kimmerston, near Wooler, had a tame Otter, which followed him wherever he went. He frequently carried it to fish in the river ; and when satiated, it never failed returning to its master. One day, in the absence of Collins, being taken out by his son to fish, instead of returning ars usual, it refused to come at the accustomed call, and was lost. The father tried every means to recover it ; and after several days search, being near the place where his son had lost it, and calling it by its name, to his inexpressible joy, it came creeping to his feet, and shewed many genuine marks of affection and firm attachment. Its food, ex- clusive of fish, consisted chiefly of milk and hasty- pudding. Some years ago, James Campbell^ near Inverness, had a young Otter, which he brought up and tamed. It would follow him wherever he chose ; and if called on by its name, would immediately obey. When ap- prehensive of danger from Dogs, it sought the protec- tion of its master, and would endeavour to fly into his arms foi greater security. It was frequently employed in catching fish, and would sometimes take eight or ten salmon in a day. If not prevented, it always made an attempt to break the fish behind the fin next the tail : as soon as one was taken away, it immediately dived in pursuit of more. When tired, it would re- fuse to fish any longer ; and was then rewarded with as much fish as it could devour. Being satisfied with eating, it curled itself round, and fell asleep ; in which state it was generally carried home. The same Otter HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 4^3 fished as well in the sea as in a river, and took great numbers of codlings and other fish. Its food was ge- nerally fresh fish, and sometimes milk. Another person who kept a tame Otter, suffered it to follow him with his Dogs. It was very useful to him in fishing, by going into the water, and driving txouts and other fish towards the net. It was remark- able, that the Dogs, though accustomed to the sport, were so far from giving it the smallest molestation, that they would not even hunt an Otter whilst it remained with them ; on which account the owner was under the necessity of disposing of it. Notwithstanding the Otter's avidity for fish, it will not eat it, unless it be perfectly fresh. When that cannot be procured, it is fed with milk, or pudding made of oatmeal, &c. Otters are found in most parts of the world, with no great variation. They are common in Guiana, and fi'equent the rivers and marshes of that country. They are sometimes seen in great numbers together; and are so fierce, that it is dangerous to come near them. They live in holes, which they make in the banks of the rivers. 494^ HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE SEA-OTTER. (Mustela Lutris, Lin.) Vast numbers of these animals inhabit the coasts of Kamschatka, and the numerous islands contiguous to it ; as well as the opposite coasts of America : they are also found in some of the larger rivers of South Ame- rica. Their skins are of great value, and have long form- ed a considerable article of export from Russia. They dispose of them to the Chinese at the rate of seventy or hundred roubles each, and receive in return some of their most valuable commodities. The fur of the Sea-Otter is thick and long, of a beautiful shining black colour, but sometimes of a sil- very hue; the legs are thick and short; the toes join- ed by a web ; the hind feet like those of a Seal ; length from nose to tail, four feet two inches ; tail thirteen, flat, and pointed at the end. The largest of them weigh from seventy to eighty pourids. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 495 The Sea-Otter is remarkably harmless, and most af- fectionately fond of its young : it will pine to death for its loss, and die on the very spot where it has been taken away. Before its young can swim, it will carry it in its paws, and support it in the water, lying upon its back. It swims in various positions, — on its back, sides, and even in a perpendicular posture ; and in the water is very sportive. Two of them are sometimes seen embracing each other. It frequents shallow placesj abounding with sea-weed; and feeds on lob- sters, crabs, and other shell-fish. It breeds but once a year, and produces one young at a time, which it suckles and carefully attends almost a year. The flesh of a young Otter is reckoned delicate eat- ing, and not easily distinguished from that of a lamb. 49(5 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE SLOTH, (Bradypiis Tridacti/lus, Lin. — L'Ai, Buff.) Of all animals, is the most sluggish and inactive ; and if we were to judge from outward appearance, would seem the most helpless and wretched. All its motions seem to be the effect of the most painful exertion, which hunger alone is capable of exciting. It lives chiefly in trees ; and having ascended one, with infinite labour and difficulty, it remains there till it has entirely stripped it of all its verdure, sparing neither fruit, blossom, nor leaf; after which it is said to devour even the bark. Being unable to descend, it throws itself on the ground, and continues at the bot- tom of the tree till hunger again compels it to renew its toils in search of subsistence. Its motions are accompanied with a most piteous and lamentable cry, which terrifies even beasts of prey, and proves its best defence. Though slow, aukward, and almost incapable of mo- tion, the Sloth is strong, remarkable tenacious of life, and capable of enduring a long abstinence from food. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 497 We are told of one that having fastened itself by its feet to a pole, remained in that situation forty days without the least sustenance. The strength of its legs and feet is so great, that, having seized any thing, it is almost impossible to oblige it to quit its hold. The same animal laid hold of a Dog that was let loose upon it, and held him fast with its feet till he perished with hunger. There are two kinds of Sloths, which are principally distinguished by the number of their claws. The one, called the Ai, is about the size of a Fox, and has three long claws on each foot; its legs are clumsy, and auk- wardly placed ; and the fore legs being longer than the bind adds greatly to the difficulty of its progressive mo- tion : its whole body is covered with a rough coat of longhair, of a lightish brown colour, mixed with white, not unlike that of a Badger; and has a black line down the middle of the back : its face is naked, and of a dirty white colour ; tail short ; eyes small, black, and heavy. It is found only in South America. The Unau has only two claws on each foot : its head is short and round, somewhat like that of a Monkey ; its ears are short ; and it has no tail. It is found in South America, and also in the Island of Ceylon. The flesh of both kinds is eaten. They have several stomachs, and are said to belong to the tribe of rumi- nating animals. 3 R 498 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE ANT-EATER, fMyrmecophaga Jubata, Lin. — La Tamanoir, Buff.) There are several animals distinguished by the com- mon name of Ant-eaters, which differ greatly in form. They are divided into three classes, viz. the Great, the Middle, and the Lesser Ant-eater. The Great Ant-eater is nearly four feet in length, exclusive of its tail, which is two and a half. It is re- markable for the great length of its snout, which is of a cylindrical form, and serves as a sheath to its long and slender tongue, which always lies folded double in its mouth, and is the chief instrument by which it finds subsistence. This creature is a native of Brazil and Guiana, runs slowly, frequently swims over rivers, lives wholly on ants, which it collects by thrusting its tongue into their holes, and having penetrated every part of the nest, withdraws it into its mouth loaded with prey. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 499 Its legs are so strong, that few animals can extricate themselves from its gripe. It is said to be formidable even to the Panthers of America ; and sometimes fixes itself upon them in such a manner, that both of them fall and perish together ; for its obstinacy is so great, that it will not extricate itself from its adversary even after he is dead. The flesh has a strong disagreeable taste, but is eaten by the Indians. The Middle Ant-eater is one foot seven inches from nose to tail. It inhabits the same countries, and procures its food in the same manner, as the last. Its tail is ten inches long, with which it secures its hold in climbing trees by twisting it round the branches. Both these animals have four strong claws on the fore feet, and five on the hind. The Lesser Ant-eater has a sharp-pointed nose, inclining a little downward : its ears are small, and hid in the fur : it has two strong hooked claws on the fore feet, the outward one being much the largest ; and four on the hind feet : its fur is long, soft, and silky, of a yellowish brown colour : its length from nose to tail, is seven inches and a half; tail above eight, thick at the base, and taper to the end. It inhabits Guiana; climbs trees in quest of a species of ants which build their nests among the branches. Animals of this kind are found in Ceylon and the Cape of Good Hope. Kolben describes the latter as having long heads and tongues ; that they feed on ants ; and are so strong, that if they fasten their claws in the ground, they cannot easily be pulled away. It is called in Ceylon the Talgoi, or Ant-Bear. 3 R 2 500 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE GREAT MANIS. (Manis Pentadactyla^ Lin. — Le Pangolin, BufF.) This singular creature is defended by a coat of mail, which protects it from the attacks of the most powerful animals. All the upper parts of its body are closely covered with scales of different sizes, which it can erect at pleasure, opposing to its adversary a formidable row of offensive weapons. The Tiger, the Panther, or the Leopard in vain attempt to force it. The moment it perceives the approach of an enemy, it rolls itself up like a Hedge-hog, and by that means secures all the weaker parts of its body. It is a native of the Indian isles, and is said likewise to be found in Guinea. It is slow in its motions; grows to the length of eight feet, including its tail, which is four. Its flesh is much esteemed for its delicacy ; but it is difficult to procure, as the animal avoids mankind, and lives in obscure retreats, in woods, and marshy places. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 501 THE LONG-TAILED MANIS (Manis Tetradactyla, Lin. — Le Phatagin, BufF.) Is less than the last, being not more than a foot long from head to tail. Its body is covered with sharp- pointed scales; its throat and belly with hair : its legs are short ; and each foot has four claws. It is remark- able for the great length of its tail, which in some is above a yard long. It is a native of Guinea, has been sometimes called the Scaly Lizard, and may be said to be the connect- ing link in the chain of beings between quadrupeds and reptiles. THE ARMADILLO Is found only in South America, where there are seve- ral varieties of them. They are all covered with a strong crust or shell, and are distinguished from each other by the number of the flexible bands of which it is composed. It is a harmless, inoffensive animal ; feeds on roots, fruits, and other vegetables ; grows very fat; and is greatly esteemed for the delicacy of its flesh. The Indians hunt it with small Dogs, trained for that purpose. When surprised, it runs to its hole, or attempts to make a new one, which it does with great expedition, having strong claws on its fore feet, with which it adheres so firmly to the ground, that if it should be caught by the tail whilst making its way into the earth, its resistance is so great, that it will some- times leave it in the hands of its pursuers : to avoid 502 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS./ this, the hunter has recourse to artifice ; and by tick- ling it with a stick, it gives up its hold, and suffers it- self to be taken alive. If no other means of escape be left, it rolls itself up within its covering by drawing in its head and legs, and bringing its tail round them as a band to connect them more forcibly together : in this situation it sometimes escapes by rolling itself over the edge of a precipice, and generally falls to the bottom unhurt. The most successful method of catching Armadillos is by snares laid for them by the sides of rivers or other places where they frequent. They all burrow very deep in the ground, and seldom stir out, except during the night, whilst they are in search of food. To give a minute description of the shells or cover- ings of the Armadillos would be extremely difficult, as they are all composed of a number of parts, differing greatly from each other in the order and disposition of the figures with which they are distinguished : but it may be necessary to observe, that in general there are two large pieces that cover the shoulders and the rump, between which lie the bands, which are more or less in number in different kinds. These bands are not unlike those in the tail of a lobster, and being flex- ible give way to the motions of the animal. The first we shall mention is THE THREE-BANDED ARMADILLO. (Dasypus Tricinctus, Lin. — L'Apar, BufF.) Its shell is about twelve inches long, with three bands in the middle : the crust on the head, back, and HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 505 rump, is divided into a number of elegant raised figures, with five angles or sides : its tail is not more than two inches long : it has neither cutting nor canine teeth : and has five toes on each foot. THE SIX-BANDED ARMADILLO (Dasypus SexcinctuSy Lin. — L'Encoubert, Buff.) Is about the size of a young Pig. Between the folds of the bands there are a few scattered hairs : its tail is long, thick at the base, and tapers to a point. It is found in Brazil and Guiana. THE EIGHT-BANDED ARMADILLO (Le Tatuette, Buff.) Is furnished with eight bands. Its ears are long and upright : eyes small and black : it has four toes on the fore feet, and five on the hind : its length, from nose to tail, is about ten inches ; the tail nine. It in- habits Brazil, and is reckoned more deliciotre eating than the others. 504. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE NINE-BANDED ARMADILLO (Dasypus Novemcinctus, Lin. — Le Cachichame, BufF.) Has a tenth band, moveable half way up on each side t the shell on the shoulders and rump is marked with hexangular figures; the breast and belly are covered with long hairs; its tail is long and taper; and the whole animal three feet in length. One of this kind was brought to England a few years ago from the Musquito shore, and lived some time. It was fed with raw beef and milk, but refused to eat our fruits and grain. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 506 THE KABASSOU Is furnished with twelve bands, and is the largest of all the Armadillos, being almost three feet long from nose to tail : the figures on the shoulders are of an oblong form; those on the rump hexangular. It is seldom eaten. THE WEASEL-HEADED ARMADILLO, (Dasypus Unicinctus^ Lin. — Le Cirguingon, BufF.) So called from the form of its head, which is slender, has eighteen bands from its shoulder to its tail : the shell is marked with square figures on the shoulders ; those on the legs and thighs are roundish : the body is about fifteen inches long; tail five. All these animals have the power of drawing them- selves up under their shells, either for the purpose of repose or safety. They are furnished with strong la- teral muscles, consisting of numberless fibres, crossing each other in the form of an X, with which they con- tract themselves so powerfully, that the strongest man is scarcely able to force them open. The shells of the larger Armadillos are much stronger than those of the smaller kinds : their flesh is likewise harder, and more unfit for the table. 3 s 506 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE WALRUS, OR SEA-HORSE. (Trichechiis Rosmarus, Lin. — Lc Morse, BufF.) There are several animals whose residence is almost constantly in the water, and which seem to partake greatly of" the nature of fishes, that are nevertheless classed by naturalists under the denomination of qua- drupeds ; and being perfectly amphibious, living with equal ease in the water as on land, may be considered as the last step in the scale of Nature, by which we are conducted from one great division of the animal world to the other. Of these the Walrus is the most consi- derable for its size, being sometimes found eighteen feet in length, and twelve in circumference at the thickest part : it is likewise remarkable for two large tusks in the upper jaw, which sometimes exceed two feet in length, and weigh from three to twenty pounds each. The head of the Walrus is round ; its lips very broad, and covered over with thick pellucid bristles; HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 507 its eyes small and red ; instead of ears, it has two small orifices ; and above the whiskers, semicircular nostrils, through which it throws out water like the whale, but with much less noise : its skin is thick and wrinkled, and has a thin covering of short brownish hair : its legs are short: it has five toes on each foot, connected by membranes ; and on each toe a small nail : the hind feet are very broad, and extended nearly on a line with the body. The Walrus is found chiefly in the northern seas. Great herds of them are sometimes seen together on the sea shore, or sleeping on an island of ice. When alarmed, they instantly throw themselves into the water with great precipitation. If wounded, they become bold and furious, and unite in the defence of each other : they will attack a boat, and endeavour to sink it by striking their great teeth into its sides, at the same time bellowing in the most hideous manner. It is hunted for its teeth, which are equal to those of the Elephant for durability and whiteness. An ordinary Walrus is said to yield half a ton of oil, equal in goodness to thai of the whale. The female produces one or two young at a time, which she suckles upon land. In climbing upon the ice, the Walrus makes use of its teeth as hooks to secure its hold, and draw its great unwieldy body after it. It feeds on sea-weeds and shell-fish, which it is said to disengage from the rocks to which they adhere, with its tusks. The White Bear is its greatest enemy. In the com- bats between these animals, the Walrus is said to be ge- nerally victorious, on account of the desperate wounds it inflicts with its teeth. 3 s 2 508 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE SEAL (Phoca VituUna, Lin. — Le Phoque, BufF.) Is found, with some variety, in almost every quarter of the globe : in the northern seas of Asia, Europe, and America ; as well as the less frequented regions towards the south pole. Its usual length is from five to six feet. The body is closely covered with short hair of various colours, smooth and shining ; its tongue is forked at the end ; it has two canine teeth in each jaw, six cutting teeth in the upper, and four in the lower ; it has five toes on each foot, furnished with sti'ong sharp claws, which enable it to climb the rocks, on which it frequently basks. It swims with great strength and swiftness, is very playful, and sports without fear about ships and boats. It feeds on various kinds offish, and is frequently seen near the shore in pursuit of its prey. Seals are found in great abundance on the coasts of Great Britain ; particularly in the deep recesses and caverns in the northern parts of the island, where they resort in the breeding time, and continue till the young ones are old enough to go to sea. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. JfO^ The time for taking Seals is in the month of Octo- ber, or the beginning of November. The hunters, provided with torches and bludgeons, enter the mouths of the caverns about midnight, and row in as far as they can : they then land ; and being pro- perly stationed, begin by making a great noise, which alarms the Seals, and brings them down from all parts of the cavern in a confused body, making frightful shrieks and cries. In this hazardous employment, great care is necessary on the part of the hunters to avoid the throng, which presses down with great impe- tuosity, and bears away every thing that opposes its progress; but when the first crowd has passed, they kill great numbers of young ones, which generally straggle behind, by striking them on the nose. A young Seal yields above eight gallons of oil. When full grown, their skins are very valuable, and make a beautiful kind of leather, much used in making shoes, &c. The flesh of the Seal is sometimes eaten ; and that it was formerly admitted to the tables of the great, may be seen in the bill of fare of a sumptuous enter- tainment given by archbishop Nevil in the reign of Edward the Fourth. The growth of the Seals is so amazingly rapid, that after nine tides from their birth they are as active as the old ones. The female brings forth her young on the land, sits on her hind legs while she suckles them, and as soon as they are able carries them to sea, and teaches them to swim and search for food : when they become fa- tigued, she places them on her back. The young ones know the voice of their mother, and attend to her call. 510 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The voice of the Seal has been compared to the hoarse barking of a Dog ; when young, it is clearer, and resembles the mewing of the Cat. Seals are likewise found in the Mediterranean and Caspian seas, in the lake Baikal, and some of the larger lakes. These are smaller than the salt-water Seals ; but so fat, that they seem almost shapeless. THE HOODED SEAL Is found in the south of Greenland, and is distinguish- ed by a thick fold on its forehead, with which it can cover its eyes and nose. Its hair is white, with a thick coat of black woolly hair underneath, which makes it appear of a fine grey colour. The hunters say that it is not easily killed till the covering on its head is removed. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 511 THE URSINE SEAL, OR SEA-BEAR, (Phoca Ursinn, Lin. — UOurs Marin, Buff.) Is much larger than the common Seal, being eight feet in length, and weighing eight hundred pounds. These animals are found among the islands which lie between Kamschatka and America ; also on the coasts of New Zealand, Staten Island, New Georgia, and Falkland's islands. They lie in thousands on the shore, in separate families, each consisting of above an hundred. One male will sometimes have fifty females, which he guards with extreme jealousy. They are excessively fat and indolent, sometimes even s(iarcely moving from the place where they lie for the space of three months ; during which time the females breed and suckle their young. If another approach their station, they are roused from their supineness : 51Q. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. a battle ensues, which frequently becomes general, and spreads confusion through the whole shore. These conflicts are extremely violent; and the wounds given are very deep, resembling a cut with a ^bre. The attachment of the male to the young is very strong: he defends them with great obstinacy, and frequently revenges their loss upon the female, whom he beats most cruelly ; whilst she crawls to his feet, and seems to deprecate his wrath with the most obse- quious gestures. The female generally brings forth one, seldom two, at a time. They swim with great ease, at the rate of about seven miles in an hour. When wounded, they will seize on a boat, draw it along with them, and some- times sink it. They can continue a long time under water. In climbing rocks, they fasten their fore paws, and draw themselves up. These and all the Seal kind, will live a long time after receiving the most dreadful wounds ; but the most trifling blow on the snout or forehead instantly kills them. The general colour of these animals is black. They are covered with a coat of long rough hair, under which is a soft down of a bay colour. On the neck of the old ones, the hair is erect, and a little longer than the rest. The fat and flesh of the old males are very nau- seous ; but those of the females and the young, when roasted, are said to be as good as the flesh of a suck- ing Pig. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. S13 THE BAT. This singular animal is distinguished from every other quadruped by being furnished with wings, and seems to possess a middle nature between four-footed animals and birds : it is allied to the one by the faculty of flying only, to the other both by its external and in- ternal structure : in each respect it has the appearance of an imperfect animal. In walking, its feet seem to be entangled with its wings, and it drags its body on the ground with extreme awkwardness. Its motions in the air do not seem to be performed with ease ; it raises itself from the ground with difficulty, and its flight is laboured and ill-directed ; whence it has very signifi- cantly been called the Flitter-Mouse. There are several varieties of the Bat kind. THE SHORT-EARED BAT (Vespertilio MurinuSy Lin. — Le Chaiive Souris, BufF.) Is found in almost every part of Europe, and is most commonly known in Great Britain, Its usual length is about two inches and a half; the extent of the wings nine inches. 3 T 5li< HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. It makes its first appearance early in the summer. It sleeps during the day, and begins its flight in the dusk of the evening. It frequents the sides of woods, glades, and shady walks ; and is frequently observed to skim along the surface of the water in quest of gnats and other insects, which are its principal food. Its membranes or wings are of a dusky colour, and very thin ; they extend from the fore feet to the tail : the hind feet are divided into five toes, furnished with claws ; the body is covered with a short soft fur, of a mouse-colour, tinged with red ; the eyes are very small ; and the ears like those of a mouse ; it has four cutting teeth in the upper jaw, and six in the under. The female produces two young at a time, which she suckles at her breast ; and is said to carry them when flying. Towards the end of summer, the Bat retires into caves, old buildings, or hollow trees, where it remains in a state of inactivity. During winter, some cover themselves with their wings as with a mantle, and sus- pend themselves by the hind feet ; others stick fast to old walls ; and some retire into holes.* * At an ancient mansion of Sir Hugh Owen, near Pembroke, in consequence of a stench in a closet, the wainscot was taken down, and 280 Bats were found and killed. Many of the females had two young ones hanging at their teats : they were a small kind of Bat with little ears and almost black. The young ones were quite naked like callow l^irds..^ — Communicated by John Trevebjan, Esq. July, 1808. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 51; THE LONG-EARED BAT (Vespertilio Auritust Uin. — L'Oreillar, BufF.) Is only an inch and three quarters in length ; the ex=s tent of its wings is seven inches ; its ears are above an inch long, very thin, and almost transparent; vi^ithin each of them there is a membrane, resembling an ear, which may possibly serve as a valve to defend the or- gans of hearing during its inactive state. THE GREAT BAT (La Noctide, BufF.) Is found in Great Britain, but is not so common as the two last-mentioned : it is likewise found in France, and is common in various parts of Russia. Its length is nearly three inches ; that of the tail one and seven-tenths ; the extent of the wings thirteen inches ; the ears are short, the hair of a reddish ash colour, and on the chin there is a very small wart. 3 T 2 5lG HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS, THE PIPISTRELLE Is the smallest^ and its appearance the least disgusting, of all the Bats. Its length is not quite one inch and a quarter; the extent of its wings six and a half; its nose is small, ears broad, and its forehead covered with long hairs; the upper part of the body is of a yellowish brown colour, the lower part dusky, and the lips yel- low. It inhabits France, and is common in Russia and Siberia. THE BARBASTELLE Is distinguished by the shortness of its face, almost concealed bj^ its large broad ears, the bases of which touch each other, and cover the forehead and eyes : its cheeks are full, and its lips hairy; its nose is very short, and the end of it flat. Its length is about two inches; the extent of the wings ten and a half. It is found in France. THE SEROTINE Is about the size of the common Bat ; its nose is some- what longer ; its ears are short, and broad at the base; the hair on the upper part of the body is of a light brown or rust colour, and the belly paler. It is like- wise found in France. THE HORSE-SHOE BAT Is distinguished by a membrane surrounding its nose and upper lip somewhat in the form of a horse-shoe, whence it derives its name. Its ears are long, very broad at the base, and are not furnished with a smaller J.. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 517 or internal ear, common to almost all the Bat kind : the upper part of the body is of an ash colour, the belly whitish. They vary in size ; the largest are above three inches and a half long from the nose to the end of the tail ; the extent of the wings is above fourteen. This kind is very commdn in France, and is the last of seven distinct species described by M. Buifon as na- tives of that country. These are all equally harmless, diminutive, and obscure ; shunning the light, and en- deavouring to conceal themselves in holes and caverns. They never come out, but during the night, in quest of food ; and return at day-break to their dreary habi- tations. But under the influence of a warmer climate, the Bat assumes a very different character, and possess- es powers which render it formidable to mankind, and a scourge to those countries where it is found. Some of them are as large as a well-grown pullet; and so nu- merous, that they frequently darken the air as they fly. They are fond of blood, and will attack men whom they find asleep ; they are said to introduce their sharp pointed tongues into a vein, sucking the blood till they are satiated, without awakening the sufferer. The ancients had an imperfect knowledge of these animals ; and from their aptness to convert every object of terror into an imaginary being, it is probable they had conceived the idea of Harpies, from the cruelty, voracity, and disgusting deformity of these creatures. These monsters inhabit Madagascar, and all the islands of the Indian Ocean: they likewise have been found in New Holland, the Friendly Isles, the New Hebrides, and New Caledonia. 518 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS, THE TERNATE BAT ( Vespertilio Vampyrus, Lin. — La Roussette, Buff.) Is above one foot in length, and the extent of its wings more than four : it has large canine teeth, four cutting teeth above, and the same below ; its tongue is pointed, and terminated with sharp-pointed papillae, or prickles ; its nose is sharp, and its ears large and naked ; it has five toes on the hind feet, furnished with strong hooked claws; it has no tail; the head is of a dark rust colour; the back dusky ; the neck, shoulders, and under side, of a lightish brown, inclining to red ; the membranes of the wings dusky. They feed on fruits, and are extremely fond of the juice of the palm-tree, with which they will frequently HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 519 intoxicate themselves, so as to drop on the ground. One hundred and fifty or two hundred of them may sometimes be seen on the same tree, all hanging with their heads down, and their wings folded ; and in this manner they repose during great part of the day. They grow very fat at certain times of the year ; and when young, they are eaten by the Indians, and con- sidered as excellent food. THE ROUGETTE, OR LESSER TERNATE BAT, Inhabits the same countries, and is very similar to the last in the shape of its head and body : the hair is of a cinereous brown colour ; and on the neck it has a half-collar, of a lively red, mixed with orange. It is about five inches long ; and the extent of its wings little more than two feet. The Rougettes fly in flocks, and perfectly obscure the air with their numbers. They fly from one island to another, and begin their flight about sun-set. Du- ring the day, they lodge in the hollow trunks of trees. They live chiefly in trees ; and when about to fly, they beat the air with their wings, before they can disen- gage themselves from the branch to which they are at- tached. When shot at or suddenly surprised, several of them fall to the ground ; and in that situation are incapable of resuming their flight, till they climb upon some elevated object. They move awkwardly on the ground, and use their utmost efforts to quit it as soon as possible. Both these kinds bring forth only one young at a time, once a year. 520 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. THE SPECTRE BAT. fVespertilio Spectrum, Lin. — Le Vampire, Buff.) Its nose is long; and at the end there is a mem- brane, of a conical form, somewhat like a horn, but flexile, which gives it a hideous and disgusting aspect. It has no tail. Its body is covered with long hair, of an ash colour. It is found in Surinam. Stedman, in his account of that colony, particularly describes it, and says that it is fond of human blood. THE SENEGAL BAT Has two cutting teeth in the upper, and six in the under jaw; and two canine teeth, and eight grinders, in each jaw : its head is long, ears short and pointed ; head and body of a tawny brown colour, belly lighter ; length rather more than four inches; extent of the wings twenty-one. It is found in Senegal. THE BULL-DOG BAT. Its nose is thick ; lips large, and somewhat pendu- lous ; its ears are broad and round, the edges touching each other in the front ; the upper part of the body is of a deep ash colour, the lower paler ; its tail long ; length about two inches ; extent of the wings nine and a half: it has twenty-six teeth; two cutting and two canine in each jaw ; eight grinders in the upper, and ten in the lower jaw. It inhabits the West Indies. THE BEARDED BAT. The nostrils of this animal are not separated by a HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 521 cartilage, as in most animals, but are placed on the side of a small gutter or furrow, which is open from one end to the other ; the ears are long and narrow ; the upper part of the head and body is of a reddish brown colour, the lower part whitish, tinged with yel- low; hair on the forehead and under the chin very long ; length of the body about an inch and a half; extent of the wings little more than seven. THE STRIPED BAT ( Vespertilio Spasina, Lin. ) Has a small, short nose ; ears short, broad, and point- ing forward. These Bats vary in colour. The body is generally of a clear brown, the under part whitish : its wings are striped with black, and sometimes with yel- low and brown. Length of the body two inches. It is a native of Ceylon, where it is called Kiriwoula. To this we may add a very minute kind, mentioned by Mr Forster, which was seen and heard in myriads on the island of Tanna, one of the New Hebrides ; but every attempt of our voyagers to obtain a nearer in- spection of them failed of success. Bats differ very much in the number and disposition of their teeth, which has occasioned no small confusion in the arrangements of systematic writers; some of them being furnished with two, others with more cutting teeth in each jaw. We have now given the most distinguished varieties of this curious species. It would be fruitless, if not impossible, to point out all the peculiarities to be 3 u 522 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. found in the various tribes which abound in every country in the v/orld, and differ from each other more in their habits and dispositions than in their exterior form and appearance, which in all of them seem to be equally deformed and disgusting. But we should not from hence conclude that imperfection and deformity are always in uniform analogy with the notions we have pre-conceived of what is fair and beautiful. Amidst the infinite productions of Creative Power, variety of form, difference of faculties, and degrees of utility, are eminently observable : composing one general plan, in which wisdom, order, and fitness, are displayed through all its parts. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 523 ADDENDA. We are favoured, by the Literary and Philosophical Society of Newcastle upon Tyne, with the figures and descriptions of two very rare animals, sent to them from New South Wales, by James Hunter, Esq. go- vernor of that settlement, in a letter dated " Sydney, New South Wales, Augusts, 1798." The one, like most of the animals found in these new settlements, has a false belly or pouch, for the re- ception of its young after their protrusion from the ute- rus ; common to every animal of the Opossum kind. The other seems to be an animal sui generis ; it ap- pears to possess a three fold nature, that of a fish, a bird, and a quadruped, and is related to nothing that we have hitherto seen : we shall not attempt to arrange it in any of the usual modes of classification, but con- tent ourselves with giving the description of both these curious animals as they have been transmitted to us. THE WOMBACH. " This animal was found upon an island on the coast of New South Wales, in latitude ^0' SQ' S. where 524 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. considerable numbers were caught by the company of a ship which had been wrecked there on her voyage from Bengal to Port Jackson. " I received this animal alive, by a vessel which I had sent to the relief of the sufferers : it was exceed- ingly weak when it arrived, as it had, during its con- finement on board, refused every kind of sustenance, except a small quantity of boiled rice, which was forced down its throat. I had it frequently taken out of a box in which it was kept, that it might receive the benefit of the warmth of the sun, which, however, it did not seem to enjoy ; but whenever it could shelter itself under a shrub, there it would continue and sleep. It refused every kind of food on shore as it had done on board, but we could see it sometimes nibble a little of the roots of rushes or grass : it grew weaker every day, was exceedingly harmless, and would allow any person to carry it about. After having lived, with scarcely any kind of food, for six weeks, it died ; and its intestines and brain having been taken out, I pre- served the body in spirits, for the inspection of the learned members of the Literary and Philosophical Society of Newcastle upon Tyne. " It is about the size of a Badger, a species of which we supposed it to be, from its dexterity of burrowing in the earth, by means of its foi'e paws; but on watch- ing its general motions, it appeared to have much of the habits and manners of the Bear. " Its head is large ; the forehead, above the eyes, is particularly broad, from which it tapers to the nose,* which is a hard gristly substance, and seems well adapt- * Its nose and upper lip resemble those of the Porcupine. HISTORY O^ QUADRUPEDS. 5^5 ed for removing the earth where it burrows : it has two cutting teeth in each jaw, long and sharp like those of a Kanguroo, with a space of about an inch between them and the grinders, which are strong and well set : from the structure of its teeth, it does not appear to be a carnivorous animal: its eyes are small and black ; its ears short and pointed ; its paws are somewhat like those of a bear : its weight appeared to be about forty pounds. It runs awkwardly, in the manner of a Bear, so that a man could easily overtake it. There is some- thing uncommon in the form of its hinder parts ; its posteriors do not round off like those of most other animals, but fall suddenly down in a sloping direction, commencing at the hip joint, and descending to the knee joint of the hind legs ; from this joint to the toe it appears to tread flat upon the ground ; its tail is so short, as hardly to be discovered : its colour is that of a cream-coloured brown, intermixed with black hairs. This animal has lately been discovered to be an inha- bitant of the interior of this country also. Its flesh is delicate meat. This one is a female, and has the false belly for the security of its young. The mountain natives call it Wombach." 526 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. " AN AMPHIBIOUS ANIMAL Is found in the fresh water lakes, which is about the size of a small Cat; it chiefly frequents the banks of the lakes ; its bill is very similar to that of a Duck, and it probably feeds in muddy places in the same way ; its eyes are very small ; it has four short legs ; the fore less are shorter than those of the hind, and their webs spread considerably beyond the claws, which enables it to swim with great ease; the hind legs are also webbed, and the claws are long and sharp. They are frequently seen on the surface of the water, where they blow like a turtle : their tail is thick, short and very fat. " The natives say they sometimes see them of a very large size." ^^-^ PRINTED BY EDW. WALKER, NEWCASTLE.