MDXVIII T EXHG MA/cg bpa y^S. SBgWawM OSuKBu Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016 ✓ https://archive.org/details/b28037467 , i / \ * \ I « ) b»% *► < fs % * * 4 * % *• • * \ * I * * I i i A GENERAL H I s T 0 R r O F Q U ADRUPEDS, THE FIGURES ENGRAVED ON WOOD BY T. BEWICK, NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE: PRINTED EY AND FOR S. HODGSON, R. BEILBY, & T. BEWICK NEVv CASTLE . SOLD BY THEM, BY G. G. J, J. ROBINSON, & C. DILLY, LONDON. W92. [PR!CE NINE SHILLINGS IN BOARDS.] / Advertisement. IN difpofing the order of the following work, we have not thought it neeeffary to confine ourfelves ftricftly within the rules prefcribed by fyflematic writers on this part of Natural Hiflory ; as it was not fo 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 concife account of the nature, habits, and difpofition of each, accompanied with more accurate reprefentations that have hitherto appeared in any work of this kind. Our difregard of fyftem, however, has not pre- vented us from attending to the great divifions of Quadrupeds, fo obvioufly marked out by the hand of Nature, and fo clearly diftinguifhed, that the moll carelefs obferver cannot avoid being forcibly ftruck with an agreement of parts in the outward ap- pearance of the different individuals of which each confifls. The intermediate ftations, however, have not been always fo clearly defined ; thefe are frequently occupied by characters fo dubious, that naturalifts have not always agreed in afcribing to each its proper place : Of this kind are the Elephant, the Hip- popotamus, the Rhinoceros, the Cameleopard, the Beaver, the Hedge-hog, the Sloth, the Jerboa, &c. which bear" in them- felves characteriftics fo peculiar, that they might feem to confti- tute diftinCt genera. We have endeavoured to lay before our readers a particular account of the animals with which our own country is abundant- ly flored, efpecially of thofe which fo materially contribute to the ftrength, the wealth, and the happinefs of this kingdom ; of thefe the Horfe, the Cow, and the Sheep, claim the fnft place ; and in treating of thefe, we have noticed the improvements which an enlarged fyftem of agriculture, fupported by a noble fpirit of emulation, has introduced into all parts of the country. a 2 / ADVERTISEMENT. To theie we may add that mofl ufeful animal the Dog, the account of which forms a confpicuous part of otir hiflory, and we trufl will afford fome entertainment to thofe who are pleafed with contemplating the various talents of that trufly fervant and humble companion of man : We have fele&ed the moll re- markable of the different kinds, and have given faithful por- traits of them, drawn from the life; there are {fill others, not unworthy of attention, which might have been added ; but to have noticed all the variations and fhades of difference obfervablc in the canine race, would have fwelled our account, already large, to an immoderate length, and have left us too little room for others of equal importance, in a comprehenfive view of this part of the animal creation. Our attention has been directed in a particular manner to the various inftindlive powers of animals — that hidden principle which actuates and impels every living creature to procure its fubfiflence, provide for its fafety, and propagate its kind. To difcover more and more of this unerring guide, directing the brute creation to their highefl good by the fimpleft and mofl certain methods, is a purfuit worthy of the mofl refined under- Itanding, and leads us to contemplate the wifdom and goodnefs of the adorable Author of nature, who “ openeth his hand, and all things are filled with good.” It may perhaps be thought neceffary to offer fome apology for the evident want of proportion obfervable in the fizes of the dif- ferent animals ; a defeCt to which every work of this kind mufl, in fome meafure, be liable. In adverting to this, we found, that at whatever point, between the Elephant and the Moufe, the fcale were to be fixed, a great and unavoidable deficiency would be the confequence ; we were therefore obliged to relin- quifli a plan, which, fo far from being practicable, would have been the meajas of throwing the whole into irregularity and confufion. I N D E X. A PAGE. X A DIVE - - 295 X Bat, the Barbaftelle PAGE. 477 TV Agouti 349 S the Serotine - ibid . Ai 458 f the Horfe-lhoe - ibid . Ant-eater, the Great - 459 j! the Rouffette, or the Middle - 460 A Great Ternate ■ ■ 479 the Lefler - ibid . y M the Rougette, or Antelope, the Common ■ ■ 95 X Leffer Ternate ■ - 480 the Barbary - ibid . 5 the Speftre - 481 the Scythian • ■ 98 X the Senegal - ibid. the Striped 89 x the Bull-dog m ibid. Ape, the Barbary 417 X the Bearded - 482 Armadillo 462 X the Striped - ibid. the Three- t 463 1. Bear, the Brown - 261 banded the Polar - 268 the Six-banded 464 X the Black - 266 the Nine-band- A , X 465 X Beaver - 383 ed Bifon - ' 39 the Weafel- X Blue- Goat - 80 headed 466 j Boar, the Wild - 144 Afs 17* Common or Do- Axis - 128 A w medic - 146 A v A the African Wild 14-0' B - ‘ f % u A Bucha - 42 Baboon 418 j Buffalo - 43 the Great Rib- bed-nofe the Small Rib- y 420 j X C Cagvi 439 bed-nofe 422 X 423 v Callitrix - 43° the Pig-tailed - Camel - 136 the Dog-faced - 424 X the Arabian - 140 the Urfine 425 0 Capibara - 348 Babirouffa *53 X Caracal m 215 Babr - - - *92 0 the Nubian - 216 Badger - 254 y Caribou mm 120 Bat 474 X Cat, the Domeftic - 208 the Short-eared ibid. X the Wild mm 205 the Long-eared 476 g the Wild Red mm ibid. the No£tule, or y A Angora w 207 Great ibid, x 477 X Cavy, the Redlefs - 345 the Pipiltrelle the Spotted - 346 INDEX vi the Akouchi 33° \ Q / ^ -r- the Newfoundland the Rock 35 1 X the Rough Water Chevrotain 97 5 the Large Water- Civet - 2 44 X Spaniel Coaita - 435 0 the Small Water- Coati - 251 0 Spaniel Coendou 447 X the Springer, or Conepate 242 l Cocker Cohn - 96 \ King Charles’s - Gouguar - *97 X the Pyrame Coqualiin 336 8 the Shock D Dog A the Fallow *7 129 0 - 296 9 the Shepherd’s 299 | the Cur 3QI y the Greenland 3°3 I the Bull 306 j the Maftiff 307 § the Ban 3°9 X the Dalmatian or y A y Coach 310 \ the Iriih Greyhound 311 X the Highland Grey- V hound 312 X the Gazehound ibid. X the Lyemmer ibid. 0 the Greyhound 3 1 3 X the Italian Grey- y A y hound ibid, y the Lurcher 3H 1 the T umbler 3 ‘5 0 the Terrier ibid, y the Beagle 316 | the Harier 3 1 7 x the Fox-Hound - 3*8 X the Old Englifh X V Hound 32° X the Kibble-Hound 32 1 | the Blood- Hound - ibid. 4 the Spanilh Pointer 324« the Lion the Comforter - the Turnfpit the Pug Dormoufe, the Greater ■ the Leffer - Done - - Dromedary - Elephant Elk the American Elk-Antelope Ermine Exquima F Ferret Foffane Foumart Fox the Greyhound the Mailiff the Cur the Black the Crofs the Corfac the Arctic Free Martin 325 226 328 329 330 331 ibid. ibid. ibid. 332 ibid. 333 ibid. 359 360 433 140 166 108 I 12 86 223 436 225 239 228 276 279 280 ibid. 282 ibid, ibid. 283 33 INDEX. G Gazelles - - - 79 Gemfe-Bok . - - 90 Genet - 243 Gibbon - - - 416 Giraffe, or Cameleopard 106 Gnu - 93 Goat 67 the Chamois - 71 of Angora - 76 of Thibet - i bid. of Portugal - ibid the Syrian - 77 African - - 78 Grunting-Ox - - 42 Grys-Bok 92 Guanacos - - 142 Guinea-Pig - - 345 H Hamfler Hare the Alpine Hart-Beeft Hedge-hog Hippopotamus Hog, the Common Horfe the Arabian the Racer the Hunter the Black \ 5 Jackall - X Jaguar - X Jerboa A X ft tf K ,, ICabaffou h Kang uroo y Kanguroo-Rat X Kevel v Klip- Springer X Koba X Koedoe 370 337 340 88 448 163 146 1 3 5 7 8 Old Englifh Road 10 Pony - - #/507gs, in plates, matches, and forfeits. The mod extraordinary indance of fleetnefs, in a trotting pace, we remember 1o have feen recorded, was performed, on the 4th of July, 1788, for a wager of thirty guineas, by a Horfe, the pro- perty of a gentleman of Billiter-fquare, London. He trotted thirty miles in an hour and twenty minutes, though he was allowed, by the terms of the bet, an hour and an half. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 7 The HUN T E R is a happy combination of the Race-Horfe with others of fuperior flrength, but inferior in fwiftnefs; and may be confidered as the moil ufeful breed of Horfes in Eu- rope. Their fpirit and activity in the field is well known, and can only be equalled by the perfeverance with which they endure the much more fevere labour of polling 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 fent over to the continent in great numbers: Their fuperior worth is univerfally acknowledged abroad-, and they are fold at very high prices to foreigners of the firfl diftin£tion. The mixture of this with others of inferior rank forms an endlefs variety, the different gradations becoming too minute to be difcriminated. 3 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS* The BLACK- HORSE. No other country has produced a breed of Horfes equal in fize and ftrength to the larger kind of our draught Horfes. The cavalry of England is in general formed of this clafs of Horfes ; but their inutility being experienced in fome fituations, others of a lighter and more active kind have been fubftituted in a few regi- ments. The fens of Lincolnfhire generally produce a larger breed than any other part of the kingdom. In London, there have been inftances where a fingle Horfe of that kind has drawn, for a fmall fpace, the enormous weight of three tons, half of which is known to be their ordinary draught. Confiderable improvements have of late years been made in this kind of Horfes, by Mr Bakewell of Difli- ley, and others *, who, by great attention and ingenuity, have acquired fuch celebrity, that they frequently fell ftallions of their refpedtive breeds for two hundred gui- 9 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. neas ; or, what is a more general practice, let them to hire by the feafon, for forty, eighty, or perhaps an hun- dred guineas ; and fome of them cover at five guineas a mare. The form of the black Lincolnfhire Horfe has, by their management, been materially altered : The long fore-end, long back, and long thick hairy legs, have gradually contracted into a fliort thick carcafe, a fhort but upright fore-end, and fhort clean legs; experience having at length proved, that flrength and activity, ra- ther than height and weight, are the more efTential pro- perties of farm Horfes. Another advantage pofTefTed by this improved breed, is its hardinefs, or thriving quality ; its being able to carry flefh, or Hand hard work, with comparatively little pro- vender. This hardinefs of conftitution, or natural pro- penfity to thriving, the Leicefterfhire breeders afTert is hereditary in particular individual breeds or lines of Horfes. If this obfervation be juft, and that the feeding quality can be obtained with any degree of certainty by management in breeding, in this as well as other kinds of live ftock, it is a moft interefting circumftance in the nature of domeftic animals. A ftrong, bony, and aClive kind of Horfes is now ufed in our carriages, inftead of the old black Coach- Horfe, which is almoft univerfally laid afide. The docked tail, offenfive both to humanity and decency, is rarely to be feen : Propriety and good fenfe have at length prevailed over a cuftona replete with abfurdity; and our Horfes are permitted to tetain a member both ufeful and ornamental. But we have ftill to regret, that the cruel pradice of forming the tail, by cutting and nicking it on the under fide, is yet continued. io HISTORY OF QJJADRUPEDS. Although it would be impoffible to trace out the kind of Horfes with which our Britifh anceftors oppofed them- felves to the legions of Julius Csefar, on his landing in this country; yet that celebrated warrior himfelf bears teftimony to their activity and difcipline. The Old Englijh Road-Horfe was ftrong, vigorous, and active, and capable of enduring great hardfhip ; was ra- ther low, feldom exceeding fourteen hands ; his body round and compact, his limbs ftrong, and his head thick. \ The Ponies of Wales, and thofe brought out of the Highlands of Scotland, feem to be original and unmix- ed. They are both much efteemed for the neatnefs and beauty of their forms, for the nimblenefs of their mo- tions, and above all, for being remarkably fure-footed in the moft difficult roads, which renders them extreme- ly valuable in thofe mountainous trails to which they originally belong. — Thofe brought from Shetland are the fmalleft of the genus, being in general much lefs than the Afs. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 1 1 The Common CART-HORSE is inferior to the laft in fize and ftrength: His form is heavy, his motions flow, and his afpe£f without fpright- linefs : He is neverthelefs extremely ufeful, and is em- ployed in the bufinefs of agriculture and other domeftic concerns. Till of late years, Pack-Horfes were employed, in the northern counties of England, to carry the different ma- nufactures and articles of traffic from one part of the kingdom to another j but the improved (late of our roads has caufed that mode of conveyance to be almofl entirely laid afide. In their journies over tracklefs moors, they llri£tly adhere to the line of order and regularity cuftom has taught them to obferve : The leading Horfe, which is always chofen for his fagacity and fteadinefs, being furnifhed with bells, gives notice to the reft, who follow the found, and generally without much deviation, though fometimes at a conftderable diftance. The following in- 12 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS, fiance will fhew with what obflinate perfeverance they have been known to obferve the line of their order : — Som'e years ago, one of thefe Horfes, which had been long accuflomed to follow his leader, by accident or fa- tigue, was thrown into an inferior rank : The poor ani- mal, as if fenfible of his difgrace, by the moft ftrenuous exertions, at length recovered his ufual ftation, which he maintained during the remainder of the journey; but, on his arrival in the inn-yard, he dropped down dead upon the fpot, his life falling a facrifice to his ambition — a fpecies of heroifm we mud admire even in the brute cre- ation. At the age of two years*, the Horfe is in a condition to propagate. — The mare is generally in feafon from the * There are various ways of judging of the age of a Horfe. The following are the moft general : — the eye-pits of old Horfes are commonly hollow; but that mark is equivocal, young Horfes, begot by old ftallions, having them alfo hollow — The teeth afford the beft criterion of the age of Horfes. The Horfe has, in all, forty teeth ; viz. twenty-four grinders, four canine teeth or tufks, and twelve fore teeth : Mares have either no tulks, or very fhort ones. Five days after birth, the four teeth in front begin to fhoot : Thefe are called nippers, and are caft at the age of two years and a half : They are foon renewed : And the next year, he again cafts two above, and two below, — one on each fide of the nippers. At four years and a half, other four fall out, next thofe laft placed : Thefe laft four foal teeth are fucceeded by other four, which grow much more flowly than the firft eight: And it is from thefe laft four corner teeth, that the age of the Horfe is diftinguilhed : They are fomewhat hollow in the middle, and have a black mark in the cavities. At five years, thefe teeth fcarcely rife above the gums ; at fix, their cavities begin to fill up, and turn to a brownifh fpot, like the eye of a garden bean ; and before eight years, the mark generally difappears. — The tulks alfo indicate the age of a Horfe. — Thofe in the under jaw generally fhoot at the age of three years and a half; and the two in the upper jaw at four : Till fix, they continue fharp at the points ; but at ten, they appear long and blunted. — Thefe are the general rules for afcertaining the age of a Horfe; but there are frequent exceptions, as fome Horfes retain the mark two or three years longer. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 13 latter end of March till the beginning of June ; but her chief ardour for the Horfe continues only fifteen or twenty days. She goes with young eleven months and fome days ; continues to breed till the age of fixteen or eighteen years ; and lives, on an average, between twenty and thirty years. Although the Horfe is endowed with vaft ftrength and powers, he feldom exerts either to the prejudice of his mafter : On the contrary, he fhares with him in his la- bours, and feems to participate in his pleafures; gene- rous and perfevering, he gives up his whole powers to the fervice of his mafter; though bold and intrepid, he reprefles the natural vivacity and fire of his temper, and not only yields to the hand, but feems to confult the in- clination of his rider. But it muft continue to be matter of regret to every feeling mind, that thefe excellent qualities fhould be often fhamefully abufed in the moft unneceflary exertions ; and the honeft labours of this noble animal thrown away in the ungrateful tafk of accomplifhing the purpofes of un- feeling folly, or lavifhed in gratifying the expectations of an intemperate moment. i4 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS, The M U L E. THIS ufeful and hardy animal is the offspring of the Horfe and the Afs, and being generally bar- ren, furnifhes an indifputable proof that the two fpe- cies are perfectly diftincSl. Nature has providently flopped the further propagation of thefe heterogeneous productions, to preferve, uncontaminated, the form of each animal; without which regulation the races would in a fhort time be mixed with each other, and every creature, lofing its original perfection, would rapidly de- generate. Mules have not unfrequently been known to bring forth young, efpecially in hot countries ; and inftances have not been wanting, though they are rare, both in England and Scotland. But it would require a fuccefiion of experiments to prove, that Mules will breed with each other, and produce an offspring equally capable of conti- nuing the race. The common Mule is very healthy, and will live above thirty years. It is found very ferviceable in carrying HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 25 burthens, particularly in mountainous and ftony places, where Horfes are not fo fure-footed. The fize and ftrength of our breed have lately been much improved by the importation of Spanifh Male- Afles ; and it were much to be wiflhed, that the ufeful qualities of this animal were more attended to: For, by proper care in its break- ing, its natural obftinacy would in a great meafure be cor- rected ; and it might be formed with fuccefs, for the fad- dle, the draught, or the burthen. People of the firft quality in Spain are drawn by Mules, where fifty or fixty guineas is no uncommon price for one of them ; nor is it furprizing, when we confider how far they excel the Horfe in travelling in a mountainous country, the Mule being able to tread fe- curely where the former can hardly ftand. — Their man- ner of going down the precipices of the Alps, the Andes, &c. is very extraordinary; and with it we will conclude their hiftory. In thefe paflages, on one fide, are deep eminences, and on the other, frightful abyfles; and, as they generally follow the direction of the mountain, the road, inftead of lying in a level, forms at every little diftance deep declivities, of feveral hundred yards down- ward. Thefe can only be defcended by Mules; and the animal itfelf feems fenfible of the danger, and the cau- tion that is to be ufed in fuch defcents. When they come to the edge of one of thefe precipices, they (top without being checked by the rider ; and if he inadver- tently attempt to fpur them on, they continue immovea- ble. They feem all this time ruminating on the danger that lies before them, and preparing themfelves for the encounter. They not only attentively view the road, but tremble and fnort at the danger. Having prepared for the defcent, they place their fore feet in a pofture, as i6 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. if they were flopping themfelves ; they then alfo 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 furvey of the road, they hide down with the fwiftnefs of a meteor. In the mean time, all the rider has to do is to keep himfelf fafl on the faddle without checking the rein, for the leaf! motion is fufficient to diforder the equilibrium of the Mule ; in which cafe they both unavoidably perifh. But their addrefs in this rapid defcent is truly wonderful *, for in their fwifteft motion, when they feem to have loft all government of them- felves, they follow exactly the different windings of the road, as if they had previoufly fettled in their minds the route they were to follow, and taken every precaution for their fafety. In this journey, the natives place them- felves along the ffdes of the mountains *, and holding by the roots of the trees, animate the beads with fhouts, and encourage them to perfevere. Some Mules, after being long ufed to thefe journies, acquire a kind of repu- tation for their fafety and (kill ; and their value rifes in , i proportion to their fame. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 17 The ASS. THE Afs, it is probable, was originally a native of Arabia and other parts of the eaft : The deferts of Lybia and Numidia, and many illands of the Archipe- lago, contain vaft herds of wild Afles, which run with fuch amazing fwiftnefs, that even the fleeteft Horfes of the country can hardly overtake them. They are chiefly caught by the natives on account of their flefh, which is eaten by them, and confidered as a delicious repaft. The flefh of the common or tame Afs is however drier, more tough, and difagreeable than that of the Horfe ; Galen fays, it is even unwholefome : Its milk, on the contrary, is an approved remedy for certain diforders. — The wild Afs is not (freaked like the Zebra, (with which it has often been confounded) nor is his form fo beauti- ful : His figure refembles that of the common Afs, his colour is brighter, and he has a white (freak extending from his head to his tail. B i8 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The Afs, like the Horfe, 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 perfons on horfeback, attended by Indians on foot, form a large circle in order to drive them into a narrow compafs, where at full fpeed they throw a noofe over them, and having fecured them with fetters, leave them till the chace is over, which frequent- ly lafts for feveral days. They have all the fwiftnefs of Horfes ; and neither declivities nor precipices can retard them in their flight. When attacked, they defend them- felves with their heels and mouths with fuch activity, that, without llackening their pace, they often maim their purfuers. A warm climate is mofl favourable to the growth of this animal : The Afs produced in this country is much inferior in fize and beauty to thofe of Spain and other warm countries : In Guinea, they are larger and more beautiful than even their Horfes : In Perfia, they have two kinds, — the one flow and heavy, which is made ufe of for carrying burthens ; the other nimble, fmooth, and ftately, ufed chiefly for the faddle. They are managed as Horfes; and, like them, are taught to amble. They generally flit their noftrils, to give them more room for breathing. Many of thefe are fold as high as forty or fifty pounds. Holingfhed informs us, that, in the reign of queen Elizabeth, there were no AfTes in this country : How foon after they might be introduced, is uncertain. How- ever they are at prefent naturalized in this kingdom, where their utility becomes daily more univerfally expe- rienced. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. tg The qualities of this animal are fo well known, as to need no defcription : His gentlenefs, patience, and per- feverance, are without example : He is temperate with regard to food, and eats contentedly the coarfeft and moft negle&ed herbage : If he give the preference to any vegetable, it is to the plantain, for which he will negle£t every other herb in the paflure. In his water he is fingu- larly nice, drinking only from the cleared: brooks. He is fo much afraid of wetting his feet, that, even when load- en, he will turn afide to avoid the dirty parts of the road. He is ftronger, in proportion to his fize, than the Horfe *, but more fluggifh, ftubborn, and untrahfable. — He is healthier than the Horfe; and, of all other quadru- peds, is lead infefted with lice or other vermin ; proba- bly owing to the extreme hardnefs and drynefs of his ikin. For the fame reafon, perhaps, he is lefs fenfitive of the goads of the whip, or the flinging of flies. He is three or four years in coming to perfection ; and lives to the age of twenty, or fometimes twenty-five years. Fie fleeps much lefs than the Horfe, and never lies down for that purpofe but when he is much fa- tigued. The She-Afs goes eleven months with young, and feldom produces more than one at a time. The fervices of this ufeful creature are to often re« paid by hard fare and cruel ufage ; and being generally the property of the poor, it partakes of their wants and their diflreffes : Whereas, by due cultivation and care in its education, the Afs might be ufefully and profitably employed in a variety of domeftic purpofes, and in many cafes fupply the place of the Horfe, to which only it is fecond, though generally degraded into the moft ufelefs and negleded of domeftic quadrupeds. B 2 20 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The ZEBRA, WHICH many authors have miftaken for a wild Afs, is the moll beautiful, as well as the wild- eft, mod timid, and untameable animal in nature. Be- ing larger than the Afs, it rather rcfembles the Mule in fhape : Its head is large $ its ears longer than thofe of the Horfe ; its legs beautifully fmall, and well placed ; and its body well formed, round and flefiiy: But the beauty ot its fhape is greatly heightened by the gloffy fmoothnefs of its (kin, and the amazing regularity and elegance of its colours, which in the male are white and brown, and in the female white and black, ranged in alternate {tripes over the whole body, in a (tile fo beautiful and ornamen- tal, that it would at fir ft fight feem rather the effeCt of art than the genuine production of nature : The head is ftriped with fine bands of black and white, which form a center in the forehead ; the neck is adorned with ftripes of the fame colour running round it ; the body is beau- tifully variegated with bands running acrofs the back, and ending in points at the belly j its thighs, its legs, its 21 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. cars, and even its tail, are all beautifully {freaked in the fame manner. The Zebra inhabits the fouthern parts of Africa, where whole herds are feen feeding in thofe extenfive plains that lie towards the Cape of Good Hope. How- ever, their watchfulnefs is fuch, that they will fuffer no- thing to come near them ; and their fwiftnefs fo great, that they eafily leave their purfuers far behind. Such is the beauty of this creature, that it feems by nature fitted to gratify the pride and formed for the fer- vice of man and it is moft probable, that time and afli- duity alone are wanting to bring it under fubje£tion. As it refembles the Horfe in regard to its form, as wrell as manner of living, there can be little doubt but it pofieffes a fimilitude of nature; and only requires the efforts of an induftrious and fkilful nation, to be added to the number of our ufeful dependants. Neverthelefs, its liberty has hitherto remained uncontrouled, and its natural fierce- nefs has as yet refilled every attempt to fubdue it : Thofe that have been brought to this country, have difeovered a degree of vicioufnefs that rendered it unfafe to approach them too familiarly ; but it is by no means to be con- cluded from hence, that they are untameable. They have continued to be wild, becaufe they are natives of a country where the wretched inhabitants have no other idea of advantage from the animal creation than as they are good for food, paying more regard to that which af- fords the moft delicious repaft, than to delicacy of co- louring, or beauty of conformation. ^gtaggas, or Wild hitherto but little known, and not much deferibed, abound in the fame country. They live in herds, and are extremely fwift. B 3 22 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. RUMINATING ANIMALS. r I’^HE various animals of this kind being entirely f confined to grain and herbage for their nourifli- ment and fupport, it is neceflary that they {hould be ena- bled to receive a large quantity into the ftomach, as well as to retain it a confiderable time before it be reduced to proper chyle: For this purpofe, their inteftines are remarkably long and capacious, and formed into a va- riety of foldings. They are furnifhed with no lefs than four ftomachs. The food, after maftication, is thrown into the firft ftomach, where it remains fome time ; after which, it is forced up again into the mouth, and under- goes a fecond chewing : It is then fent direCHy into the fecond ftomach, and gradually pafles into the third and fourth *, from whence it is tranfmitted through the con- volutions of the inteftines. By this conformation, rumi- nating animals are enabled to devour large quantities of vegetable aliment, to retain it long in their bowels, and confequently extraCt from it a quantity of nutritious mat- ter fufficient for their growth and fupport. The great obligations wre are under to thofe of this clafs, render them obje&s of the higheft importance to us. We are nourifhed with their milk, we are fupported by their flefti, and we are cloathed and warmed with their fleeces : Their harmleflnefs and innocence endear them to us, and claim from us that protection which their natures feem to require; and, in return, they fupply its with the necefiaries and comforts of life. I HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 23 The OX Kind. OF all quadrupeds, the Cow feems moft extenfively propagated : It is equally capable of enduring the rigours of heat and cold ; and it is an inhabitant of the frozen, as well as the moft fcorching climates. Other animals preferve their nature or their form with inflexible perfeverance ; but thefe, in every refpedf, fuit themfelves to the wants and conveniences of mankind. In no ani- mal is there to be met with a greater variety of kinds 5 and in none, a more humble and pliant difpofition. The climate and paftures of Great-Britain are well adapted to the moderate nature of this animal ; and we are indebted to the variety and abundance of our whole- fome vegetables, for the number and excellence of our cattle, which range over our hills, and enliven our plains —a fource of inexhauftible wealth — the pride and boaft of this happy country. - Being deftitute of the upper fore teeth, the Cow pre- fers the high and rich grafs in paftures, to the fhort and more delicate herbage the Horfe generally feledts. For this reafon, in our Englifh paftures, where the grafs is rather high and flourifhing, than fucculent and nutritious, the Cow thrives admirably ; and there is no part of Eu- rope in which this animal grows larger, yields more milk, nor fattens fooner. It has often been remarked, that the Horfe and Sheep impoverifh the foil on which they graze ; whilft the paf- ture where the Cow is fed, acquires a finer furface, and every year becomes more level and beautiful : The Horfe feledls the grafs that is moft delicate and tender; and, being furnifhed with fore teeth on each jaw, nips it B 4 24 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. clofe, and frequently pulls it up by the roots, thereby preventing its future growth and propagation : The Sheep alfo, though formed like the Cow with refpedl to its teeth, only bites the molt fucculent 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 fucceeding year another ring is added. Thus, by allow- ing three years before their appearance, and then reckon- ing the number of rings, the creature’s age may be exa6l- ly known. The quantity of milk given by Cows is very vari- ous: Some will yield only about fix quarts in one day j while others give from ten to fifteen, and fometimes even twenty. The richnefs of the pafture contributes not a little to its increafe. There have been inftances of Cows giving upwards of thirty quarts of milk in one day. In fuch cafes, there is a neceflity for milking them thrice.. — From the milk of fome Cows, twelve or fourteen pounds of butter are made in a week. It has been advanced, by fome naturalifts, as a general principle, that neither animals, nor parts of animals, ap- pear to be primarily intended for the ufe of man, but are only capable of a fecondary application to his pur- pofes: Yet it mull be allowed, that in many inftances, what they term the fecondary ufe, is fo rnanifeft and im- portant, that it cannot, with propriety, be fuppofed to be excluded from the original defigns of the all-wife Cre- ator : And it muft be allowed, that the Cow, in its fa- culty of giving in fuch abundance, and with fo much eafe, its milk, which forms fo rich and nutritive an ali- ment for the human fpecies, is a ftriking example of this fubordination to the interefts of mankind : For this ani- HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 25 mal differs, in fome parts of its organization, from moll others, having a larger and more capacious udder, and longer and thicker teats, than the largefl animal we know of: It has likewife four teats, while all other ani- mals of the fame nature have but two: It alfo yields the milk freely to the hand, while moll animals, at leaf!: thofe that do not ruminate in the fame manner, refufe it; ex- cept their own young, or fome adopted animal, be allow- ed to partake. The Cow, having four teats, is a linking peculiarity; as the number in all other animals bears fome proportion with the number of young ones they bring forth at a time. The Cow will yield her milk as freely, and will conti- nue to give it as long, without the aid of the calf, as if it were permitted to fuck her conftantly. This is not the cafe with the Afs; which, it is well known, will foon grow dry, if her foal be not permitted to fuck 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 thofe kinds of ruminating horned animals wdiich have cloven hoofs, four ftomachs, long intellines, are furnifhed with fuet, 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 capacioufnefs of her udder, and the fize and form of her teats. By great indullry and attention to their breed, and by judicious mixtures writh thofe of other countries, our horned cattle are univerfally allowed to be the finell in Europe ; although fuch as are purely Britilh are inferior in fize to thofe on many parts of the continent. 26 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS The Holstein ok. Dutch Breed has been introduced with great fuccefs, and is now the prevailing flock in all the counties on the eaflern coaft of this kingdom. — In good pailures, cattle of this kind grow to a great fize*; and the Cows yield a greater abundance of milk than thofe of almoft any other kind. * An Ox was fed by Mr Edward Hall, of Whitley, in North- umberland; and killed in March, 17S9, when feven years old; it weighed, without offal, 187 ft. 51b. — And a Cow, bred and fed HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 27 The Long-horned or Lancashire Breed is common in Lancafliire, Wedmorland, and Cumber- land, and fome of the neighbouring counties ; and, not- withftanding the changes which have taken place by the introduction of foreign kinds, there is reafon to believe, that this, for a confiderable time at lead, has been the prevailing dock of the kingdom at large. Mr Marfhall, in his excellent treatife on the (< Eco- nomy of the Midland Counties,” obferves, that, from this kind, the prefent improved breed of cattle, in Lei- cederfhire, is traceable, by the mod indifputable evi- dence. From Bulls brought out of Wedmorland and Lancafhire, and Cows from the banks of the Trent, the celebrated Canley breed , the property of Mr Webder, de- rived its origin ; and about fifty years ago, it was edeem- by Mr Smith, of Togfton, in the fame county, killed in January, T792, weighed 150(1. 31b. : Fore quarters 65 ft. 4 lb. hind quarter# (j2 ft. 7 lb. tallow 15 ft. 12 lb. hide 6 ft. 8 lb. — 141b. to the (tone. 28 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. ed the moft valuable at that time in the kingdom. From this breed, Mr Bakewell obtained the fource of his pre- fent fuperior ftock of cattle; and feveral other eminent breeders are alfo indebted to the fame origin, for the ce- lebrity they have hnce attained. The rapid improvements which have taken place in this truly valuable Leicefterfhire breed, form an intereft- ing fubje£t of enquiry; of which, the limits of our work will only allow us to give the outlines. We have, how- ever, noticed the general principles which have been laid down, and fteadily adhered to, in the improvement of the feveral breeds of cattle ; and which have been fo fuc- cefsfully brought into practice. The firft, and moft ob- vious, is beauty of form, — a principle, which has been in common applied to every fpecies of domeftic cattle; and, with great feeming propriety, was fuppofed to form the bafis of every kind of improvement ; under an idea, that beauty of form, and utility, were infeparable. But at prefent, a diftin£tion is made, by men who have been long converfant in practice, between a ufeful fort, and a fort that is merely handfome. Utility of form is therefore the next general principle, and may be confi- dered as arifing from a larger proportion of thofe parts which are the moft ufeful : Thus, for inftance, all thofe parts which are deemed offal , or which bear an inferior price, fhould be fmall in proportion to the better parts. A third principle of improvement, laid down by breeders, confifts in the finenefs of the mufcular parts, or what is termed fleff. But the great object which engrofles the attention of breeders at prefent, is the fatting quality , or a natural propenfity in cattle to arrive at a ftate of fat- nefs at an early age, and in a fhort fpace of time : And it appears, from obfervation, that beauty and utility of HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 29 form, the quality of the flefti, and its propenfity to fat- nefs, are principles confident with each other, are fre- quently found united in the fame individual, and heredi- tary in particular lines or families of cattle. — In regard to the means of improvement, it has long been an edablifii- ed maxim, that, to improve the breed, it is neceflary to crofs it with others of an alien dock ; under an opinion, that continuing to breed from the fame line weakens the dock. This idea, however rooted it may have been in the minds of former pradtitioners, is now entirely fet afide by the modern pradlice of breeding, not from the fame line only, but from the fame family : The fire and the daughter, the fon and the mother, the brother and fider, 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 fe- veral breeds has advanced rapidly to a height unknown before in any age or nation. The practice of letting out Bulls by the feafon, has contributed very materially towards the improvement of this valuable breed ; as, by thi's means, one Bull, indead of being ufeful to his proprietor only, may, in a few years, extend the benefits of his dock through a whole didridl *, and fo fully are the dock-maders convinced of its advantages, that eighty guineas have been given for the ufe of a Bull for one feafon. Some Bulls are in fucli edimation, as to leap at the extraordinary price of five guineas a Cow : And it is, perhaps, a circumdance worth mentioning, that Mr Fowler, of Rollright, in Ox- fordfhire, in 1789, for ten Bull calves, refufed five hun- dred guineas. Great improvements have alfo, of late years, been made in the old Lancnjinre kind , both in fize and beauty. 3o HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. — Craven, in Yorkfhire, has long been celebrated for a fuperior variety of the long-horned kind : And from thence the graziers of Weftmorland and Lancalhire put- chafed the flower of their Heifers ; which, by eroding with the original Hock of thofe counties, have produced a breed, which is now had recourfe to, for the improve- ment 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 fhort and fmooth ; their crefls rife extremely high ; their chefts are let down to their knees ; their bodies are long, and in the form of a perfect cylinder. The Lancashire OX. The Cows and Oxen are fmaller. Their horns are long and fmall, very fmooth ; and their colour, in gene- ral, approaches to yellow : Their hair is beautifully curl- ed; and their whole form extremely handfome. The Oxen frequently grow to a confiderable flze, are very active, and confequently ufeful in the draught. 1 hey HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 31 are welt fuited to a cold climate, and grow fat on indif- ferent paftures. In Scotland, there are two kinds, which differ greatly from each other, as wrell as from all thofe in the fouthern parts of this iflaiid. Thofe of the county of Galloway are without horns, and generally of a reddifh-brown colour, mixed with black. Large droves of thefe are yearly brought into the fouthern parts of this kingdom, where they foon greatly improve. The K Y L O E ■ O I, The Highland cattle are very fmall, and partake much of the wilanefs of the country in which they are bred. They are moftly black, with fine white horns, very (harp, and nearly black at the points; and their hair is thick and furry. Large droves of thefe are likewife fold into England at the great northern fairs. They are greatly efteemed for the finenefs and fweetnefs of their beef, as well as for the facility with which they acquire a confi- derable degree of fatnefs, even with moderate feeding. 32 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. Although the Oxen of this breed, when fed in the or- dinary way, do not exceed forty (tone the four quarters, — one of them, fed by Mr Spearman, of Rothley Park, in Northumberland, weighed, when killed, in 1790, at the age of fix years, eighty- one hone. The Cow feems more liable to changes from its paf- ture and climate than any other quadruped. Jn the dif- ferent parts of this narrow ifland, we can trace a won- derful variety of thefe animals, produced by the richnefs or poverty of the foil. In fhort, in every part of the world, the Cow is found either large or fmall, in propor- tion to the quality and quantity of its food. Among the Eluth Tartars, where the paftures are remarkably rich and nourifhing, the Cow grows to fuch an amazing fize, that a man can fcarcely reach the tip of its {boulder: In France, on the contrary, where this animal is Hinted in its food, and driven from the bed paftures, it greatly degenerates. In Great-Britain, the Ox is the only horned animal that will apply his ftrength to the fervice of mankind; and, in general, is more profitable than the Horfe, for the plough or the draught. There is fcarcely any part of this animal without its ufe : The fkin is made into va- rious kinds of leather ; the hair is mixed with lime for plaiftering ; the bones are made ufe of as a fubftitute for ivory, and, being calcined, are ufed by the refiner as an abforbent to carry off the bafer metals in refining filver, &c. ; combs, and many other articles, are made of the horns ; we are fupplied with candles from the tallow ; and from the feet is procured an oil, of great ufe in pre- paring and foftening leather; befides the wrell-known be- nefits derived from butter, milk, and cheefe ; its blood, HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 33 gall, liver, and urine, have their refpeftive ufes in manu- fa£lures and medicine. The Cow goes nine months with young, and feldom produces more than one at a time. It is a curious fact, that, in fome inftances, Cows are naturally barren ; and this is faid to happen, when a Cow brings forth two calves, — one of them a male, the other a female : 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 refembles the Ox, or fpayed heifer, in figure ; and is confiderably larger than the Cow. It is fometimes pre- ferved by the farmer, for the purpofe of yoking with the Oxen, or fattening for the table. — Mr Hunter cbferves, that the flefii of the Free Martin, like that of the Ox, is in common much finer in the fibre than either the Bull or Cow. It is fuppofed to exceed that of the Heifer in delicacy of flavour, and bears a higher price at market. % C history of quadrupeds. J T WILD G A T T L E. There was formerly a very fmgular fpeeie^ oi rriul cat tie In this country, which is now nearly extincT. Nume- rous herds of them were kept in feveral parks in England and Scotland ; but they have been deftroyed by various means; And the only breeds now remaining m the king- HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 35 dom, are in the park at Chillingham-caftle, in Northum- berland ; at Wollaton, in Nottinghamfhire, the feat of Lord Middleton; at Gifburne, in Craven, Yorkfhire; at Lime-hall, in Chefhire ; and at Chartley, in Stafford- fhire. ■ . principal external appearances which diflinguifli tuis breed of cattle from all others, are the following : — - Iheir colour is invariably white; muzzles black; the j wbole of the inlide of the ear, and about one-third of the outfide, from the tip downwards, red * ; horns white, with black tips, very fine, and bent upwards: Some of the Bulls have a thin upright mane, about an inch and an half, or two inches long. At the firfl appearance of any perfon, they fetoffin iull gallop; and, at the diflance of two or three hun- dred yards, make a wheel round, and come boldly up again, tolling their heads in a menacing manner : On a fudden they make a full (top, at the diftance of forty or fifty yards, looking wildly at the objeft of their furprize; but upon the leaft motion being made, they all again turn round, and fly off with equal fpeed, but not to the- fame diftance : Forming a fhorter circle, and again re- turning with a bolder and more threatening afpect than before, tney approach much nearer, probably within * About twentY 7cars rince, there were a few, at Chillingham, Witn black ears; but the prefent park-keeper deftroyed them ; ince which period, there has not been one with black ears. — The ears and nofes of all thofe at Wollaton are black.— At Gif- burne, there are fome perfedly white ; except the infide of their ears, which are brown. They are without horns, very iirone- bonea, but not high.— They are faid to have been originally brought from Whalley-abbey, in Lancalhire, upon its diflblution in the thirty-third of Henry the Eighth.— Tradition fays, they were drawn to Gifburne, by the ‘power of I^lufic., C 2 3 6 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. thirty yards ; when they make another ftand, and again fly off: This they do feveral times, (hortening their dif- tance, and advancing nearer, till they come within ten yards; when moft people think it prudent to leave them, not chufing to provoke them further ; for there is little doubt but in two or three turns they would make an at- tack. The mode of killing them was, perhaps, the only mo- dern 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, See. fometimes to the amount of an hundred horfe, and four or five hundred foot, who ftood upon walls, or got into trees, while the horfemen rode off the Bull from the reft of the herd, un- til he flood at bay; when a markfman difmounted and fhot. At fome of thefe huntings, twenty or thirty fhots have been fired before he was fubdued. On fuch occa- fions, the bleeding vi£lim grew defperately furious, from the fmarting of his wounds, and the fhouts of favage joy that w7ere echoing from every fide : But, from the num- ber of accidents that happened, this dangerous mode has been little pradlifed of late years ; the park-keeper alone generally fhooting them, with a rifled gun, at one fhot. When the Cows calve, they hide their calves for a week or ten days in fome fequeftered fituation, and go and fuckle them two or three times a-day. If any per- fon come near the calves, they clap their heads clofe to the ground and lie like a hare in form, to hide them- felves: This is a proof of their native wildnefs, and is corroborated by the following circumftance that happen- ed to the writer of this narrative, who found a hidden calf, two days old, very lean, and very weak : — On ftrok- HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 37 ing its head, it got up, pawed two or three times like an old Bull, bellowed very loud, hepped back a few heps, and bolted at his legs with all its force ; it then began to paw again, bellowed, hepped back, and bolted as before ; but knowing its intention, and hepping afide, it miffed him, fell, and was fo very weak that it could not rife, though it made feveral efforts : But it had done enough : The whole herd were alarmed, and, coming to its refcue, obliged him to retire : for the dams will allow no perfon to touch their calves, without attacking them with impe- tuous ferocity. When any one happens to be wounded, or is grown weak and feeble through age or llcknefs, the reh of the herd fet upon it, and gore it to death. The weight of the Oxen is generally from forty to fifty ftone the four quarters ; the Cows about thirty. The beef is finely marbled, and of excellent flavour. Thofe at Burton-Conftable, in the county of York, were all deftroyed by a diftemper a few years fince. They varied flightly from thofe at Chillingham, having black ears and muzzles, and the tips of their tails of the fame colour: They were alfo much larger, many of them weighing fixty ftone ; probably owing to the rich- nefs of the pafturage in Holdernefs ; but generally attri- buted to the difference of kind between thofe with black and with red ears, the former of which they ftudioufly endeavoured to preferve. The breed which was at Drumlanrig, in Scotland, had alfo black ears. 38 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The URUS, or WILD BULL, is chiefly to be met with in the extenfive forefts of Li- thuania. It grows to a fize almofl equal to the Ele- phant, and is quite black; the eyes are red and fiery, the horns thick and fliort, and the forehead covered with a quantity of curled hair ; the neck is fliort and ftrong, and the fkin has an odour of mullc. The female, though not fo big as the male, exceeds the larged of our Bulls in fize : Neverthelefs, her udder is extremely fmall. Upon the whole, however, this animal, which greatly refembles thofe of the tame kind, probably owes its varie- ty to its natural wildnefs, and the richnefs of the paftures . where it is produced. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 3 9 The BISON differs from the reft of the Ox kind, in having a large lump between its fhoulders, almoft as high as that of a Camel. He has a long fhaggy mane, which forms a kind of beard under his chin ; his eyes are fierce, his forehead large, and his horns extremely wide. It is dan- gerous to purfue him, except in forefts abounding with trees large enough to conceal the hunters. He is gene- rally taken in pits covered with branches of trees and grafs, on the oppofite fide of which the hunters tempt the animal to purfue them ; and the enraged creature running towards them, falls into the trap prepared for it, and is then overpowered and flain. The Bifon, or the animal with the hump, is found ifi all the fouthern parts of the world, though greatly differ- ing from each other in fize and form; while the Urus, or the one without the hump, chiefly occupies the tem- perate and cold climates. The former extend through- C 4 40 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. out the vaft continent of India, and from Mount Atlas to the Cape of Good Hope. In fome parts, they are extremely large ; while in others, they are very fmall, fuch as the Zebu, or Barbary Cow. The ZEBU. They are all equally docile and gentle, when tamed ; and are in general covered with fine gloiTy hair, fofter and more beautiful than that of the common Cow. — Their humps are of different fizes, in fome weighing from forty to fifty pounds, but in others lefs. That part is in general confidered as a great delicacy ; and, when dreffed, has much the appearance and tafte of udder. The Bifons of Madagafcar and Malabar are of the great kind ; thofe of Arabia Petrea, and moft parts of Africa, are of the Zebu or fmall kind. In America, efpecially towards the North, the Bifon is well known. They herd together, in droves of from one to two hundred, on the banks of the Miffifippi *, where the inhabitants hunt them, their fiefh being efteemed good eating. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 41 They all breed with the tame Cow. The hump, which is only an accidental charadteriftic, gradually de- clines ; and, in a few generations, no veftiges of it re- main.— Thus we fee, whether it be the wild or the tame Ox, the Bonafus or the Urus, the Bifon or the Zebu, by whatever name they are diftinguifhed, or however vari- oufly clafled by naturalifts, in reality they are the fame ; and, though diverfified in their appearance and proper- ties, are defcendants of one common flock; of which the moil unequivocal proof is, that they all mix and breed with each other. The Oxen of India are of different fizes, and are made ufe of in travelling, as fubflitutes for horfes. Their common pace is foft. Inftead of a bit, a fmall cord is paffed through the cartilage of the noftrils, which is tied to a larger cord, and ferves as a bridle. They are fad- died like horfes ; and, when pufhed, move very brifkly. They are likewife ufed in drawing chariots and carts. For the former purpofe, white Oxen are in great efleem, and much admired. They will perform journies of fixty days, at the rate of from twelve to fifteen leagues a day ; and their travelling pace is generally a trot. In Perfia, there are many Oxen entirely white, with fmall blunt horns, and humps on their backs. They are very ftrong, and carry heavy burthens. When about to be loaded, they drop down on their knees like the Ca- mel, and rife when their burthens are properly fattened. 1 42 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The GRUNTING-OX. The Sarluc, or Grunting-Cow of Tartary, from its refemblance to the Bifon, may be confidered as belong- ing to the fame fpecies. Its horns are fhort, upright, {lender, and very {harp ; the hair on its body is black, except the mane and 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 fhort ; it has a hump on its back ; its tail refem- bles that of a horfe, is white, and very bufhy ; it ftrikes with its head like a goat, and is very unruly ; its diftin- guifhing peculiarity is, that it makes a grunting noife like a hog, inftead of lowing like the Ox, which in every other inftance it greatly refembles. It abounds in the kingdom of Thibet, where it is domefticated. The wild breed, called Bucha , is extremely fierce. When wounded, it will fometimes turn upon its afiail- ant, and attack him with great fury. It copulates with the tame Cow. Their produce is employed in domeftic purpofes. Its tail is very valuable, and is fold at a great price in Thibet. When mounted on a filver handle, it is ufed, by the principal men in India, as a brufh to chafe away the flies. It is fometimes faftened, as an ornament, to the ear of the Elephant. — The Chinefe dye the hair red, and form it into tufts to adorn their bonnets. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 43 The BUFFALO. Though there is the mod firiking general refemblance between the Buffalo and our common Ox, "both in regard to form and nature, their habits and propenfities being nearly fimilar, are both equally fubmiffive to the yoke, and may be employed in the fame domeftic fervices ; yet it is certain, from experience, that no two animals can, in reality, be more diftindl : The Cow refufes to breed with the Buffalo, while it is known to propagate with the Bifon, to which it bears, in point of form, a much more diftant fimilitude. The Buffalo is found, in a wild date, in many parts of Africa and India ; and is common in the countries near the Cape of Good Hope, where he is defcribed, by Sparrman, as a fierce, cruel, and treacherous animal. He frequently rufhes from behind a thicket upon fome unwary paffengerj and, having thrown him down, tram- 44 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. pies him to death with his feet and knees, tearing him with his horns and teeth, and licking him with his rough tongue, till the fkin is nearly (tripped from the body. — The following accurate defcription we owe to the fame 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 fize, are much ftouter than thofe of the Ox ; his fetlocks likewife hang nearer the ground : The horns are fingular, both in their form and pofition ; the bafes of them are thirteen inches broad, and only an inch diftant from each other, having a narrow channel or furrow be- tween them ; from this furrow, the horns affume a fphe- rical form, extending over a great part of the headj the diftance between the points is often above five feet : The ears are a foot long, fomewhat pendulous, and in a great meafure covered and defended by the lower edges of the horns, which bend down on each fide, forming a curve upwards with the points : Their hair is of a dark-brown colour, about an inch long, harfh, and, upon thofe males that are advanced in years, draggling and thin, efpecially on each fide of the belly, which gives them the appear- ance of being girt with a belt : They frequently roll themfelves in the mire, of which they are very fond : The tail is fhort, and tufted at the end : The eyes are large, and fomewhat funk within their prominent orbits, which are almoft covered with the bafes of the horns overhanging its dangling ears *, this, with a peculiar in- clination of the head to one fide, which is its ufual man- ner, produces an afpedf at once fierce, cunning, and tre- mendous : The flefh is coarfe, rather lean, but full of juice of a high, but not unpleafant flavour : The hide is HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 45 thick and tough, and of great ufe in making thongs and harnefs ; it is fo hard, as not to be penetrated by a com- mon mufket-ball ; thofe made ufe of for (hooting the Buffalo, are mixed with tin ; and even thefe are fre- quently flattened by the concuffion. In Italy, the Buffalo is domefticated, and conftitutes the riches and food of the poor, who employ them for the purpofes of agriculture, and make butter and cheefe from their milk. The female produces but one at a time, and continues pregnant twelve months ; — another ftriking charadleriftic difference between the Buffalo and the common Cow. The M U S K-B U L L inhabits the interior parts of North-America, on the weft fide of Hudfon’s Bay, between Churchill and Seal rivers. They are very numerous in thofe parts, and live in herds of twenty or thirty. The Indians eat their flefh, and make coverings of their (kins. They are brought down in fledges, to fupply the forts during the winter. Notwithflanding the flefh is faid to have a ftrong flavour of mufk, it is reckoned very good and wholefome. The Mufk-Bull is fomewhat lower than a Deer, but more bulky. Its legs are fliort; and it has a fmall hump on its fhoulder: Its hair is of a dufty red colour, very fine, and fo long, as to reach to the ground : Beneath the hair, its body is covered with wool of an afli colour, which is exquifitely fine, and might be converted into various articles of ufeful manufacture; — Mr Jeremie fays, that (lockings made of it are finer than filk : Its tail is only three inches long, and is covered with long 4 6 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. hairs, of which the Esquimaux Indians make caps 5 which are fo contrived, that the long hair, falling round their faces, defends them from the bites of the mufqui- toes. Its horns are clofe at the bafe, and bend down- wards, turning out at the points ; they are two feet long, and two feet round at the bafe ; fome of them will weigh fixty pounds. Thefe animals delight chiefly in rocky and mountain- ous countries. They run nimbly, and are very a hou> is fomewhat plain- tive, grave, and firong, like that of an Ox. The Ant-eater, though it lias no teeth to defend itfelf with, is the mofl cruel enemy the Jaguar has to encoun- ter. As foon as the Jaguar attacks this little animal, it lies down on its back, and, with its long claws, feizes and fuffocates him. The COUGUAR inhabits the continent of America, and is called by fome the Puma or America?i Lion; but differs fo much from that noble animal, as not to admit of any comparifon. — Its head is fmall; it has no mane \ its length, from nofe to tail, is five feet three inches *, the tail two feet : The predominant colour is a lively red, mixed with black : efpecially on the back, where it is darkeft : Its chin, N 3 ipB HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. throat, and all the inferior parts of its body, are whitifh : Its legs are long; claws white; and the outer claw of the fore feet much longer than the others. It is found in many parts of North-America, from Ca- nada to Florida : It is alfo common in Guiana, Brazil, and Mexico. It is fierce and ravenous in the extreme ; and will fwim rivers to attack cattle, even in their inclofures. — In North-America, its fury feems to be fubdued by the ri- gour of the climate; for it will fly from a dog in com- pany with its mafler, and take flicker by running up a tree It is very deftructive to domeflic animals, particularly to Hogs. It preys alfo upon the Moofe and other Deer; lies lurking upon the branch of a tree till fome of thefe animals pafs underneath, when it drops down upon one of them, and never quits its hold till it has drunk its blood. It will even attack beads of prey. In the Mu- feum of the Royal Society is preferved the (kin of one of thefe animals, which was fhot juft as it had feized a Wolf. — When fatisfied with eating, it conceals the reft of the carcafe, covering it carefully with leaves. It purrs like a Cat, and fometimes howls dreadfully. The fur is foft, and is ufed by the Indians for a win- ter habit ; when drefled, it is made into gloves- and fhoes. The flefh is white, and, by the natives, reckoned excel- lent food. The Couguar, when brought into captivity, is almoft as gentle as the domeftic Cat, allows itfelF to be careffed, and will permit boys to mount on its back. It is fcmetinies called the Poltron Tiger. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 199 The BLAC K-T I G E R differs from the former chiefly in the colour, which is dufky, fometimes fpotted with black, but generally plain . The throat, belly, and infides of the legs, are of a pale- afh colour; the upper lip white, covered with long whif- kers : Above each eye, it has very long hairs ; and at the corner of the mouth, a black fpot : Its paws are white ; and its ears fharp and pointed. It grows to the fize of a heifer of a year old, and has great ftrength in its limbs. It inhabits Brazil and Guiana, is a cruel and fierce animal, much dreaded by the Indians ; but fortunately the fpecies is not numerous. ' M. de la Borde, in his defcription of thefe animals, fays, that they frequent the fea-fhore, and eat the eggs depofited there by the turtles. They likewife eat cai- mans or alligators, lizards, and fifhes, and fometimes the buds and tender leaves of the Indian fig. — They are excellent fwimmers. — In order to catch the alligator, they lie down on their belly at the edge of the river, N 4 200 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. {trike the water to make a noife, and as foon as the alli- gator raifes its head above the water, dart their claws in- to its eyes, and drag it on fhore. The OCELOT. The {kin of the male Ocelot is extremely beautiful, and molt elegantly variegated. Its general colour is that of a bright-tawny ; a black (tripe extends along the top of the back, from head to tail ; its forehead is fpotted with black, as are alfo its legs *, its fhoulders, fides, and rump, are beautifully marbled with long (tripes of black, forming oval figures, filled in the middle with fmali black fpots •, its tail is irregularly marked with large fpots, and black at the end.— The colours of the female are not fo vivid as thofe of the male ; neither is it fo beautifully marked. The Ocelot very much refembles the common Cat in the form of its body, although it is a great deal larger. Buffon makes its height two feet and a half, and about four feet in length. It is a native of South-America, inhabits Mexico and 201 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. Brazil, is very voracious, but timid, and feldom attacks men. It is afraid of dogs ; and, when purfued, flies to the woods. It lives chiefly in the mountains, and conceals itfelf among!! the leaves of trees; from whence it darts upon fuch animals as come within its reach. It fometimes ex- tends itfelf along the boughs, as if it were dead, till the monkies, tempted by their natural curioflty, approach within its reach. It is faid to prefer the blood of ani- mals to their flefh. The Ocelot cannot eafily be tamed, and retains its ori- ginal wildnefs in a flate of captivity. Nothing can foften the natural ferocity of its difpofition, nor calm the refl- leflnefs of its motions. For this reafon, it is always kept in a cage. — One of thefe animals, fhewn at Newcaflle in 1788, although extremely old, exhibited great marks of ferocity. It was kept clofely confined, and would not admit of being carefled by its keeper in the fame manner as the Lion ; but growled conflantly, and always appear- ed in motion. — A male and female Ocelot were brought to France fome years ago, which had been taken when very young. At the age of three months, they became fo ftrong and fierce, as to kill a bitch that was given them for a nurfe. When a live Cat was thrown to them, they fucked its blood, but would not tafte its flefh. The male feemed to have a great fuperiority over the fe- male, as he never allowed her to partake till his own ap- petite was fatisfied. The female Ocelot, like all the larger animals of the Cat kind, produces a fmall number at a time. The two above-mentioned were the only young ones found with the mother, which was killed at the time they were 202 HISTORY OF QJJADRUPEDS. taken ; and makes it probable, that they bring forth only that number. The MARGAY is another beautiful animal of the fpotted tribe, and known in many places by the name of the Tiger Cat. The ground colour of the body is tawny ; the face is ftriped with black ; the body is marked with (tripes and large fpots of black; the bread: and infides of the legs are white, fpotted with black ; the tail is long, marked with alternate fpots of black, tawny, and grey. The Margay is fmaller than the Ocelot, and about the (ize of the Wild Cat, which it refembles in difpofition and habit, living on fmall animals, birds, &c. It is very wild, and cannot eafily be brought under fubjec- tion. Its colours vary, though they are generally fuch as have been defcribed. It is common in Guiana, Brazil, and varous parts of South- America. It is called the Cayenne Cat , and is not fo frequent in temperate as in warm climates. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 203 In taking a furvey of this beautiful race of animals, we are unavoidably led to obferve, that much remains for the laborious refearches of the natural hillorian, before a complete account can be made out of the various kinds of which it is compofed.— -Several fpecies are frequently found in the Ealt-lndies, in the woods near the Cape of Good Hope, and in the continent of America; but iri general thefe have been fo negligently or fo injudicioufly mentioned, as to render it impofhble to form a perfedt defcription of them. A good hiftory of thefe animals is one of the many defiderata of the naturalift ; but when we confider the great diftance which molt of this fero- cious tribe obferve in their reparation from mankind, and the dangers that muft be encountered in approaching their folitary habitations, we are obliged to lament that this defirable objedt is not likely to be foon accomplifhed. 204 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. V The SERVAL inhabits the mountainous parts of India ; and is called, by the natives of Malabar, the Marapute . It is larger than the Wild-Cat — Its general colour is a pale-yellow ; white on the bread and belly ; variegated with round fpots, which are equally distributed over every part of its body: Its eyes are extremely brilliant, and have a wild, piercing look; its whilkers are long and ftiff; its tail fhort ; and its feet armed with long hooked claws. It is feldom to be feen upon the ground ; but lives chiefly in trees, where it makes its neft, and breeds its young. It feeds on young birds, and leaps with great agility from tree to tree. It is extremely fierce ; but a- voids mankind, unlefs provoked ; when it darts furioufly upon the offender, and tears and bites nearly in the fame manner as the Panther. Sparrman mentions an animal of this kind, found at the Cape of Good Hope, which he calls the Tiger Cat, and fuppofes to be the fame with the Serval. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 205 The fame author mentions another animal of this kind, called at the Cape the JVild Red Cat ; the lkin of which is fuppofed by the natives to polfefs great medicinal powers, and give eafe to perfons affli&ed with the gout, lumbago, and pains in the joints. The fur is very fine and foft : And, probably, there are many other Ikins, which, if applied with an equal degree of good faith, might have the fame falutary effe£ts. The colour of the upper part of this creature is of a very bright-red ; towards the fides it is mixed with white and grey ; the belly is white ; the upper part of the ears, which have tufts of hair on the tips, is dark-brown, fprinkled with grey. Its body is long, and about two feet in height. The W I L D-C A T The hiftory of this animal is fo intimately conne&ed with that of the common or domeftic kind, that we ftiall include our account of both under one general head, and defcribe them as conftituting the fame fpecies. The domeftic Cat, if fuffered to efcape into the woods, becomes wild, and lives on fmall birds and fuch other 206 history of quadrupeds. game as it can find there. It likewife breeds with the wild one. It is no uncommon thing for females of the tame fpecies to quit their houfes during the time they are in feafon, go in quell of male Wild-Cats, and return to the fame habitations impregnated by them. It is by this means, that fome of our domeftic Cats fo perfectly refemble thofe of the wild breed. The hair of the Wild- Cat is foft and fine, of a pale- yellow colour, mixed with grey; a dufky lift runs along the middle of the back, from head to tail; the fides are ilreaked with grey, pointing from the back downwards ; the tail is thick, and marked with alternate bars of black and white. It is larger and ftronger than the tame Cat, and its fur much longer. It inhabits the moll mountainous and woody parts of this illand, lives in trees, and hunts for birds and fmall animals, fuch as rabbits, hares, rats, mice, moles, &c. It frequently makes great havock among poultry ; will even kill young lambs, kids, and fawns; and is the fiercell and moll deftrudlive beall of prey in this king- dom. It is taken either in traps, or by {hooting. There is frequently danger in the latter mode ; for if it be only (lightly wounded, it will attack the perfon who has in- jured it, and is not eafily repelled. Wild-Cats are found, with very little variety, in almoll every climate. — They exilled in America before its difco- very by the Europeans. One of them was brought to Columbus, which was of the ordinary fize, of a brown- ilh-grey colour, with a long tail. — They are common in many pLaces of Afia and Africa. — Sparrman gives a de- scription of one which he fhot at the Cape, which was in every refpe£l fimilar to thofe of this country. It was of HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 207 a grey colour ; and meafured, from the nofe to the tail, nearly twenty-two inches : The tail was thirteen inches long : Its height was about a foot and a half. Its intef- tines were full of moles and rats. Some Wild-Cats have been taken in this kingdom of a mod enormous fize. We recollect one having been kill- ed in the county of Cumberland, which meafured, from its nofe to the end of its tail, upwards of five feet. The province of Chorazan, in Perfia, is particularly famous for a mod beautiful Cat , about the fize of the tame one, of a fine grey colour, without any mixture, and as foft and fhining as filk. It is darker on the back, foftening by degrees towards the bread and belly, where it is almod white. The tail is long, and covered with hair, five or fix inches in length. The animal frequent- ly turns it upon its back, like a fquirrel; the point of it refembling a plume of feathers. The Cat of Angora differs greatly from the Wild-Cat in having much longer hair, efpecially about the neck, where it forms a fine ruff, and gives it a lion-like appear- ance. Some of thefe are of a filvery whitenefs, and filky texture ; others are of a dun colour, mixed with yellow. 208 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The Domestic CAT differs from the Wild-Cat, in being fomewhat iefs ; and, inflead of being uniformly the fame, is diftinguifhed by a great variety of fhades and colouring. To deferibe an animal fo well known, might feem a fuperfiuous tafk: We (hall only, therefore, feleCl fuch of its peculiarities as are leaft obvious, and may have efca- ped the notice of inattentive obfervers. It is generally remarked, that Cats can fee in the dark ; but, though this is not abfolutely the cafe, yet it is cer- tain that they can fee with much lefs light than mod other animals, owing to the peculiar ftrudlure of their eyes, the pupils of which are capable of being contracted or dilated in proportion to the degree of light by which they are afFedted. The pupil of the Cat, during the day, is perpetually contracted ; and it is with difficulty that it can fee by a ftrong light: But in the twilight, the pupil refumes its natural roundnefs, the animal enjoys perfect HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 209 vifion, and takes advantage of this fuperiority to difcover and furprize its prey. I he cry of the Cat is loud, piercing, and clamorous ; and whether expreffive of anger or love, is equally vi- olent and hideous. — Its call may be heard at a great dif- tance ; and is fo well known to the whole fraternity, that on fome occasions feveral hundred Cats have been brought together from dfFerent parts. Invited by the piercing cries of diftrtfs from a fuffering fellow-creature, they affemble in crowds ; and, with loud fqualls and yells, exprefs their horrid fympathies. They frequently tear the miferable objedl to pieces ; and, with the moft blind and furious rage, fall upon each other, killing and wounding indifcriminately, till there is fcarcely one left Thefe terrible conflicts happen only in the night ; and, though rare, inftances of very furious engagements are well authenticated. The Cat is particularly averfe to water, cold, and bad fmells. — It is fond of certain perfumes ; but is more par- ticularly attradfed by the fmell of valerian, marum, and cat-mint. It rubs itfelf againft them; and, if not pre- vented from coming at them in a garden where they are planted, would infallibly deftroy them. The Cat brings forth twice, and fometimes thrice, a year. The period of her geflation is fifty-five or fifty-fix days; and fhe generally produces five or fix at one litter. She conceals her kittens from the male, left he fhould devour them, as he is fometimes inclined ; and, if appre- henfive of being difturbed, will take them up in her mouth, and remove them one by one to a more fecure retreat: Even the female herfelf, contrary to the efta- biifhedlaw of iNature, which binds the parent to its oft* O 2io HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. fpring by an almofl indiffoluble tie, is fometimes known to eat her own young the moment after fhe has produced them. Though extremely ufeful in deftroying the vermin that infeft our houfes, the Cat feems little attached to the perfons of thofe that afford it protection. It feems to be under no fubjedlion, and acts only for itfelf. All its views are confined to the place where it has been brought up ; if carried elfwhere, it feems loft and bewildered : Neither careffes nor attention can reconcile it to its new fituation ; and it frequently takes the firft opportunity of efcaping to its former haunts. — Frequent inftances are in our recolle£tion of Cats having returned to the place from whence they had been carried, though at many miles diftance, and even acrofs rivers, when they could not poffibly have any knowledge of the road or fituation that would apparently lead them to it. — This extraordi- nary faculty is, however, pofTeffed in a much greater de- gree by Dogs ; yet it is in both animals equally wonder- ful and unaccountable. In the time of Hoel the Good, king of Wales, who died in the year 948, laws were made as well to pre- ferve, as to fix the different prices of animals; among which the Cat was included, as being at that period of great importance, on account of its fcarcity and utility. The price of a kitten before it could fee was fixed at one penny ; till proof could be given of its having caught a moufe, two-pence ; after which it was rated at four- pence, which was a great fum in thofe days, when the value of fpecie was extremely high : It was likewife re- quired, that it fhould be perfedl in its fenfes of hearing and feeing, fhould be a good moufer, have its claws whole, and, if a female, be a careful nurfe : If it failed HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS, an in any of thefe good qualities, the feller was to forfeit to the buyer the third part of its value — If any one (hould {teal or kill the Cat that guarded the prince’s granary, he was either to forfeit a milch ewe, her fleece, and lamb, or as much wheat as, when poured on the Cat fufpended by its tail (its head touching the floor), would form a heap high enough to cover the tip of the former.-— — From hence we may conclude, that Cats were not ori- ginally natives of thefe iflands ; and, from the great care taken to improve and preferve the breed of this prolific creature, we may fuppofe, were but little known at that period. Whatever credit we may allow to the cir- cumftances of the well-known {lory of Whittington and his Cat, it is another proof of the great value fet upon this animal in former times. O 2 2i2 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The LYNX differs greatly from every animal of the Cat kind we have hitherto deferibed. Its ears are long and eredt, tufted at the end with long black hairs, by which this fpecies of animals is peculiarly diftinguifhed : The hair on the body is long and foft, of a red-afh colour, marked with dufky fpots, which differ according to the age of the creature •, fometimes they are fcarcely vifible : Its legs and feet are very thick and ftrong ; its tail fhort, and black at the extremity ; its eyes are of a pale-yellow colour ; and its afpedl fofter and lefs ferocious than that of the Panther or the Ounce. The fkin of the male is more fpotted than that of the female. The fur is valuable for its foftnefs and warmth, and is imported in great quantities from America and the North of Europe: — The farther North they are taken, the whi- ter they are, and the fpots more diflindl. — The moft ele- gant of thofe is called the Irbys ; and is taken near lake Balkafh, in Ufbec Tartary. It is much larger than the common kind. Its fkin fells in that country for one 213 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. pound fterling. — 1 he colour of its hair changes with the climate and the feafon. The Winter furs are richer and more beautiful than thofe taken in fummer. The Lynx is faid to be very long-lived, is a very de- ft r unlive animal, lives by hunting, and purfues its prey to the tops of the higheft trees. It feeds on Weafels, Ermines, Squirrels, & c. which are unable to efcape it. It watches the approach of the Fallow-deer, Hare, and other animals ; and darts upon them from the branches of trees, where it lies concealed ; feizes them by the throat, and drinks their blood ; after which, it abandons them, and goes in quell: of frefh game. — Its fight is re- markably quick ; and it fees its prey at a great diftance. — It often eats no more of a Sheep or a Goat than the brain, the liver, and the inteftines. It will fometimes dig under the doors to gain admiffion into the fheepfold. When attacked by a Dog, it lies down on its back, ftrikes defperately with its claws, and frequently obliges its aflailant to retreat. Although the Lynx has nothing in common with the WroIf, it has been diftinguifhed by the name of Lupus - Cervarius , or the Stag-lVolf Its manner of howling is fimilar to that of the Wolf; and when heard at a dif- tance, is not eafily diftinguifhed from the cry of that ani- mal. The epithet cervarius has been added, becaufe its Ikin is variegated with fpotslike that of a young Stag. A variety is found in the inner parts of the province of New- York, which is called the Bay Lynx> and is a- bout twice the fize of a large Cat. Its hair is fliort and fmooth ; its general colour is a bright-bay, obfcurely marked with dufky fpots ; on its face there are black o 3 214 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. ftripes, pointing downward towards the nofe ; on each fide of the upper lip it has three rows of fmall black fpots, with long whilkers iffuing from them ; each cheek Is marked with long black ftripes, of a circular form, proceeding from the corners of the eyes ; the under part of the body, and infides of the legs, are white ; the in- fide of each fore leg is marked on the upper part with, two black bars ; its tail, which is fhort, is marked with bars of a dufky colour, and at the end with one of a deep- black; the tip and under fide are white. The Lynxes of our days mult be very different animals from thofe which have been defcribed by poets as draw- ing the chariot of Bachus ; for, befides the impractica- bility of training thefe animals to the yoke, we find, that the Lynx is not an inhabitant of India, nor of any of the warmer countries of Afia conquered by that hero. — It prefers cold to even temperate climates; and is common in the forefls of the northern parts of Europe, Afia, and America. The ancients feem to have given the name of Lynx to an animal which exifled only in imagination, and may be ranked with their other ideal monitors and prodigies, — the Sphynx, the Pegafus, and the Unicorn. — Its fight was faid to penetrate the molt opaque bodies, and its urine to be converted into a precious (tone. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 215 The CARACAL refembles the Lynx in fize, figure, and ajpedf, as well as in having its ears tipt with a pencil of black hairs. — It differs from the laft-mentioned animal, in not being fpot- ted ; its hair is rougher, and of a pale reddifh-brown ; its tail is longer, and of an uniform colour ; its face is more lengthened, its look more fierce, and its nature and difpofition more favage. This animal is found only in warm climates ; and is common in Perfia, India, Barbary, and in all the coun- tries inhabited by the Lion, the Panther, and the Ounce. — It is called in Perfia the Syah-Gujh ; and in the Turk- ifh language, the Karrah-Kulak. Both thefe names fig- nify the Cat with black Ears . It is faid to follow the Lion, and to feed on the remains which that animal leaves of his prey ; for which reafon it is called among the Arabs the Lion's Guide . The Caracal is about the fize of a Fox; but much O 4 21 6 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. ftronger and more ferocious. It has been known to at- tack a Hound, and indantly 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 chafe. It is ufed in taking the fmall- er fort of animals, in which it is very fuccefsful ; but it is adlive only in the purfuit of thofe that are too fee- ble for refidance, or too timid to exert their powers. Whenever it meets with one that is fuperior to it in ftrength, it lofes its courage, and gives up the chafe.— It is likewife employed in catching birds; fuch as cranes, pelicans, peacocks, & c. ; which it furprizes with fingular addrefs. — When it has feized its prey, it holds it fall in its mouth, and lies upon it for fome time quite motion- lefs. There are fome varieties in this animal.— The face of the Nubian Caracal is rounder ; the ears black on the outfide, interfperfed witli filver-coloured hairs ; on the bread, belly, and infides of the thighs, there are fmall bright-yellow fpots; and it has the Mule crofs oil the withers, like mod 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 furrounded with four black rings ; and on the hind part of each leg, there are four black fpots. They are fmall, not exceeding the f ze of a domedic Cat. We have now gone through all the principal varieties which conditute this numerous race ; in all of which, as has been already obferved, from the Lion to the common Cat, we may perceive a driking fimilitude in difpofition. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 217 form, and manners. This agreement is likewife obferva- ble in their internal conformation, which is dill more ex- aft, — in the fhortnefs of their inteftines, the iharpnefs and number of their teeth, and in the ftrufture of their feet and claws. They are all equally carnivorous; and tear, rather than chew their meat. They eat flowly ; and growl whillt they feed, as if afraid of lofing their prey. They are all cowardly, and feldom make an at- tack but where conquell is certain. Animals of this race may be confidered as the mod formidable enemies of mankind. There are others more powerful ; but their difpofitions are milder ; and they feldom offend till they find themfelves injured: Others are more numerous ; but they are weaker, and find their fafety not in oppofing, but in flying from man. Thefe are the only quadrupeds that in any degree make good their ground againft him, and maintain a kind of divided fway over many fair and fertile trafts, that feem, in other refpefts, formed for the comfort and convenience of fa- cial life. 218 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. « Animals of the WEASEL Kind. HESE little, aCtive, and enterprizing animals are particularly diftinguifhed from other carnivorous kinds, by the length and flendernefs of their bodies, which are admirably adapted to their manner of living, and methods of taking their prey. They are fo fmall and flexible, as to wind like worms into very fmall cre- vices and openings, whither they eafily follow the little animals that ferve them for food. All the animals of this kind are furnifhed with fmall glands, placed near the anus, from which an u&uous matter continually exudes : The effluvia of it is extreme- ly ofFenfive in the Polecat, Ferret, Weafel, &c, ; but in the Civet Cat, Martin, and Pine Weafel, it is an agree- able perfume.— They are all equally marked for rapine and cruelty : They fubfift only by theft, and find their chief protection in their minutenefs. They are all, from the fhortnefs of their legs, flow in purfuit ; and make up that deficiency by patience, afliduity, 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 fatisfy their appetite ; and always fuck the blood of every animal they kill, before they eat its flefh. Thefe are the principal peculiarities common to this kind ; all the fpecies of which have fo finking a refem- blance to each other, that having feen one, we may form a very juft idea of the reft. — The moft obvious difference confifts in their fize. We fhali therefore begin with the fmalleft of this numerous clafs, and proceed gradually upwards to the largeft. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 219 The WEASEL. The length of this animal does not exceed feven inches, from the nofe 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 ; fo that it is nearly five times as long as it is high. The molt prevailing colour of the Weafel is a pale reddifh-brown on the back, fides, and legs ; the throat and belly are white \ beneath the corners of the mouth, on each jaw, is a fpot of brown. It has whilkers, 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 fmall, round, and black ; its teeth are thirty- two in number, and extremely fliarp. The Weafel is very common, and well known in moft parts of this country ; is very deftrudlive to young birds, poultry, rabbits, & c. *, and is a keen devourer of eggs, which it fucks with great avidity. It will follow a hare, which is terrified into a (late of abfolute imbecility at the fight of this little animal, and gives itfelf up to it with- out refiftance, making at the fame time the moft piteous outcries. 220 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The bite of the Weafel is generally fatal. It feizes its prey near the head, and fixes its fharp teeth into a vital part. A hare, rabbit, or any other fmall animal, bit in this manner, is never known to recover ; but lingers for fome time, and dies. The wound is fo fmall, that the place where the teeth enter can fcarcely be perceived. It is remarkably active ; and will run up the Tides of a wall with fuch facility, that no place is fecure from it. The Weafel is very ufeful to the farmer, and much en- couraged by him. During winter, it frequents his barns, out-houfes, and granaries, which it effedtually clears of rats and mice. It is, indeed, a more deadly enemy to them than even the Cat itfelf ; for, being more adlive and flender, it purfues them into their holes, and kills them after a fhort refiftance. It creeps alfo into pigeon holes, and deftroys the young ones ; catches fparrows, and all kinds of fmall birds ; and when it has brought forth its young, it hunts with dill greater boldnefs and avidity. — In fummer, it ventures at a didance from its ufual haunts ; is frequently found by the fide of waters, near corn-mills; and is almod fure to follow wherever a fwarm of rats has taken poffeffion of any place. The evening is the time when it begins its depreda- tions. Towards the clofe of the day, it may frequently be feen dealing from its hole, and creeping about the farmer’s yard in fearch of its prey. If it enter the place where poultry are kept, it feldom attacks the cocks or the old hens, but always aims at the young ones. It does not eat its prey on the fpot where it has killed it ; but, where it is not too large, carries it away to its re- treat. It alfo breaks and fucks all the eggs it can meet with ; and, not unfrequently, kills the hen that attempts to defend them. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 221 The Weafel is a wild and untra£table little animal. When kept in a cage, it feems in a continual {fate of agitation, is terrified at the fight of every perfon that ap- proaches to look at it, and hides itfelf in the wool or hay which is given to it for that purpofe. It conveys all its food to its hiding-place, and will not touch it till it begin to putrefy. — It pafles the greatefl part of the day in fleeping, and ufually employs the night in exercife and eating. The female brings forth in the fpring, and generally produces four or five at one litter. She prepares a bed for them of ftraw, leaves, and mofs. The young are brought forth blind ; but very foon acquire flrength enough to follow their dam, and affift in her excurfions. They will attack ferpents, water-rats, moles, field-mice, &c. : They over-run the meadows ; and frequently kill the partridges, and fuck their eggs. The motion of the Weafel confifts in unequal and pre- cipitant leaps; and in climbing a tree, it makes a confi- derable fpring of fome feet from the ground. It jumps in the fame manner upon its prey ; and being extremely limber, evades the attempts of much itronger animals to feize it We are told, that an eagle having feized a Weafel, mounted into the air with it, and was foon after obferved to be in great diftrefs. Its little enemy had extricated it- felf fo far, as to be able to bite it feverely in the throat ; which prefently brought the eagle to the ground, and gave the Weafel an opportunity of efcaping. Notwithftanding the wildnefs of its nature, there are not wanting inftances to prove, that it is capable of being thoroughly tamed. M. BufFon, who afierted the impoffi- bility of bringing the Weafel into any degree of fubjec- 222 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. tion, is afterwards corrected by a lady ; who aflures him, that (lie had tried the experiment upon a young Weafel taken in her garden ; which foon learned to recognize and lick the hand from which it received its food, and became as familiar, carefling, and frolicfome, as a dog or a fquirrel. The fame author mentions another experi- ment, made by a gentleman ; who trained a young Wea- fel fo completely, that it followed him wherever he went. — The method of taming them is to ftroke them gently over the back ; and to threaten, and even to beat them, when they bite. Thefe fa£Is may ferve to {hew the poflibility of render- ing this animal domeftic ; and hold out a ufeful hint to us, that its fervices might be very great in clearing {hips, granaries, and other places, from the vermin with which they are frequently infefled : For it is very well known, that one of thefe animals will kill more rats and mice than any Cat, being better able to purfue them into their holes and lurking places. The odour of the Weafel is very ftrong, efpecially in the fummer time, or when it is irritated or purfued ; it is then intolerable, and may be fmelt at fome diftance. The following circumftance, related by BufFon, will fhew, that this animal has a natural attachment to every thing that is corrupt. — A Weafel was taken in his neigh- bourhood, with three young ones, out of the carcafe of a Wolf, that had been hung on a tree by the hind feet. The Wolf was almoft entirely putrefied; and the Weafel had made a nefl: of leaves and herbage for her young in the thorax of the putrid carcafe. « HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 223 kitim.'kkjV'it, $%®8$umem8at ■•iUCTIUiw** The STOAT The difference in fhape between this animal and the Weafel is fo fmall, that they have frequently been de- fcribed under the fame denomination ; the fmall Stoat being fometimes miftaken for that animal. 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 the ends of the toes, are of a yel- lowifii-white : In other refpects, it perfectly refembles the Weafel in colour as well as in form. In the moil northern parts of Europe, it regularly changes its colour in winter, and becomes perfe&ly white ; except the end of the tail, which remains inva- riably black. It is then called the Ermine ; and is much fought after for its valuable fur, which makes a confider- able article of commerce in Norway, Lapland, Rufiia, and other cold countries ; where it is found in prodigious numbers.— It is alfo very common in Kamtfchatka and Siberia, and is taken in traps baited with flelh. The 224 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. fkins are fold in the country for from two to three pounds Herling per hundred.--— In Norway, they are ei- ther {hot with blunt arrows, or taken in traps made of two flat Hones, one being propped up with a Hick, to which is faHened a baited firing ; and as foon as the ani- mal begins to nibble, the Hones fall down, and crufh it to death. The Stoat is likewife found white in the winter time in Great-Britain, and is then erroneoufly called a White Weafel. Its fur, however, among us, is of little value, having neither the thicknefs, the clofenefs, nor the whitenefs, of thofe that come from Siberia, One of them, which we had in our poffeflion, had en- tirely affumed its winter robe ; but with a confiderable mixture of yellow, efpecially on the tap of the head and back. They begin to change from brown to white in Novem- ber, and refume their fummer veHure in March. The natural hiHory of this animal is much the fame with that of the Weafel ; its food being young birds, rabbits, mice, &c. *, its agility the fame ; and its feent equally fetid. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 225 The FERRET is orily known to us in a kind of domeftic (late. — 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 ufe of to reduce the numbers of them with which that kingdom abounded. It has fince been employed for the fame purpofe in vari- ous parts of Europe ; but as it is not able to bear the fe- verity of a cold climate, it cannot fubfift without great care and (belter. It is ufually kept in a box, with wool ; of which it makes itfelf a warm bed. It deeps a great part of the day ; and the moment it awakes, feems eager for its food, which is commonly bread and milk. It breeds twice a year. The female goes fix weeks with young. Some of them devour their offspring as foon as they are brought forth; when they immediately come in feafon again, and have three litters, which gene- rally confift of five or fix, but fometimes feven or eight, and even nine. It is apt to degenerate in this country, and lofe in P 226 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. fame degree its ferocity. Warreners are therefore obli- ged to procure an. intercourfe between the female and the Foumart, The produce is a breed of a much darker co- lour than the Ferret, partaking more of that of the Fou- mart., Its length is about fourteen inches; that of the tail five : Its nofe is fharper than that of the Weafel or the Foumart; its ears are round ; and its eyes red and fiery: The colour of the whole body is a very pale yellow. The Ferret is naturally fuch an enemy to the Rabbit, that if a dead Rabbit be laid before a young Ferret, it inftantly feizes upon it, although it has never feen one before : If a living Rabbit be prefented to it, the Ferret is ftill more eager, feizes it by the neck, winds itfelf round it, and continues to fuck its blood till it be fa- tiated. — When employed in the bufinefs of the warren, it muft be muzzled, that it may not kill the Rabbits in their holes; blit only oblige them to come out, that the warrener may catch them in his nets. If the Ferret be fufFered to go in without a muzzle, or fhould difengage itfelf from it whilft in the hole, there is great danger of lofing it : For, after fatisfying itfelf with blood, it falls afleep ; and it is then almoft impoflible to come at it. — The moil ufual methods of recovering the Ferret are, by digging it out, or fmoking the hole. If thefe do not fucceed, it continues during the fummer among the Rab- bit holes, and lives upon the prey it finds there ; but being unable to endure the cold of the winter, is fure to perifh. It is fomeiimes employed with great fuccefs in killing Rats, and is frequently kept in granaries and mills for that purpofe. It is extremely vigilant in the purluit of them, and will not fuffer one to live where it is.- — A HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 227 young Ferret, after it has feized a Rat, will fuffer itfelf to be dragged by it a confiderable way before it has kill- ed it, which it never fails to do in a fhort time. If the Ferret could be kept warm enough at fea, it might be extremely ferviceable in deftroying the Rats, which frequently commit fuch great depredations on board of lhips, and have fometimes been the occafion of their total lofs. The Ferret, though eafily tamed, is foon irritated. — Its odour is fetid ; its nature voracious ; it is tame without attachment ; and fuch 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 diffi- cult to cure. The Madagafcar Weafel , or Vanfire of M. BufFon, may be referred to this fpecies ; to which its fize and form are ftrikingly fimilar. — 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 furnifhed with hair. The fame author mentions another animal of this fpe- cies under the name of the Nems> which is a native of Arabia. — It refembles the Ferret in every thing but the colour, being of a dark-brown, mixed with white ; the belly is of a bright-yellow colour, without any mixture ; the prevailing colour on the head and round the eyes is a clear yellow ; on the nofe, cheeks, and other parts of the face where the hair is (hort, a tindlure of brown more or lefs prevails, and terminates gradually above the eye ; P 2 228 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. the legs are covered with fhort hair, of a deep-yellow co- lour ; on each foot there are four toes, and a fmall one behind ; the claws are fmall and black ; the tail, which is more than double the length of that of the Ferret, is very thick at its origin, terminates in a point, and is co- vered with long hair, fimilar to that on the body. The FOUMART, fo called from its ofFenfive fmell, as well as to diilin- guilh it from the Martin, to which it bears a ftrong re- fembiance. It is likewife called the Polecat , or Fitchet ; and is the Putois of M. BufFon, and the Putorius of Ray. Its length is about feventeen inches, exclufive of the tail, which is fix inches ; its eyes are fmall, very bril- liant, and w'heu the animal is irritated or afraid, (liine in the dark with fingular luftre ; its ears are fliort, broad, and tipt with white on their edges ; it is white about the mouth ; the reft of the body is for the moft part of a deep-chocolate colour; the fides are covered with hairs HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 229 of two colours; the ends being dark like the reft of the body, and the middle of a full tawny colour. The fhape of the Foumart, like all others of this ge- nus, is long and (lender, the nofe (harp-pointed, and the legs fhort ; the toes are long, and the claws (harp. It is in every refpecft admirably formed for that peculiar mode of life affigned to it by the all-wife Author of Nature. It is very a£live and nimble, runs very fail, and will creep up the Tides of walls with great agility. In run- ning, its belly feems to touch the ground ; in preparing to jump, it arches its back, and makes its fpring with great force. It is very deftrutlive to poultry, pigeons and young game of all kinds. It makes great havock among rab- bits ; and its thirft for blood is fo great, that it kills ma- ny more than it can eat. One or two of them will al~ moft deftroy a whole warren. It is never feen abroad in the day time, unlefs forced from its hole ; and is feldom hunted but in the winter, being at that feafon eafily found by tracing its footfteps in the fnow. It generally refides in woods or thick brakes ; where it burrows under ground, forming a Oral- low retreat about two yards in length, commonly ending among the roots of trees. In the winter feafon, it frequents houfes, barns, &c. feeding on poultry, eggs, and fometimes milk. — —But it has another mode of procuring fubfiftence, which has hitherto efcaped the obfervation of the naturalift ; and which, though lingular, we can vouch for the truth of. During a fevere ftorm, one of thefe animals was traced in the fnow from the Tide of a rivulet to its hole, at Tome diftance from it : As it was obferved to have made fre~ r 3 230 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. quent trips, and as other marks were to be feen in the fnow which could not eafily be accounted for, it was thought a matter worthy of greater attention : Its hole was accordingly examined, the Foumart taken, and ele- ven fine eels were difcovered to be the fruits of its noc- turnal excurfions. The marks in the fnow were found to have been made by the motion of the eels in the crea- ture’s mouth. From the above curious circumftance, we have given a reprefentation of this animal (which was drawn from the life) in pofleffion of this fingular booty. It may be matter of curious inveftigation for fome future naturalift, to enquire by what arts this wily animal finds a booty fo apparently difficult to attain. In attending to the inflin£live faculties of animals, there is room for deep and diligent enquiry ; and, though our progrefs is liable to many interruptions, it is a de- lightful talk: to follow the workings of Nature through all her intricate and curious windings : Every flep we gain is a fufficient reward for our trouble, and leads us to admire the wifdom and goodnefs of that Difpenfation which furnilhes every creature with fufficient and ample powers to provide for all its wrants, necelfities, and com- forts. The female Foumart brings forth in the fummer, ge- nerally five or fix at a time. She fuckles them but a Ihort time, and accuftoms them early to live upon blood and eggs. Though the fmell of this animal is rank and difagreea- ble, even to a proverb ; yet the Ikin is drefb with the hair on, and ufed as other furs, without retaining its often five odour. The Foumart is very fierce and bold. When attacked HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 2 3t by a dog, it will defend itfelf with great fpirit, attack in its turn, and faften upon the nofe of its enemy with fo keen a bite, as frequently to oblige him to defilt. 1 The PINE-WEASEL, or Yellow- breasted MARTIN, inhabits the North of Europe, Afia, and America: It is likewife found in Great-Britain, but is not numerous there. — It lives chiefly in large forefls; efpecially where the pine-tree abounds, of the tops of which it is very fond. North-America abounds with thefe animals. Prodi- gious numbers of their (kins are annually imported from thence : Above thirty thoufand fkins have been brought over from Canada in one year, and from Hudfon’s Bay nearly fifteen thoufand in the fame time. The principal difference between the Pine-Weafel and P4 232 HISTORY OF QUAD RUPEDS. the Martin is in the colour. The bread of the former is yellow; the colour of the body much darker; and the fur, in general, greatly fuperior in finenefs, beauty, and value. The MARTIN is much more common in this country than the Pine- Weafel. — It lives wholly in woods, and breeds in the hol- lows of trees. It produces from four to fix young ones at a time. \ This fpecies is the mod beautiful of all the Weafel kind. Its head is fmall, and elegantly formed ; its eyes are lively; and its motions quick and graceful. When taken young, it is eafily tamed, and becomes extremely playful and good-humoured. Its attachment, however, is not to be depended upon. It readily takes advantage of the fird opportunity to regain its liberty, and retire to the woods, its natural haunts. The food of the Martin is much the fame with other animals of its kind. It makes inceflant war with rats, mice, and other vermin : Poultry, game, and fmall birds, are its condant prey : It feeds alfo on grain, and is ex- tremely fond of honey. M. Buffon tells us of one of them that he had tamed, which, he remarks, drank frequently. It fometimes flept two days fuccedively, and at other times would continue awake as long. In preparing itfelf for deep, it folded itfelf up in a round form, and covered its head with its tail. When awake, its motions were fo violent, fo con- dant, and fo troublefome, that it was necedary to keep it chained. From the flexibility of its body, it eafily eluded its fetters; and, after returning once or twice, at lad abfented itfelf entirely. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 233 The Martin is about eighteen inches long ; the tail ten, and full of hair, efpecially towards the end, which is thick and bufhy *, 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 breaft are white ; the belly is of the fame co- lour with the back, but a little paler ; the feet are broad, and covered on the under fide with a thick fur; the claws white, large, and (harp, well adapted for climbing trees, which in this country are its conftant refidence. Tiie fkin and excrements have an agreeable mufky feent, and are entirely free from that ranknefs which is fo difgufting in other animals of this kind. Its fur is va- luable, and in high ellimation. The SABLE, fo highly efteemed for its (kin, is a native of the fnowy regions of the North, being found chiefly in Siberia, Kamtfchatka, and fome of the iflands which lie between that country and Japan. A few are alfo found in Lap- land. The darkeft furs are the mod valuable. A fingle (kin, though not above four inches broad, is fometimes valued 234 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. as high as fifteen pounds. The Sable differs from all other furs in this, that the hair turns with equal eafe to either fide. The Sable refembles the Martin in form, and is about the fame fize. — It lives in holes in the earth, by the banks of rivers, and under the roots of trees. It makes its neft of mofs, fmall twigs, and grafs. The female brings forth in the fpring, and produces from three to five at one time.— Sometimes, like the Martin, it forms its neft in the hollow of a tree. It is very lively and active, and leaps with great agi- lity from tree to tree, in purfuit of fmall birds, wood- cocks, fquirrels, &c. It likewife lives upon rats, fifhes, pine tops, and wild fruits. It is affirmed by naturalifts, that the Sable is not a- verfe to the watery and, from the finenefs and clofenefs of its fur, there is great reafon to fuppofe that it is much accuftomed to that element; from which it alfo derives a part of its fubfiftence: And as a farther proof that this animal is in fome degree amphibious, we are told by tra- vellers*, that it is very numerous in fmall illands, where the hunters go in queft of them. It is mentioned by Ariflotle as a water animal, and is defcribed by him un- der the name of Satherius. The hunting of the Sables is chiefly carried on by cri- minals confined to the defert regions of Siberia, or by foldiers fent thither for that purpofe, who generally re- strain there feveral years. Both are obliged to furnifh a certain quantity of furs. They {hoot with a Angle ball, to injure the fidn as little as poffible. They frequently take them in traps, or kill them with blunt arrows. — As * Avril’s Travels, p. T40. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 235 an encouragement to the hunters, they are allowed to (hare among themfelves whatever Ikins they take above the allotted number; and this, in a few years, amounts to a confiderable premium. The hunters form them- felves into fmall troops, each of which is directed by a leader of their own chufing. The feafon of hunting is from November to February ; for at that time the Sables are in the higheft perfection : Thofe caught at any other time of the year are full of fhort hairs, and are fold at inferior prices. The belt (kins are fuch as have only long hair, which is always black, and of a gloffy brightnefs. Old furs do not retain their glofs. — Both the Ruffians and Chinefe have a me- thod of dying their furs; but the dyed Sables are eafily difcovered, having neither the fmoothnefs nor the bright- nefs of the natural hair. The bellies of Sables, which are fold in pairs, are about two fingers in breadth, and are tied together in bundles of forty pieces, which are fold at from one to two pounds flerling. The tails are fold by the hundred, from four to eight pounds. There are inftances of Sables being found of a fnowy whitenefs; but they are rare, and bought only as ctfri- ofities. The hunters of thefe animals are frequently obliged to endure the utmofl extremity of cold and hunger in the purfuit of their booty. They penetrate deep into im- menfe woods, where they have no other method of find- ing their way back but by marking the trees as they ad- vance : If this (hould by any means fail them, they are inevitably loft. They fometimes trace the Sables on the new-fallen fnow to their holes, place their nets at the entrance, and wait frequently two or three days before 236 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. the animal comes out. It has happened, by the failure of their provifions, that thefe poor wretches have been reduced to the neceffity of tying thin boards tight to their ftomachs to prevent the cravings of appetite.— Such are the hardfhips our fellow-creatures undergo to fupply the wants of the vain and luxuriant ! An animal, fimilar to the Sable, is mentioned by Mr Pennant under the name of the Fi/her, — It is found in North- America ; and, by the number of ikins imported, mull be very numerous there, nearly fix hundred of them having been brought in one feafon from New- York and Pennfylvania. — The hair on the body is mollly black ; the Tides brown ; the ears are broad and round, duiky on their outfides, and edged with white ; the face and fides of the neck pale-brown, mixed with black •, the feet are very broad, and covered with hair, even on their foies ; the tail is full and bulky ; the length, from nofe to tail, is twenty-eight inches; the tail feventeen. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 237 The I C H N E U M O N. This animal, in Egypt, is domeftic, like the Cat*, and is retained by the natives for the fame ufeful purpofes of clearing their houfes of rats and mice. With all the ftrength and agility of the Cat, it has a more general ap- petite for carnage. It attacks, without dread, the moll deadly ferpents ; and preys on every noxious reptile of the torrid zone, which it feizes and kills with great avi- dity.— It is faid, that when it is wounded by a ferpent, and begins to feel the effeCt of the poifon, it immediate- ly has recourfe to a certain root, which the Indians call after its name, and aflert that it is an antidote for the bite of any venomous reptile. The Ichneumon is the moll formidable enemy of the Crocodile: It deftroys its eggs, which it digs out of the fand, where they are laid to hatch by the heat of the fun \ and kills great numbers of young Crocodiles foon after their production, before they are able to reach the water. It was for this reafon that the ancient Egyptians worfhipped this animal, and ranked the Ichneumon a- mong thofe deities that were molt propitious to them. In its domeftic ftate, it is perfectly tame and gentle. M. d’Obfonville fpeaks of one which he reared from a 23 8 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. young one. It became tamer than a Cat, was obedient to the call of its mafter, and followed him wherever he went. One day he brought a fmall water-ferpent alive, being defirous to know how far its inftin li The RACOON is very common in the warm regions of America. It is found alfo in the mountains of Jamaica ; from whence great numbers of them frequently defcend into the plan- tations, and make great havock among the fugar-canes, of which they are particularly fond. The planters con- fider thefe animals as their greateft enemies, as they frequently do infinite mifchief in one night’s excurfion : They have contrived various methods of deftroying them ; yet ftill they propagate in fuch numbers, that neither traps nor fire-arms can repel them. The Racoon is fomewhat lefs than the Badger: Its HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 253 head refembles that of a Fox ; but its ears are round, and much fhorter ; and its upper jaw very pointed, and lon- ger than the lower : Its eyes, which are large, are fur- rounded with two broad patches of black ; its body is thick and fhort, covered with long hair, black at the points, and grey underneath ; its tail is long and bufhy, and marked with alternate rings of black and white ; its feet and toes are black. The Racoon is very atlive and nimble. Its claws, which are extremely fharp, enable it to climb trees with great facility. It moves forward chiefly by bounding; and, though it proceeds in an oblique direction, runs ve- ry fwiftly. When tamed, it is good-natured and fportive ; but is almoft conftantly in motion, and as unlucky and inquifi- tive as a Monkey, examining every thing with its paws, which it makes ufe of as hands to lay hold of any thing that is given it, and to carry its meat to its mouth. It fits up to eat, is extremely fond of fweet things and ftrong liquors, with which it will get exceffively drunk. It has all the cunning of the Fox, is very deftru&ive to poultry ; but will eat all forts of fruits, grain, and roots. It has a peculiar method of dipping every thing in water it intends to eat, and will feldom tafte bread till it be well foaked. It opens oyfters with aitonifhing dexterity, feparates the fhells, and leaves not a veflige of the filh. It does this without looking at the oyfter; but places it under its hind paws, and with its fore feet fearches for the weakeft part, where it. fixes its claws, forces it open, and fnatches out the fifh. It likewife devours all kinds of infedfs ; delights in hunting fpiders ; and when at li- berty in a garden, will eat grafehoppers, fnails, worms, &c. It is very cleanly, and always retires to obey the 2$i HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. calls of Nature. It is familiar, and even carefling ; leaps upon thofe it is fond of, plays fportively, and moves a- bout with great agility. This animal is hunted for its fkin, which is next in va- lue to that of the Beaver for making hats. The BADGER. Although Nature has furnifhed this animal with for- midable weapons of offence, and has befides given it ftrength fufhcient to ufe them with great effect, it is, notwithftanding, very harmlefs and inoffenfive, and, un- lefs attacked, employs them only for its fupport. The Badger retires to the mofl fecret recedes ; where it digs its hole, and forms its habitation under-ground. — Its food confifts chiefly of roots, fruits, grafs, infe&s, and frogs. It is charged with deflroying lambs and rabbits; but there feems to be no other reafon to conflder it as a bead of prey, than the analogy between its teeth and thofe of carnivorous animals. Few creatures defend themfelves better, or bite with greater keennefs, than the Badger. On that account it HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 255 is frequently baited with Dogs trained for that purpofe. This inhuman diverfion is chiefly confined to the idle and the vicious, who take a cruel pleafure in feeing this harmlefs animal furrounded by its enemies, and defend- ing itfelf from their attacks, which it does with aftonifh- ing agility and fuccefs. Its motions are fo quick, that a Dog is frequently defperately wounded in the firft mo- ment of aflfault, and obliged to fly. The thicknefs of the Badger’s fkin, and the length and coarfenefs of its hair, are an excellent defence againfl the bites of the Dogs : Its fkin is fo loofe, as to refill the impreffions of their teeth, and give the animal an opportunity of turning it- felf round, and wounding its adverfaries in their tender- ell parts. In this manner this lingular creature is able to refill repeated attacks both of men and dogs, from all quarters ; till, being overpowered with numbers, and en- feebled by many defperate wounds, it is at lafh obliged to fubmit. The Badger is an indolent animal, and fleeps much. It confines itfelf to its hole during the whole day, and feeds only in the night. It is fo cleanly, as never to de- file 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 exill 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 ufual length of the Badger is fomewhat above two feet, exclufive of the tail, which is about fix inches long; its eyes are fmall, and are placed in a black ftripe, which begins behind the ears, and runs tapering towards the nofe ; the throat and legs are black; the back, hides, and tail, are of a dirty-grey, mixed with black ; the legs and 256 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. feet are very fhort, ftrong, and thick ; each foot confifls of five toes; thofe on the fore feet are armed with firong claws, well adapted for digging its fubterranean habita- tions. 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 a- nus, there is a narrow tranfverfe orifice, from whence a white fubftance, of a very fetid fmell, conflantly exudes. The {kin, when drefled with the hair on, is ufed for piftol furniture. — Its flefh is eaten : The hind quarters are fometimes made into hams, which, when cured, are not inferior in gOodnefs to the bell bacon. — The hairs are made into brufhes, which are ufed by painters to foften and harmonize their {hades. f HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 257 The S A N D-B E A R. 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 defcription, than its being fome- what lefs than the Badger, almoft without hair, extremely fenfible of cold, and burrows in the ground. From thefe circumftances, as well as from the finking fimilarity of its figure to that of the Badger, we are inclined to think it is a variety of that animal, mentioned by naturalifts under the name of the Sow-Badger. Its colour is a yellowifh- white : Its eyes are fmall ; and its head thicker than that of the common Badger : Its legs are fhort ; and on each foot there are four toes, arm- ed with (harp wrhite claws. M. Briflon defcribesa white Badger, from New-York, fo fimilar to this, that we fufpe£l it to be the fame fpe- cies. R 258 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The WOLVERENE, or GLUTTON. This voracious animal is found in all the countries bordering on the Northern Ocean, both in Europe and Aha : It is likewife common in Canada, the country a- bout Hudfon’s Bay, and other parts of North-America ; where it is known by the name of the Carcajou. It has been varioufly defcribed by naturalifts. We have fele£led the account given by M. Buffon, which was taken from a living one in his pofiefiion. Its length, from the nofe 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 toes on each foot, armed with long fharp 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 fmall and black, and its ears fhort ; its bread and under jaw were fpotted with white; the back, legs, belly, and tail, were black. During its confine- ment, it did not difcover fymptoms of great ferocity. It eat voracioufly ; and, after a full meal, covered itfelf in its cage with ftraw. It eat no bread ; but would devour more than four pounds of flefh every day, which it fwal- lowed greedily, almoft without chewing. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 259 In a (late of liberty, it is faid to lead a life of continual rapine. It lurks in the branches of trees, in order to furprize Deer and other animals that pafs 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 indifcriminately furprizes the Horfe, the Elk, the Stag, or the Rein-deer*, and fixes itfeif between their fhoulders with its teeth and claws. The wild Rein-deer, which are numerous both in Lap- land and North-America, frequently fall vi&ims to the Glutton. When feized by this blood-thirfly animal, it is in vain that the wounded Deer endeavours to difengage itfeif from its enemy by ruftling among the branches of the trees: No force can oblige it to quit its hold : It maintains its pofition, and continues to fuck the blood of the flying animal till it falls down exhaufted with pain and fatigue. It then devours the carcafe with infatiable voracity, and gorges itfeif with the flefh till it is almofl in danger of burfting. In Kamtfchatka, the Glutton makes ufe of a Angular ftratagem for killing the Fallow-deer. It climbs up a tree, taking with it a quantity of that fpecies of mofs of which the Deer is very fond. When one cf them ap- proaches the tree, the Glutton throws down the mofs ; and if the Deer ftop to eat it, the Glutton darts upon its back, and fixing itfeif firmly between its horns, tears out its eyes, and by that means fecures its prey. It then divides the flelh of the Deer into a number of portions, which it conceals in the earth to ferve for future provi- fions. The motions of the Glutton are flow. There are few quadrupeds that cannot efcape from it, except the Bea- R 2 260 history of quadrupeds. ver, which it frequently purfues and overtakes. In America, it is called the Beaver-eater. — It fometimes lies in wait, and furprizes thofe animals coming out of their burrow *, or breaks into their habitation, and kills great numbers of them. The Glutton often defeats the labours of the huntf- men, by ftealing away the Sables and other animals that have been caught in their traps ; and it is fometimes taken in the fnares laid for them. When attacked, it makes a ftrong refinance. It will tear the flock from the gun with its teeth, or break the trap in pieces in which it is caught. — Notwithftanding its fiercenefs, it is capable of being tamed, and of learning feveral entertaining tricks. It is hunted only for its fkin, which is very valuable, of a molt beautiful glofly black, which fliines with a pe- culiar luftre, and refle£ts the light like damafk lilk. The fkins are fold in Siberia at five or fix findings each, in Jakutlk at twelve, and Hill dearer in Kamtfchat- ka. There the women drefs their hair with its white paws, which they efteem a great ornament. The furs of this animal, from the North of Europe and Alia, are infinitely finer, blacker, and more glofly, than thofe of the American kind. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 261 The Brown BE A R. rTHHERE are two principal varieties of the Bear,— fj the brown and the black. The former is found in almoft every climate; the black Bear chiefly in the forefts of the northern regions of Europe and America. The brown Bear is fometimes carnivorous ; but its ge- neral food is roots, fruits, and vegetables. It is a favage and folitary animal, lives in defert and unfrequented places, and chufes its den in the molt gloomy and retired parts of the forelt, or in the molt dangerous and inaccedible 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 feveral weeks in a date of total inactivity and abdi- nence from food. — During this time, the female brings forth her younaf, and fuckles them. She chufes her re- treat for that purpofe in the molt retired places, apart from the male, led he diould devour them. She makes a warm bed for her voting, and attends them with unre- R 3 262 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. mitting care during four months, and in all that time fcarcely allows herfelf any nourifhment. She brings forth two, and fometimes three, young at a time. — The cubs are round and ffiapelefs, with pointed muzzles *, but they are not licked into form by the female, as Pliny and other ancient naturalifts fuppofed. At firft they do not exceed eight inches in length: They are blind during the firlt four weeks, are of a pale-yellow colour, and have fcarcely any refemblance of the creature when ar- rived at maturity. — The time of geltation in thefe ani- mals is about fix months 5 and they bring forth in the beginning of January. In the fpring, the old Bears, attended by their young, come out from their retreats, lean, and almoft famifhed by their long confinement. They then ranfack every quarter in fearch of food. They frequently climb trees, and devour the fruit in great quantities ; particularly the date-plumb tree, of which they are exceedingly fond. They afcend thefe trees with furprizing agility, keep themfelves firm on the branches with one paw, and with the other collect the fruit. The Bear is remarkably fond of honey, which it will encounter great difficulties to obtain, and feeks for with great cunning and avidity. It enjoys, in a fuperior degree, the fenfes of hearing, fmelling, and touching. — Its ears are fhort and rounded } and its eyes fmall, but lively and penetrating, and de- fended by a nidlating membrane: From the peculiar formation of the internal parts of its nofe, its fenfe of fmelling is exceedingly exquifite : The legs and thighs are ftrong and mufcular : It has five toes on each foot, and ufes its fore foot as a hand, although the toes are HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 263 not feparated as in mofb animals that do fo ; the largeft finger is on the outfide. The voice of the Bear is a deep and furly kind of growl, which it frequently exerts without the lead; caufe. It is very eafily irritated ; and at that time its refent- ment is furious, and often capricioufly exerted* When tamed, it appears mild and obedient to its maf- ter; but it is not to be trufted without the utmolt cau- tion.— 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 pleafed to fee the aukward meafures of this rugged creature, which it feems to fuit to the found of an iuftrument, or to the voice of its leader. But to give the Bear this kind of education, it muff be taken when young, and accuflom- ed early to reftraint and difcipline : An old Bear will fufFer neither, without difcovering the moll furious re- fentment ; neither the voice nor the menaces of his keep- er have any effe£l upon him *, he equally growls at the hand that is held out to feed, as at that which is raifed to corredt him. The exceflive cruelties pradlifed upon this poor animal in teaching it to walk eredl, and regulate its motions to the found of the flagelet, are fuch as make fenfibility Ihudder. Its eyes are put out ; and an iron ring being put through the cartilage of the nofe to lead it by, it is kept from food, and beaten, till it yield obedience to the will of its favage tutors. Some of them are taught to perform by fetting their feet upon hot iron plates, and then playing to them whilft in this uneafy fituation. — It is truly fhocking to every feeling mind to reflect, that fuch cruelties Ihould be exercifed upon any part of the R 4 2 64 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. brute creation by our fellow-men. That they fhould be rewarded by numbers of unthinking people, who crowd around them to fee the animal's rude attempts to imitate human aCtions, is not to be wondered at: But it is much to be wilhed, that the timely interference of the magi- flrate would prevent every exhibition of this kind, that, in England at lead;, we might not be reproached with to- lerating practices fo difgraceful to humanity. One of thefe animals, prefented to the prince of Wales a few years ago, was kept in the Tower. By the care- lelTnefs .of the fervant, the door of his den was left open ; and the keeper’s wife happening to go acrofs the court at the fame time, the animal flew out, feized the woman, threw her down, and fattened upon her neck, which he bit*, and, without offering any further violence, lay upon her, fucking the blood out of the wound. Refiftance was in vain, as it only ferved to irritate the brute ; and fhe mull inevitably have perifhed, had not her hufband luckily difcovered her fituafion. By a fudden 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 fecond attempt to come at the woman, who was almott dead through fear and lofs of blood. It is fomewhat remarkable, that whenever it happened to fee her afterwards, it growled, and made moll violent ttrug- gles to get out to her. — The prince, upon hearing of the circumttance, ordered the Bear to be killed. The Boars of America are fmall and black, live entire- ly upon vegetable food, and are particularly fond of maize, potatoes, honey, and milk. Though prefled with extreme hunger, they will not eat animal food. — They lodge in the hollow trunks of large trees, which they HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 265 afcend and defcend with great eafe and agility. The hunters take them by fetting lire to their habitations. The old one comes out firld, and is generally flain before ihe reaches the ground ; the cubs follow her, and are taken alive. I he flefli of the young Bear is reckoned a great deli- cacy ; and the paws of an old one are edeemed as a mod exquifite morfel. The fat is white, and very fweet; and the oil is faid to be of great ufe in foftening fwellings proceeding from fprains. Great numbers are killed annually in America for the fake of their fkins, which form a confiderabie article of commerce. Bears were formerly common in Greece. The Ro- mans brought them from Lybia to be exhibited in their public fpectacles. They are likewife found in China, Japan, and as far as the ifland of Java. The mountains of Great Tartary produce great num- bers of Bears perfe£lly white, which do not differ in form from thofe juft mentioned. — Some, from the con- fines of Ruffia, are of a mixed colour, with black and white hairs. The Bear was once an inhabitant of this ifland, and was included in the ancient laws and regulations refpedf- ing beads of chafe.— Long after their extirpation, they were imported for the cruel purpofe of baiting them, which at that time was a favourite amufement of our an- cedors. V^e find it, in queen Elizabeth’s days, among the various entertainments prepared for her majedy on her vifit at Kenilworth. 266 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. We have here given a faithful reprefentation, drawn from the life, of an animal which has hitherto efcaped the obfervations of naturalifts. Its features and leading chara&ers feem to be fo ftrong, as to leave no room for doubt with refpe£t to its rank in the animal creation : And, from the ftriking correfpondence of parts obferva- ble between it and the common Bear, we are induced to difpofe of them in the fame clafs. We are the more confirmed in this opinion, from an attentive examination of its difpofition and manners; notwithftanding, it feems to differ in fome of thofe chara&eriftics which have been pointed out by naturalifts as the guides to a regular and fy Hematic arrangement. Its hody is covered with a long, rough, and fhaggy coat of hair, which gives it, when lying down, the ap- pearance of a rude and fhapelefs mafs; on the top of its back, the hair, which is twelve inches long, rifes up like a hunch, feparates in the middle, and falls down in dif- HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 267 ierent directions; its head is large, very broad at the forehead, and is the only part on which the hair is fhort ; its fnout is long, and ends in a thin, broad cartilage, overhanging the noftrils about an inch and a half; its lips are thin and very long, and feem to be furnifhed with mufcles, by which the animal can protrude them in a molt lingular manner, which it never fails to do when its attention is directed to any particular objedf, or when food is held out to it; its eyes are fmall, black, and hea- vy, and its afpeCl louring ; its ears and tail are fhort, and hid in the hair ; its legs and thighs are remarkably thick and Itrong ; 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 ufes with great dexterity, either fe- parately or together, like fingers, to break its food into fmaller portions, or to convey it to its mouth. Its co- lour is a deep, fliining black ; excepting the fnout, and a fpot above each eye, which are of a yellowifn-white co- lour; there is likewife a crefcent of white underneath the throat. It has no cutting teeth ; but two very ftrong canine teeth, and fix grinders, in each jaw. It appears to be a gentle, good-natured animal ; but when irritated or dilturbed, utters a fhort abrupt roar, like a Bear, ending in a whining tone, exprefiive of im- patience.— It feeds on bread, fruit, and nuts ; is fond of honey ; and will eat marrow, or the fat of meat, either raw or drefled ; but refufes roots of all kinds, and the lean or mufcular parts of flefh. This rare animal is faid to have been brought from the interior parts of Bengal , and that it burrows in the ground. <0 263 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The Polar or Great White BEAR differs greatly1 from the common Bear in the length of its head and neck, and grows to above twice the fize. Some of them are thirteen feet long. — Its limbs are of great fize and flrength ; its hair long, harfli and difagree- able to the touch, and of a yellowifh-white colour ; its cars are fhort and rounded ; and its teeth large. It inhabits only the coldefl parts of the globe ; and has been found above latitude 80, as far as navigators have penetrated northwards. Thefe inhofpitable regions feem adapted to its fallen nature. “ There- the ftiapelefs Bear, “ With dangling ice all horrid, flalks forlorn : “ Slow-pac’d, and fourer as the florms increafe, “ He makes his bed beneath th’ inclement drift ; “ And, with (tern patience, fcorning weak complaint, “ Hardens his heart again It afi'uiling want.” HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 269 It has been feldom feen farther fouth than Newfound- land ; but abounds chiefly on the fhores of Hudfon’s Bay, Greenland, and Spitzbergen, on one fide, and thofe of Nova-Zembla on the other. It has been fometimes found in the intermediate countries of Norway and Ice- land ; but fuch as have appeared in thofe parts have al- ways been driven thither upon floating fheets of ice ; fo that thofe countries are only acquainted with them by ac- cident. During fummer, they take up their refidence on large iflands of ice, and frequently pafs from one to another. They fwim well, and can go to the diftance of fix or feven leagues: They likewife dive, but do not continue long under water. — When the pieces of ice are detached by ftrong winds or currents, the Bears allow themfelves to be carried along with them, and as they cannot re- gain the land, or abandon the ice on which they are em- barked, they often perifli in the open fea. Thofe which arrive with the ice on the coafts of Iceland or Norway, are almolt famifhed with hunger from the length of their voyage, and arc extremely voracious. As foon as the na- tives difeover one of them, they arm themfelves, and pre- fently difpatch him. The ferocity of the Bear is as remarkable as its attach- ment to its young. A few years imee, the crew of a boat belonging to a Ihip in the whale-fifhery, fhot at a Bear at a fhort diftance, and wounded it. The animal immediately fet up the mod dreadful yells, and ran along the ice towards the boat. Before it reached it, a lecond fhot was fired, and hit it. Phis ferved but to increaie its fury. It prefently fwam to the boat ; and in attempting to get on board, reached its fore foot upon the gunnel ; but one of the crew having a hatchet, cut it off. The 270 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. animal ft ill, however, continued to fwim after them till they arrived at the fhip ; and feveral (hots were fired at it, which alfo took efle£t : But on reaching the Ihip, it immediately afcended the deck ; and the crew having fled into the (hrowds, it was purfuing them thither, when a fliot from one of them laid it dead upon the deck. Its flefh is white, and is faid to talle like mutton. The fat is melted for train-oil •, and that of the feet is ufed in medicine. The White Bear brings forth two young at a time. Their fondnefs for their offspring is fo great, that they will die rather than defert them : Wounds ferve only to make the attachment more violent : They embrace their cubs to the laft, and bemoan them with the mod piteous cries. They feed on fifh, feals, and the carcafes of whales. Allured by the fcent of feal’s flefh, they often break into the huts of the Greenlanders. — They fometimes attack the Morfe, with which they have terrible conflicts: But the large teeth of that animal give it a decided fuperiority over the Bear, which is generally worfted. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 27 I The Striped HYENA. ALTHOUGH naturalifts, both ancient and mo- dern, have defcribed the Hyena under different denominations, and have afcribed to it properties which it is now known not to poffefs ; yet its characters are fo fingular, that it is impoffible to miftake them, and fo pe- culiar, as to diftinguifh it from every other clafs of ani- mals. In many refpeCts it refembles thofe of the Dog kind, has fome fimilitude to the Wolf in form and difpo- fition, and is about the fame fize. The Hyena has only four toes on each foot ; its head is broad and flat, and its muzzle fhorter 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 re- markably wild, fallen, and ferocious. There are two varieties,— the one flriped, and the other fpotted. The hair of the former is of an afh co- lour, marked with long black ftripes, difpofed in waves. 1 272 HISTORY OF QJCJ A D RU FEDS. from the back downwards ; there are others acrofs the legs ; the hair, in general, is coarfe and rough ; its tail is fhort and bufhy, with pretty long hair, fometimes plain, and fometimes 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 fubdance of the confidence of civet, but of a rank, difagreeable odour. This opening may proba- bly have given rife to the error of the ancients, who af- ferted, that the Hyena was every alternate year male and female. Its manner of holding its head is fomewhat like a Dog purfuing a fcent, with its nofe near the ground. This pofition of the head makes the fhoulders appear more elevated. A bridly mane runs along the top of the back from head to tail, which gives it an appearance fomething like a Hog ; from whence, probably, it may have derived its name; the word huaina being a Greek word derived from hus, which fignifies a Sow. — Such are the mod driking didinclions of the Hyena, which has been pidlured by ignorance and timidity under every form that can drike terror into the imagination. Won- derful powers were afcribed to it by the ancients, who believed that it changed its fex ; that it imitated the hu- man voice, and by that means attracted unwary travel- lers, and dedroyed them ; that it had the power of charming the fhepherds, and as it were rivetting them to the place where they dood. Many other things, e- qually abfurd, have been told of this animal : But thefe are furhcient to (hew, that objedls of terror and fuperdi- tion are nearly allied ; and when once they have taken pofTedion of the human mind, the mod improbable do- ries are eafily received and credited. It refides in the caverns of mountains, in the clefts of HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 273 rocks, or in holes and dens, which it digs in the earth. — Its difpofition is extremely ferocious ; and, though taken young, it never can be tamed. — It lives by depredations, like the Wolf; but is ftronger, and more daring and ra- pacious. It follows the flocks, ravages the fheepfold, and deftroys every thing within its reach with the moll infatiable voracity.-— Its eyes fhine in the dark ; and it is aflerted, with fome appearance of probability, that it can fee nearly as well by night as by day.— When deftitute of other provifions, it ranfacks the graves, and devours putrid human bodies that have been long buried. The voice of the Hyena is very peculiar : Its begin- ning feems to be fomewhat like the moaning of a human voice, and the ending like one making a violent effort to vomit. It inhabits Afiatic Turkey, Syria, Perfia, and Barbary. The fuperftitious Arabs, when they kill one of them, carefully bury the head, left it fhould be applied to ma- gical purpofes. The courage of the Hyena is equal to its rapacity. It will defend itfelf with great obftinacy againft much larger quadrupeds : It is not afraid of the Lion nor the Panther, will fometimes attack the Ounce, and feldom fails to con- quer. S 274 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 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 defcribes it as a cruel, mifchievous, and formidable animal. Its horrid yells are to be heard every night, whilft it prowls about for its prey, and lurks near farm- yards, where cattle are kept. Thefe are well defended by Dogs, of which the Hyena, though larger and ftrong- er, is much afraid ; and will not venture an attack, un- lefs prefTed by the mod urgent neceffity : Neither will it dare to feize upon any of the larger animals, fuch as Ox- en, Cows, Horfes, &c. whilft they make the leaft ap- pearance of defending themfelves, or even if they do not betray any fymptoms of fear. It fometimes endeavours to difperfe the cattle by its hideous roaring ; after which it feleCts and purfues one of them, which it foon difables by a deadly bite, and then devours. Thefe animals were formerly fo bold, as to moleft the Hottentots in their huts, and fometimes carry off their children ; but, fince the introduction of fire-arms, thofe HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 275 and other wild beads keep at a greater diftance from the habitations of mankind. — It is a fa£t, however, that num- bers of them attend almoft every night about the fham- bles at the Cape, where they meet with bones, (kin, and other offals, which are left there by the inhabitants, who iutfer thefe animals to come unmolefted, and carry off their refufe ; and it is fomewhat remarkable, that they have feldom been known to do any mifchief there, though fed in the very heart of the town. The howlings of the Hyena are dreadful beyond all conception, and fpread a general alarm : They are al- moft inceffant, and feem to be the natural confequence of its craving appetite. Perhaps it may not be going too far to fay, that Nature has kindly impreffed this involun- tary difpofition to yelling upon this animal, that every living creature might be upon its guard, and fecure itfelf from the attacks of fo cruel an enemy. The general colour is a reddifh-brown, marked with diftindt round black fpots, the hind legs with tranfverfe black bars ; its head is large and flat ; above each eye, as well as on the lips, it has long whifkers ; a fhort black mane runs along the top of the back ; its ears are flrort, and a little pointed; its face and the upper part of its head are black. S 2 276 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. T he FOX. r IIIS lively and crafty animal is common to every part of Great-Britain ; and is fo 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 pur- pofe, he kept two males and a female for a confiderable time, and tried to make the males copulate with bitches, which they uniformly refufed ; and from thence he con- cludes, that no mixture can take place between the two fpecies. But it fhould be remembered, that the Foxes were in a ftate of confinement •, and ofcourfe, many cir- cumftances might concur to difguft them, and render the experiment abortive. In confirmation of this, we need only obferve, that the fame Foxes, which, when at liber- ty, darted on the poultry with their ufual eagernefs, ne- ver attempted to touch a fingle fowl after they were chained: And we are told further, “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 fpite of hunger and opportunity, they never forgot that they were chained, and difturbed not the hen.” Now if any one fhould be fo hardy as to aflert from this, that Foxes have a natural averfion to poultry, one may eafily conceive how little credit would be given to the conclu- fion, and how much laughter it would excite. We juft mention this, to fhew, that experiments of this kind, where Nature is thwarted in her procefs, or reftrained in any of her operations, are not always to be depended up- on.— That the Fox and the Dog will breed together, is a fa£I, too well known in feveral parts of the North of England, to admit of the fmalleft doubt. — It is a common HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 277 practice in many places to tie up a bitch that is in feafon, where fhe may be vifited by a Fox, and be impregnated by him. The fruits of the conne&ion are fufficiently ob- vious: Mod, if not all the puppies, have a flrong refem- blance to the Fox : The fharp nofe, prick ears, long bo- dy, and fhort legs of the Fox, evidently point out their 1 origin.— 1 hefe dogs are highly efleemed by farmers and graziers, as the moll uftful kind for driving cattle. They bite keenly; are extremely adtive and playful ; and • are very expert at deflroying weafels, rats, and other ver- min. The Fox fieeps much during the day; but the night is its feafon of activity, and the time when it roams about in fearch of prey. — It will eat flefh of any kind ; but pre- fers that of hares, rabbits, poultry, and all kinds of birds. I Thofe that refide near the fea coafls will, for want of other food, eat crabs, fhrimps, mufcles, and other fliell- fifh. 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 llore ; but not with impu- nity : The whole fwarm flies out, and fallens upon the invader; but he retires only for a few minutes, and rids himfelf of the bees by rolling upon the ground ; by which means he crulhes fuch as flick to him, and then returns to his charge, and devours both wax and honey. The cunning of the Fox in furprifing and fecuring its prey is equally remarkable. When it has acquired more than it can devour, its lirft care is to fecure what it has killed, which is generally all within its reach. It digs holes in different places, where it conceals its booty by S 3 27B HISTORY OF QJJAD RUPEDS. carefully covering it with earth to prevent a difcovery. If a flock of poultry have unfortunately fallen vidlims to its ftratagems, it will bring them, one by one, to thefe hiding-places ; where it leaves them till hunger demands frefh fupplies. The chafe of the Fox is a very favourite diverfion in this kingdom, and is no- where purfued with fuch ardour and intrepidity. Both our Dogs and Horfes are confeff- edly fuperior to thofe of any other country. — The inftant the Fox finds he is purfued, he flies towards his hole; and finding it flopped, which is always carefully done before the chafe begins, he has recourfe to his fpeed and his cunning for fafety. He does not double and meafure his ground back like the Hare, but continues his courfe flraight forward before the Hounds with great ftrength and perfeverance. Both Dogs and Horfes, particularly the latter, have frequently fallen victims to the ardour of the purfuit, which has fometimes continued for upwards of fifty miles without the fmalleft intermiffion, and al- mo(t at full fpeed*. — As the fcent of the Fox is very ftrong, the Dogs follow with great alacrity and eagernefs, and have been known to keep up a conftant chafe for eight or ten hours together ; and it is hard to fay, whe- ther the fpirited eagernefs of the Hounds, the ardour of the Horfe$, or the enthufiafm of the hunters, is molt to * Mr Charles Turner’s Hounds hunted at Ayreyholm, near Hurworth, in the county of Durham, and found the noted old Fox CESAR, which made an extraordinary chafe. After a round of four miles, he led to Smeaton, through Hornby and Appleton; then back again to Hornby, Worfet-moor, Pierfburgh, Limpton, Craythorn, Middleton, Hilton, Seamer, Newby, Marton, Ormf- by ; then upon Hambletpn, through Kirkleatham-park, Uplea- tham, Skelton, and Kilton. Mr Turner tired three Horfes ; and only three Hounds were in purfuit, when he thought proper to call them off, it being near five in the evening. The chafe was upwards of fifty miles. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 279 be admired. The Fox is the only one of the party which has the plea of neceflity on his fide; and it operates fo ftrongly, that he often efcapes the utmoft efforts of his purfuers, and returns to his hole in fafety. The fmell of his urine is fo ofFenfive to the Dogs, that it fometimes proves the means of his efcape from them. When all his fhifts have failed him, and he is at laft overtaken, he then defends himfelf with great obftinacy, and fights in filence till he is torn in pieces by the Dogs. There are three varieties of Foxes in this ifland, which differ from each other more in form than in colour. The Greyhound FOX is the largeft, and is chiefly found in the mountainous parts of England and Scotland : Fie is likewife the bold- eft, and will attack a well-grown Sheep. Ilis cats nn long and ere£t, and his afpedl; wild. S 4 280 history of quadrupeds. The Mastiff FOX is rather lefs; but his limbs are more ftrongly formed. The Cur FOX is the leaf!:, but the moll common ; and approaches near- ed to the habitations of mankind. It lurks about the out-houfes 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 lead offence, bite thofe it is mod familiar with. The eye of the Fox is of a lively hazel colour, very fignificant and expreffive ; and difcovers very fenfibly the different emotions of love, fear, or anger, by which it may be affe&ed. — It feems greatly to admire its bufhy tail, and frequently amufes itfelf by endeavouring to catch it as it runs round. In cold weather, when it lies down, it folds it about its head. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 281 Jpie Fox fleeps lound ; and, like the Dog, lies in a round form. When he is only repofing himfelf, he firetches out his hind legs, and lies on his belly. In this pofition he fpies the birds as they alight on the hedges or places near him, and is ready to fpring upon fuch as are within his reach. He rarely lies expoled, butchufes the cover of fome thick brake, where he is pretty fecure from being furprifed. — Crows, magpies, and other birds, which confider the Fox as a common enemy, will often give notice of his retreat by the moft clamorous notes, and frequently follow him a confiderable way from tree to tree, repeating their outcries. Foxes produce but once a year, from three to fix young ones at a time. When the female is pregnant, file retires, and feldom goes out of her hole, where flie prepares a bed for her young. She comes in feafon in the winter ; and young Foxes are found in the month of April. If flie perceives that her habitation is difcovered, fiie carries them off, one by one, to a more fecure 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 muff be ufed to deceive this wily animal. The trap muff be placed in the midft of a field, where there is nei- ther hedge nor path near it, and fo nicely covered with mould, that not the leafl: veftige can be feen where it lies: About the trap, and at a fmall diftance from it, in different places, a few pieces of cheefe, or other ftrong- ly- fcented food, mult be carelefsly lcattered : then with a (beep’s paunch, or fome other animal fubhance, a trail is made, about a mile in length, to the diffeient places where the bait is laid, and from thence to the trap : The 282 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. Ihoes of the perfon who carries the trail mull be likefwife well rubbed with the paunch, that the Fox may not dis- cover his fcent. He then approaches with more confi- dence ; and if the defign be well conducted, feldom fails of being caught. There are many varieties of this animal, apparently produced by the influence of climate. Thofe of this country are moflly of a tawny-red, mixed with a(h co- lour; the fore part of the legs is black, and the tail tipt with white. — In colder countries, Foxes are of various colours. The Black FOX is mod valuable for its fur, which is efteemed in Ruflia fuperior to that of the fineft fable. A tingle (kin will fell for four hundred rubles. The Cross FOX inhabits the coldeft parts of Europe, Afia, and North- America. Its fur is very valuable, being thicker and fofter than the common fort — Great numbers of (kins are imported from Canada. It derives its name from a black mark which pafies over its back acrofs the (boulders, and another along the loack to the tail. The Corsac FOX is common in the deferts beyond the Yaick river, and feems to be the fame animal defcribed by M. BufFon un- der the name of the Ifatis. In funimer it is of a pale- HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 283 tawny colour, with a white throat ; in winter, it is grey: The tip of the tail is black. — It is fmaller than the com- mon Fox ; and its hair is foft and downy. It lives in holes in the earth, and is caught by the Kirgis-Khaiflacs with falcons and greyhounds. Forty or fifty thoufand are taken annually, and fold to the Ruf- fians at the ra(;e of forty copeics (about twenty-pence) each. The natives, in their traffic, ufe their fkins in- ftead of money. Great numbers are fent into Turkey. The Arctic FOX 1 inhabits the countries bordering on the Frozen Sea. It is found in Greenland, Iceland, Spitzbergen, Nova-Zem- bla, and Lapland; in Kamtfchatka, and the oppofite parts of America. -It burrows, and makes holes in the ground, feveral feet in length ; at the end of which it forms a neft with mofs. In Greenland and Spitzbergen, it lives in the clefts of rocks, being unable to burrow on account of the froft. Two or three of them inhabit the lame hole. It is endowed with all the cunning of the common Fox ; preys on young geefe, ducks, and other water fowl, before they are able to fly ; likewife, on hares, wild birds. 284 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. \ and eggs : And in Greenland, for want of other food, it feeds on berries and fhell-fifh. In Lapland and the North of Alia, its principal food is the Leming, or Lap- land Marmot ; immenfe fhoals of which fometimes 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 uncertain, and frequently after great intervals of time, they are fometimes abfent three or four years in purfuit of this their favourite prey. The hair of the Artlic Fox is of an afh colour, but changes to white in the winter, when it is long, foft, and fomewhat woolly: Its tail is fhorter than that of the common Fox, and more bufhy ; and its toes are covered with fur on the under part, like thofe of the Hare: It is fmaller and more fender than the European Fox : Its nofe is fharp and black ; and its ears fhort, and almoft hid in the fur Tt is fometimes taken in traps : But its £kin is of little value. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 285 The W O L F. ALL naturalids agree in placing the Wolf and the Dog in the fame clafs ; and, from the flighted in- fpedfion of its external form only, it would feem that the Wolf was in every refpedt a Dog in its date of na- tural freedom. The fhape of its head is different ; and its eyes, being fixed in a more oblique pofition, give it a look of more favage fiercenefs: Its ears are fharp and ere£t ; its tail long, budiy, and bending inwards between its hind legs; its body is dronger than that of aimod any fpecies of Dogs, its jaws and teeth larger, and its hair coarfer and thicker. The internal dructure of thefe ani- mals is perfectly fi milar. The Wolf couples in the fame manner as the Dog ; and its immediate feparation is pre- vented from the fame caufe : The time of gedation is alfo nearly the fame ; and from a variety of fuccefsful experiments related by the celebrated Dr Hunter, there is no longer any room to doubt, that the Wolf and the Dog will copulate together, and produce an intermediate fpecies, capable of fubfequent propagation. 286 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The appetite of the Wolf, for every kind of animal ' food, is exceflively voracious ; and, although Nature has furnifhed it with every requifite for purfuing and con- quering its prey, it is frequently reduced to the laft ex- tremity, and fometimes perifhes, for want of food. So great is the general dejteftation of this deftru£live crea- ture, that all the wild animals endeavour to avoid it, and moll commonly efcape by their fuperior fwiftnefs. When prefled with hunger from repeated difappoint- ments, the Wolf becomes courageous from neceflity. It then braves every danger, and even attacks thofe animals that are under the protection of man. Sometimes whole droves of them join in the cruel work of general devafta- tion, roam through the villages, and attack the fheep- folds : They dig the earth under the doors, enter with dreadful ferocity, and put every living creature to death before they depart. The Idorfe is the only tame animal that can defend itfelf againft them : All the weaker ani- mals become their prey : Even man himfelf, upon thefe occafions, frequently falls a victim to their rapacity ; and it is faid, that when once they have tailed human blood, they always give it the preference.— From hence, many fuperftitious (lories have been told of the Wolf. The old Saxons believed, that it was polTelTed by fome evil fpirit, and called it the JVere-JV ulf; and the French pea- fants, from the fame reafon, call it the Loup-garou . The language of the poet is beautifully defcriptive of this creature’s infatiable fury : — 0 kt By wintry famine rous’d, from all the tradt “ Of horrid mountains, which the fliining Alps, “ And wavy Appenine, and Pyrenees, “ Branch out, ftupendous, into diftant lands, “ Cruel as death! and hungry as the grave ! Burning for blood! bony, and ghaunt, and grim! HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 287 “ Aflembllng Wolves, in raging troops, defcend; “ And, pouring o’er the country, bear along, “ Keen as the north wind fweeps the gloffy fnow : “ All is their prize.” The Wolf has great ftrength, efpecially in the mufcles of his neck and jaws : He can carry a Sheep in his mouth, and eafily run off with it in that manner. His bite is cruel and deadly, and keener as it meets with lefs refinance ; but when oppofed, he is cautious and circum- fpe£f, and feldom fights but from neceffity. He is hard- er and more robult, but not fo fenfible as the dog. He almoft inceffimtly prowls about for prey, and of all ani- mals is the moll; difficult to conquer in the chafe. His fenfe of fmelling is peculiarly ftrong : He fcents the track of animals, and follows it with great perfeverance : The odour of carrion Itrikes him at the diltance of near a league. Wolves are capable of bearing want of food for a long time. To allay their hunger, they will fometimes fill their flomachs with mud. — They have been known to follow armies, and alienable in troops upon the field of battle ; tear up fuch bodies as have been carelefsly in- terred, and devour them with infatiable avidity. In all ages the Wolf has been confidered as the moll favage enemy of mankind, and rewards given for its head. Various methods have been taken to rid the world of this rapacious invader : Pit-falls, traps, and poifon, have all been employed againlt him ; and, hap- pily for thefe iflands, the whole race has long been ex- tirpated here. King Edgar attempted to efFetl it in Eng- land by remitting the puniffiment of certain crimes on producing a number of Wolves’ tongues ; and in Whiles, the tax of gold and filver was commuted for an annual tribute of Wolves* heads. — Some centuries after that, 288 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. they increafed to fuch a degree, as to become an object of royal attention ; and great rewards were given for de- ftroying them. Camden informs us, that certain perfons held their lands on condition of hunting and deftroying the Wolves that infefted the country ; whence they were called the Wolve-hunt . In the reign of Athelftan, Wolves abounded fo much in Yorkfhire, that a retreat was built at Flixton to defend paflengers from their at- tacks. As the ravages of thefe animals were greateft during winter, particularly in January, when the cold was fevered, our Saxon anceftors diftinguifhed that month by the title of Wolf-moneth. They alfo called an outlaw IVolfffjedy as being out of the protection of the law, and as liable to be killed as that deftru&ive beaft. — They infefted Ireland many centuries after their extinc- tion in England ; the laft prefentment for killing Wolves being made in the county of Cork about the year 1710. Thefe animals abound in the immenfe forefts of Ger- many, where the following methods are taken to deftroy them : — In fome very fequeftered part of the foreft, they hang up a large piece of carrion to the branch of a tree, having previoully made a train of fome miles long, leav- ing fmail pieces of putrid flefh here and there to allure the Wolves to the fpot : They then wait till it is dark, and approach the place with great circumfpeCtion ; where they fometimes find two or three Wolves aflembled, leap- ing up, and (training themfelves to catch the bait, which is placed juft within their reach j and while the animals are bufily employed in this way, the hunters, being pro- vided with fire-arms, feldom fail to difpatch them. — In a convenient place, at the foot of a declivity, they make a fmail inclofure of (trong pales, fo high, that the Wolf having once entered, cannot return again. An opening HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 289 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 foon as he arrives at the fpot, he examines every part of the inclofure ; and finding no other way to come at the booty, he precipitates himfelf to the bot- tom ; and having made a plentiful meal, endeavours in vain to reafcend. His difappointment at not being able to get back is productive of the mofl dreadful howlings, which alarm his enemies ; and they either take him alive, or difpatch him with bludgeons. It is remarkable, that when this animal finds there is no poflibility of efcaping, his courage entirely forfakes him ; and he is for fome time fo ftupified with fear, that he maybe killed without offering to refill, or taken alive without much danger. — - Wolves are fometimes taken in ftrong nets, into which they are driven by the hunters, who furround a large traCt of land, and with drums, horns, and other inflru- ments, accompanied with loud cries from a large compa- ny affembled upon the occafion, drive the animals to- wards the entrance of the nets ; where they are entan- gled, and killed with clubs and hatchets. Great care mufl be taken to fecure them at firfl : If they recover from their conflernation, they eafily efcape by tearing the net to pieces. Wolves are found, with fome variety, in almofl every country of the world. Thofe of Senegal are larger and fiercer than thofe of Europe. — In North- America, they are fmall, of a dark colour, and may be eafily tamed. Before the introduction of Dogs, the favages made ufe of them in hunting the wild animals of the country ; and they are {till employed for the fame purpofe in the more T 290 HISTORY OF QJJADRUPEDS. \ remote parts of that vaft continent. They are faid to hunt in packs, and run down the Deer by their fcent. The appearance of thefe animals near the habitations of the Indians, fometimes indicates that the Bifon or the Deer is at no great diitance *, and when any of thefe are taken, the Wolves are rewarded with the offal. Catefby 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, ftrong jaws, and great teeth : On the upper lip it - has ftrong briftles, not unlike the fofter fpines of the Porcupine, of a grey and white colour ; its ears are large and eredt ; its body is affi-coloured, fpotted with black ; on its Tides there are black ftripes from the back down- ward ; its neck is fat and thick, covered with a loofe fkin, marked with a long tawny ftroke ; on the breaft is another of the fame kind ; the tail is long, and tinged in the middle with tawny *, the legs and feet are ftriped with black. It inhabits the hot parts of Mexico or New- Spain, is equally voracious with the European Wolf, at- tacks cattle, and fometimes men. There are no Wolves farther fouth on the new continent. i HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 291 The New South-Wales WOLF, has been called a Dog ; but its wild and favage nature feems ftrongly to point out its affinity to the Wolf ; to which, in other refpedls, it bears a great refemblance. It neither barks nor growls; but when vexed, eredts the hairs of its whole body like briftles, and appears extreme- ly furious. — It is fond of rabbits and poultry, which it eagerly devours raw ; but will not touch dreffed meat. One of them, fent to this country from Botany-Bay, was extremely nimble; and fo fierce, as to feize on every animal it faw. If not reftrained, it would have run down Deer and Sheep : An Afs had alfo nearly fallen a vidtim to its fury. Its height is rather lefs than two feet ; the length two feet and a half : It is formed much like a Wolf ; its ears fhort and eredl, and its tail long and bulhy : The general colour is a pale-brown, lighter on the belly ; the feet and infide of the legs are white. T 2 292 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The JACKAL. WE beg leave to make our acknowledgments to Mr Pennant for the drawing of this animal, which he allures us was drawn from the life ; and we doubt not, therefore, its being a faithful reprefentation. The fpecies of the Jackal is diffufed, with fome varie- ty, through almoft every part of Alia ; and is found in Barbary, and other parts of Africa, as far as the Cape of Good Hope. Although it is one of the moll numerous of all the wild animals in the Ealt, there is fcarcely any lefs known in Europe, or more confufedly defcribed by natural hif- torians. They vary in fuze. Thofe of the warmell climates are faid to be the largelt. They are of a reddilh-brown co- lour.— The fmaller Jackal is about the lize of a Fox ; and its colour is a bright-yellow. That the Jackal is nearly allied to the Dog, has been clearly proved, from a circumltance related by Mr Hun- ter, of a female Jackal taken on board an Ealt-Indiamaii at Bombay whillt a cub, and being impregnated by a HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 293 Dog during the voyage, brought forth fix puppies *, one of which afterwards produced young ones, from an inter- courfe with a Dog. — From thefe and other recent fadls, it appears, that the Fox, the Wolf, the Jackal, and the Dog, may be confidered as different fpeices of the fame 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 de- (troy the poultry, and attack the flocks : They roam through the villages and gardens, and carry off every thing they can eat : They enter (tables, yards, and out- houfes; and devour (kins, and every thing that is made pf leather ; fuch as harnefling, boots, (hoes, &c. No- thing can efcape their rapacity. They will ranfack the repofitories of the dead, and greedily devour the moil pu- trid bodies *, for which reafon, in thofe countries where they abound, the inhabitants are obliged to make the graves of a great depth, and fecure them with fpines, to prevent the Jackals from raking up the earth with their feet. They are faid to attend caravans, and follow ar- mies, in hopes of being furnifhed with a banquet by difeafe or battle. — They may be confidered as the vulture among quadrupeds ; and, like that deftru&ive bird, de- vour every thing indiferiminately that has once had ani- mal life. — They hide themfelves in holes and dens by day, and feldom appear abroad till the evening ; when they fill the air with the mod horrid howlings, and begin the chafe. The Lion, the Panther, and other beads of prey that do not purfue by the fcent, take advantage of the general confirmation, and follow in filence behind till the Jackals have hunted down their prey: They then T 3 294 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. devour the fruits of their labours, and leave them only the remains of the fpoil ; from whence the Jackal has been vulgarly called the Lion's Provider , as if thofe two animals acted in concert, and had formed a plan for their mutual fupport. The Jackal frequently purfues the Gazelle ; and is fo bold, as to follow it even into the midft of a town or village, whither that timid animal frequently flies for protedtion, and by that means fometimes efcapes. Sparrman’s defcription of thofe he faw at the Cape differs materially from the accounts we have been able to colledt from other authors. He fays they are about three feet in length, and their tails little more than a foot long: The predominant colour is a reddifh-yellow; the legs are of a pale gold colour ; under the belly, and on the infide of the legs, the colour inclines to w'hite; the nofe 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 fays it re- fembles the European Fox in form, manners, and difpofi- tion ; and is not known to aflemble in packs for the pur- pofe of hunting ; neither is its voracity equal to that afcribed to it by other naturalifts. 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 mifchievous, and very deflrudlive to the flocks of Sheep and Goats in thofe parts. — There are two kinds of thefe Dogs, — the one large, and of a reddifh co- lour ; the other lefs, and browner. They are very bold, and wander about night and day in fearch of prey. They make a noife fomewhat like the cry of our common Hounds, and hunt with great fagacity, a£Iing perfe&ly in concert with each other, till the game falls a prey HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 295 the pack. They are faid 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, fomewhat refembling a fmali Fox. It is lefs than the common Jackal ; and is fometimes tamed, and kept in a domeftic Hate. 2 p(S HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The DOG. THE fervices of this truly valuable creature have been fo eminently ufeful to the domeftic interefts of men in all ages, that to give the hiftory of the Dog would be little lefs than to trace mankind back to their original ftate of flmplicity and freedom, to mark the pro- grefs of civilization through the various changes of the world, and to follow attentively the gradual advancement of that order which placed man at the head of the animal world, and gave him a manifeft fuperiority over every part of the brute creation. If we confider for a moment the ftate of man without the aid of this ufeful domeftic ; — with what arts {hall he oppofe the numerous hofts of foes that furround him on all Tides, feeking every opportunity to encroach upon his pofteflions, to deftroy his labours, or endanger his per- fonal fafety ? or how {hall he bring into fubjedlion fuch as are neceflary for his well-being ? His utmoft vigilance will not be fufhcient to fecure him from the rapacity of the one, nor his greateft exertions enable him to over- come the fpeed of the other. To maintain his indepen- dence, to infure his fafety, and to provide for his fup- port, it was neceflary that fome one among the animals (hould be brought over to his afliftance, whofe zeal and fidelity might be depended on : And where, amidft all the various orders of animated being, could one be found fo entirely adapted to this purpofe ? where could one be found fo bold, fo tractable, and fo obedient, as the Dog ? - — To confirm the truth of thefe obfervations, we need only turn our attention to the prefent condition of thofe nations not yet emerged from a ftate of barbarifm, where the ufes of the Dog are but little known or attended to, HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 297 and we will find that they lead a precarious and wretch- ed life of perpetual warfare with the Dill more favage in- habitants of the foreft, with which they are obliged to difpute the pofleflion of their uncultivated fields, and, not unfrequently, to divide with them the fruits of their la- bours.—-From hence we may conclude, that the attention of mankind, in the earlieft ages, would be engaged in training and rendering this animal fubfervient to the im- portant purpofes of domeltic utility; and the refult of this art has been, the conqueil and peaceable pofleflion of the earth. Of all animals, the Dog feems moll fufceptible of change, and moil eafily modified by difference of cli- mate, food, and education; not only the figure of his body, but his faculties, habits, and difpofitions, vary in a furprifing manner: Nothing .appears conffant in them but their internal conformation, which is alike in all ; in every other refpedt, they are very diffimilar: They vary in fize, in figure, in the length of the nofe and fliape 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 difcrimina- tions by which each is diftinguifhed, would be a tafk as fruitlefs as it would be impoflible ; to account for this wonderful variety, or inveftigate the character of the pri- mitive flock from which they have fprung, would be equally vain. Of this only v.*e are certain, that, in every age, Dogs have been found poffeffed of qualities molt admirably adapted for the various purpofes to which they have been from time to time applied. — We have feen, in the hiflory of the Cow and the Sheep, that thofe animals which have been long under the management of man, never preferve the (tamp of nature in its original purity* 298 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. In wild animals, which ftill enjoy their original freedom from reftraint, and have the independent choice of food and climate, this impreflion is ftill faithfully preferved ; but thofe which man has fubdued, tranfported from cli- mate to climate, changed their food, habits, and manner of living, muft neceffarily have fuffered the greateft alte- rations in their form ; and as the Dog, of all other do- meftic animals, is mo ft accuftomed to this influence, is endowed with difpofitions the moft docile and obedient, is fufceptible of every impreflion, and fubmiflive to every reftraint, we need not wonder that he fhould be Subject to the greateft variety. — To an attentive obferver of the canine race, it is truly wonderful and curious to obferve the rapid changes and Angular combinations of forms, arifmg from promiscuous intercourfe, which every-where prefent themfelves : They appear in endlefs fucceflion, and feem more like the effect of whimflcal caprice, than the regular and uniform produ£tion of Nature : So that in whatever light we conflder the various mixtures which at prefent abound, and render every idea of a fyftematic arrangement dubious and problematical, we may fairly prefume, that the fervices of the Dog would be flrft re- quired in maintaining and preferving the Superiority of man over thofe animals which were deftined for his Sup- port, \ HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 299 The Shepherd’s DOG. This ufeful animal, ever faithful to his charge, reigns at the head of the flock ; where it is better heard, and more attended to, than even the voice of the fhepherd. Safety, order, and difcipline, are the fruits of his vigi- lance and adlivity. In thofe large tracts of land which, in many parts of our ifland, are folely appropriated to the feeding of Sheep and other cattle, this fagacious animal is of the utmofl importance. Immenfe flocks may be feen conti- nually ranging over thofe extenfive wilds, as far as the eye can reach, feemingly without controul : Their only guide is the fhepherd, attended by his Dog, the conftant companion of his toils : It receives his commands, and is always prompt to execute them *, it is the watchful guar- dian of the flock, prevents them from draggling, keeps them together, and conducts them from one part of their pafture to another; it will not fuller any (hangers to mix with them, but carefully keeps off every intruder. In driving a number of Sheep to any diftant part, a well- trained Dog never fails to confine them to the road, watches every avenue that leads from it; where he takes 1 300 HISTORY OF QJJADRUPEDS. his (land, threatening every delinquent : He purfues the ftragglers, if any fhould efcape ; and forces them into order, without doing them the lead injury. If the herdf- man be at any time abfent from the flock, he depends upon his Dog to keep them together ; and as foon as he gives the well-known fignal,: this faithful creature con- duces them to his mailer, though at a confiderable dif- tance. There is a very remarkable fingularity in the feet of the Shepherd’s Dog, which we have likewife obferved in thofe of the Cur and the Spaniel. All of them have one, and fome two, toes more than moil Dogs, though they feem not to be of much ufe. They appear to be defi- nite of mufcles, and hang dangling at the hind part of the leg more like an unnatural excrefcence than a necef- fary part of the animal. But the adage, that ( Nature has made nothing in vain,’ ought to correal our decifion on their utility, which probably may exifl unknown to us. This breed of Dogs, at prefent, appears to be pre- ferved, in the greateft purity, in the northern parts of Scotland; where its aid is highly neceffary in managing the numerous herds of Sheep bred in thofe extenfive wilds. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 301 The CUR- DOG is a trufty and ufeful fervant to the farmer and grazier; and, although it is not taken notice of by naturalifts as a diftinft race, yet it is now fo generally ufed, efpecially in the North of England, and fuch great attention is paid in breeding it, that we cannot help confidering it as a permanent kind. They are chiefly employed in driving cattle, in which they are extremely ufeful. They are larger, flrong- er, and fiercer than the Shepherd’s Dog ; and their hair is fmoother and fhorter. They are moftly of a black and white colour. Their ears are half-pricked : And many of them are whelped with fhort tails, which feem as if they had been cut: Thefe are called Self-tailed. Dogs. They bite very keenly; and as they always make their attack, at the heels, the cattle have no defence againft them : In this they are more than a match for a Bull, which they quickly compel to run.* — Their fagacity is uncommonly great: They know their mailer s fields, and are Angularly attentive to the cattle that are in them : 302 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. A good Dog watches, goes his rounds ; and, if any ftrange cattle ihould happen to appear amongfl the herd, although unbidden, he quickly flies at them, and with keen bites obliges them to depart. Similar to the Cur, is that which is commonly ufed in driving cattle to the daughter : And as thefe Dogs have frequently to go long journies, great ftrength, as well as fwiftnefs, is required for that purpofe. They are there- fore generally of a mixed kind ; and unite in them the feveral qualities of the Shepherd’s Dog, the Cur, the MaftifF, and the Greyhound. — Thus, by a judicious mix- ture of different kinds, the fervices of the Dog are ren- dered (till more various and extenfive, and the great pur- pofes of domeflic utility more fully anfwered. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 303 The Greenland DOG. The favage afpedf and difpofition of this Dog feem to bear fome affinity to the rigours of the climate it inha- bits. The Pomeranian (or Wolf Dog of M. Buffon) the Si- berian, Lapland, and Iceland Dogs, are fomewhat fimilar to it in the fharpnefs of their muzzles, in their long fhag- gy hair, and buffiy curling tails. The principal differ- ence is in their fize. — ’Though much larger, they have all fome refemblance to the Shepherd’s Dog. Mod: of the Greenland Dogs are white ; but fome are fpotted, and fome black. They may rather be faid to howl than bark. — The Greenlanders fometimes eat their fleffi : They make garments of their fkins, and ufe them in drawing fledges; to which they yoke them, four, five, and fometimes fix together * Five of thefe Dogs, that had efcaped with their trappings, were found in Greenland, and brought to this country a few years ago by one of our (hips in the filhery. 304 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The Dogs of Kamtfchatka are commonly black or white. They are ftrong, nimble, and active; and are very ufeful in drawing fledges, the only method of tra- velling in that dreary country during the winter. They travel with great expedition. Captain King relates, that, during his flay there, a courier with difpatches, drawn by them, performed a journey of 270 miles in lefs than four days. The fledges are ufually drawn by five Dogs, four of them yojced two and two abreaft : The foremoft acts as leader to the reft. The reins being fattened to a collar round the leading Dog’s neck, are of little ufe 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 confequently ufed in training up thofe for leaders, which are more valuable according to their fteadinefs and docility ; the fum of forty roubles, or ten pounds, being no unufual price for one of them, — The rider has a crooked flick, anfwering the purpofe both of whip and reins ; with which, by ftriking on the fnow, he regulates the fpeed of the Dogs, or flops them at his pleafure. When they are inatten- tive to their duty, he often chaftifes them by throwing it at them. He difcovers great dexterity in regaining his flick, which is the greateft difficulty attending his fitua- tion ; for if he fhould happen to lofe it, the Dogs imme- diately difcover the circumftance, and feldom fail to fet off* at full fpeed, and continue to run till their flrength is exhaufted, or til] the carriage is overturned, and dafhed to pieces, or hurried down a precipice. 1 I HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 36£ In December, 1784, a Dog was left by a fmuggling veffel near Boomer, on the coaft of Northumberland. Finding himfelf deferted, he began to worry fheep ; and did fo much damage, that he became the terror of the country within a cir- cuit of above twenty miles. We are affured, that when he caught a Sheep, he bit a hole in its right fide, and after eating the tallow about the kidneys, left it : Several of them, thus la- cerated, were found alive by the fhepherds ; and being taken proper care of, fome of them recovered, and afterwards had lambs. From his delicacy in this refpedt, the deftnnftion he made may in fome meafure be conceived ; as it may be fup- pofed, that the fat of one Sheep in a day would hardly fatisfy his hunger. — The farmers were fo much alarmed by his depre- dations, that various means were ufed for his deftru&ion. They , frequently purfued him with Hounds, Greyhounds, &c. ; but when the Dogs came up with him, he laid down on his back, as if fupplicating for mercy 5 and in that pofition they never hurt him : He therefore laid quietly, taking his reft till the hun- ters approached, when he made off, without being followed by the Hounds, till they w^ere again excited to the purfuit, which always terminated unfuccefsfully. And it is worthy of notice, that he was one day purfued from Howick to upwards of thirty miles diftance ; but returned thither, and killed Sheep the fame evening. — His conftant refidence, 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 fruitlefs attempts, he was at laft fhot there. 3o6 history of quadrupeds. The B U L L-D O G is the fiercell of all the Dog kind, and is probably the moll courageous creature in the world. It is low in fla- ture, but very flrong and mufcular. Its nofe is fhort ; and the under jaw projects beyond the upper, which gives it a fierce and unpleafing afpecl. — Its courage in attacking the Bull is well known : Its fury in feizing, and its invincible obftinacy in maintaining, its hold, are truly aftonifhing. It always aims at the front ; and ge- neraly fallens upon the lip, the tongue, the eye, or fome part of the face ; where it hangs, in fpite of every effort of the Bull to difengage himfelf. The uncommon ardour of thefe Dogs in fighting will be belt illuflrated by the following fa£l, related by an eye-witnefs ; which at the fame time corroborates, in fome degree, that wonderful account of the Dogs of Epirus given by Elian, and quoted by Dr Goldfmith in ij his hiltory of the Dog : Some years ago, at a bull- baiting in the North of England, when that barbarous cuflom was very common, a young man, confident of the courage of his Dog, laid fome trifling wagers, that he would, at feparate times, cut off all the four feet of HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 307 his Dog ; and that, after every amputation, it would at- tack the Bull. The cruel experiment was tried ; and the Dog continued to feize the Bull as eagerly as if he had been perfectly whole. * t Of late years, this inhuman cultom of baiting the Bull has been almofi: entirely laid afide in the North of Eng- land; and, confequently, there are now few of this kind of Dogs to be feen. As the Bull-Dog always makes his attack without barking, it is very dangerous to approach him alone, without the greateft precaution. is much larger and ftronger than the Bull-Dog ; its ears are more pendulous; its lips are large and loofe; its ai- pe£l is fullen and grave, and its bark loud and terriiic. — ■ He feems every way formed for the important truft of guarding and fecuring the valuable property committed U 2 3o8 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. to his care. Houfes, gardens, yards, &c. are fafe from depredations whilft in his cuftody. Confined during the day, as foon as the gates are locked he is left to range at full liberty: He then goes round the premifies, exa- mines every part of them, and by loud barkings gives no- tice that he is ready to defend his charge. Dr Caius, in his ingenious treatife on Britifli Dogs, tells us, that three of thefe animals were reckoned a match for a Bear, and four for a Lion. We have a curious account, recorded in Stow’s An- nals, of an engagement between three Maftiffs and a Lion, in the prefence of James the Firft. “ One of the Dogs being put into the den, was foon difabled by the Lion ; which took it by the head and neck, and dragged it about : Another Dog was then let loofe, and ferved in the fame manner : But the third being put in, immedi- ately feized the Lion by the lip, and held him for a con- fiderable time ; till, being feverely torn by his claws, the Dog was obliged to quit his hold ; and the Lion, greatly exhaufted in the conflict, refufed to renew the engage- ment *, but taking a fudden leap over the Dogs, fled into > the interior part of his den. Two of the Dogs foon died of their wounds : The laft furvived, and was taken great care of by the king’s fon ; who faid, “ he that had fought with the king of beafts, fhould never after fight with any inferior creature.” The Maftiffs of great-Britain were noted In the time of the Roman emperors ; who appointed an officer, whofe foie bufinefs it was to breed, and fend from hence, fuch as would prove equal to the combats of the amphi- theatre. The following anecdote will (hew, that the Maftiff, confcious of its fuperior ftrength, knows how; to chaftife HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 309 the impertinence of an inferior: — A large Dog of this kind, belonging to the late M. Ridley, efq; of Heatton, near Newcadle, being frequently moleded by a Mongrel, and teazed by its continual barking, at lad took it up in his mouth by the back, and with great compofure drop- ped it over the quay into the river, without doing any farther injury to an enemy fo much his inferior. The MadifF, in its pure and unmixed date, is now fel- * dom to be met with. The generality of Dogs didin- guifhed by that name, feem to be compounded of the Bull-Dog, Danifli MadifF, and the Ban Dog. The BAN-DOG is a variety of this fierce tribe, not often to be feen at prefent. It is lighter, fmaller, more a&ive and vigilant, than the Madid, but not fo powerful ; its nofe is fmall- er*, and it pofFefFes, in fome degree, the fcent of the Hound ; its hair is rougher, and generally of a yellowifh* U 3 3io HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. grey, (freaked with (hades of a black or brown colour. It does not invariably, like the preceding kinds, attack its adverfary in front ; but frequently feizes cattle by the flank. It attacks with eagernefs and its bite is keen and dangerous. The Dalmatian, or Coach DOG, has been erroneoufly called the DanijJj Dog ; and, by M. Buffon, the Harier of Bengal ; but for what reafon, it is difficult to afcertain, as its incapacity of fcenting is fuffi- cient to deftroy all affinity to any Dog employed in the purfuit of the Hare. It is very common in this country at prefent ; and is frequently kept in genteel houfes, 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 encreafe its beauty : A pradlice fo general, that we do not remember ever to have feen one of thefe Dogs unniu- tilated in that way. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 3u The Irish GREYHOUND is the largeft of the Dog kind, and its appearance th§ moft beautiful and majeftic. — — -It is only to be found in Ireland, where it was formerly of great ufe in clearing that country from Wolves. It is now extremely rare, and is kept rather for (hew than ufe, being equally un- ferviceable for hunting either the Stag, the Fox, or the Hare. Thefe Dogs are about three feet high, generally of a white or cinnamon colour, and made fomewhat like a Greyhound, but more robuft: Their afpect is mild, and their difpofition gentle and peaceable : Their ftrength is fo great, that, in combat, the Maftiff or Bull-Dcg is far 312 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. ♦ from being equal to them. They moftly feize their anta- gonifts by the back, and fhake them to death, which their great fize generally enables them to do with eafe. M. BufFon fuppofes the Great Danijh Dog to be only a variety of the Irilh Greyhound. Next to this, in fize and ftrength, is The Scottish Highland GREYHOUND, or WOLF-DOG, which was formerly ufed by the chieftains of that coun- try in their grand hunting parties. One of them, which y/e faw fome years ago, was a large, powerful, fierce- looking Dog ; its ears were pendulous, and its eyes half hid in the hair*, its body was ftrong and mufcular, and covered with harfh, wiry, reddifh hair, mixed with white. The GAZEHOUND was fomewhat fimilar to the Greyhound ; and, like that animal, it hunted only by the eye. It was formerly in great repute, but is now unknown to us. It was ufed in hunting either the Fox, the Hare, or the Stag. It would fele£t from the reft the fatteft Deer, purfue it by the eye, and, though it fliould rejoin the herd, would infallibly fix Upon the fame, and purfue it till taken. The LYEMMER, ) fo called from its being led in a thong, and Hipped at the game. — Dr Caius informs us, that it hunted both by the fcent and fight ; and, in its form, was between the Hound and the Greyhound. — It is now unknown to us. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 313 The GREYH O U N D, M. Buffon fuppofes to be the Irifh Greyhound, rendered thinner and more delicate by the difference of climate and culture: But whatever truth there may be in the fanciful arrrangements of that ingenious author, there is an evident fimilarity of form in all of thofe juft mention- ed ; particularly in the depth of the cheft, in the length of the legs, and in the fmalinefs of the muzzle. The Greyhound is the fleeteft of all Dogs, and can outrun every animal of the chafe ; but as it wants the fa- culty of fcenting, it only follows by the eye. — It was for- merly held in fuch eftimation, as to be confidered the pe- culiar companion of gentlemen ; and, by the foreft laws of King Canute, it was enadted, that no perfon under that degree (hould prefume to keep a Greyhound. The fmall Italian Greyhound is not above half the fizc, but perfectly fimilar in form. Its fhape is exquifitely beautiful and delicate. — It is not common in this country, the climate being too rigorous for the extreme delicacy of its conllitution. 3 14 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The LURCHER is lefs and fhorter than the Greyhound, and its limbs fbronger : Its body is covered with a rough coat of hair, moft commonly of a pale-yellow colour ; its afpedl is ful- len ; and its habits, from whence it derives its name, are dark and cunning. As this Dog pofleffes the advantage of a fine fcent, it is often employed in killing Hares and Rabbits in the night-time. When taken to the warren, it Heals out with the utmoft precaution, watches and fcents the Rab- bits while they are feeding, and darts upon them without barking or making the leall noife. One of them will fingly make incredible havock in a fhort time ; and is fo trained, as to bring its booty to its mailer, who waits in fome convenient place to receive it*. — They are fo de- flruclive, and have been fo often employed in illicit prac- * Wc have feen a Dog and Bitch of this kind in the pofTeffion of a man. who had formerly ufed them for the purpofe above de- fer ibed. He declared, that he could at that time procure in an evening as many Rabbits with, them as he could carry home. / HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 3is tices, that they are now, with great propriety, profcribed ; and the breed is almoft extinct. Another Dog of this family, formerly in life, but now only known to us by its name, is The TUMBLER; which was fo called from its cunning manner of taking Rabbits and other game. It did not run directly at them ; but, in a carelefs and inattentive manner, tum- bled itfelf about till it came within reach of its prey, which it always feized by a fudden fpring. The TERRIER 4 has a moft acute fmell, is generally an attendant on eve- ry pack of Hounds, and is very expert in forcing Foxes or other game out of their coverts. It is the determined enemy of all the vermin kind ; fuch as Weafels, Fou- marts, Badgers, Rats, Mice, See. It is fierce, keen, and hardy 5 and, in its encounters with the Badger, fome- 3i 6 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. times meets with very fevere treatment, which it fuftains with great courage and fortitude : A well-trained veteran Dog frequently proves more than a match for that hard- bitten animal. There arc two kinds of Terriers, — the one rough, (hort-legged, long-backed, very ftrong, and moll com- monly of a black or yellowilh colour, mixed with white ; the other is fmooth, fleek, and beautifully formed, having a (horter body, and more fprightly appearance: It is ge- nerally of a reddifh-brown colour, or black, with tanned legs *, and is fimilar to the rough Terrier in difpofition and faculties, but inferior in fize, flrength, and hardi- nefs. The BEAGLE. Of thofe Dogs that are kept for the bunnefs of the chafe in this country, the Beagle is the fmalleft, and is only ufed in hunting the Hare. Although far inferior in point of fpeed to that animal, it follows by the exquifite- HISTORY OF j QUADRUPEDS. 3i7 nefs of its fcent, and traces her footfteps, through all her various windings, with great exadlnefs and perfeverance. Its tones are foft and mufical, and add greatly to the pleafures of the chafe. The HARIER, which chiefly differs from the Beagle in being fomewhat larger, is very nimble and vigorous. It purfues the Hare with the moft impetuous eagernefs, and gives her no time to breathe or double. The moft eager fportfmen generally find it fufficient exercife to keep in with their fpeed. — They exert their voices with great chearfulnefs, and make delightful harmony. A mixt breed, between this and the large Terrier, forms a ftrong, a£tive, and hardy Hound, uled in hunt- ing the Otter. — It is rough, wire-haired, thick-quartered, long-eared, and thin-fhouldered. 3 1 B HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. There is reafon to fuppofe, that the Beagle and the Harier mult have been introduced into Great-Britain af- ter th~ Romans became mailers of the iiland ; as, before that period, the Britons were occupied in clearing their extenfive foreils of the various wild beafls, fuch as Wild- Boars, Bears, Wolves, &c. with which they abounded ; and, for that purpofe, larger and itronger Dogs than the Harier or the Beagle would be required. The FOX-HO U N D. No country in Europe can boaft of Fox-Hounds equal in fwiftnefs, ftrength, or agility, to thofe of Britain; where the utmoil attention is paid to their breeding, e~ ducation, and maintenance. The climate alfo feems con- genial to their nature *, for it has been faid, that when Hounds of the Englifh breed have been fent into France or other countries, they quickly degenerate, and in fome HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 319 degree lofe thofe qualities for which they were originally fo admirable. In England, the attachment to the chafe is in fome meafure confidered as a trait in the national character; confequently, it is not to be wondered at, that our Dogs and Hories ihould excel all others in that noble diverfion. This propenlity appears to be encreafmg in the nation ; and no price feems now thought too great for Hounds of known excellence #. The Fox-Hounds generally preferred are tall, light- made, but ftrong, and polfelfed of great courage, fpeed, and adlivity. The habits and faculties of tnefe Dogs are fo generally known, as to render any defcription unneceflary. Dogs of the fame kind are alfo trained to the hunting of the Stag and other Deer. The following anecdote affords a proof of their won- derful Spirit in Supporting a continuity of exertion : produced by a mixture of the Beagle and the Old Eng- lifh Hound. The BLOOD-HOUND Was in great requeil with our anceflors ; and as it was remarkable for the finenefs of its fcent, it was frequently employed in recovering game that had efcaped wounded from the hunter. It could follow, with great certainty, X 322 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. the footfteps of a man to a confiderable diftance : And in barbarous and uncivilized times, when the thief or mur- derer had fled, this ufeful creature would trace him through the thickeft and mod fecret coverts ; nor would it ceafe its purfuit till it had taken the felon. For this reafon, there was a law in Scotland, that whoever de- nied entrance to one of thefe Dogs, in purfuit of flolen goods* fhould be deemed an acceflary. Blood-Hounds were formerly ufed in certain diftridts lying between England and Scotland, which were much infefted by robbers and murderers ; and a tax was laid upon the inhabitants for keeping and maintaining a cer- tain number of them. But, as the arm of Juftice is now extended over every part of the country, and there are no fecret recedes where villainy may lay concealed, thefe fervices are no longer neceflary. In Scotland, it was diftinguifhed by the name of the Sleuth-Hound. Some few of thefe Dogs are Bill kept in the fouthern parts of the kingdom, and are ufed in purfuit of Deer that have been previoufly wounded by a fliot to draw blood, the fcent of which enables them to purfue with moll unerring fteadinefs, — They are fometimes employed in difcovering deer-dealers, whom they infallibly trace by the blood that iflues from the wounds of their vidlims. They are alfo faid to be kept in convents, fituated in the lonely and mountainous countries of Switzerland, both as a guard to the facred manfion, as well as to find out the bodies of men that have been unfortunately loft in eroding thofe wild and dreary trails. The Blood-Hound is taller than the Old Englilh Hound, molt beautifully formed, and fuperior to every other kind in adtivity, fpeed, and fagacity. — They feldom HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 323 bark, except in the chafe ; and are commonly of a red- difh or brown colour. Somervile thus beautifully defcribes their mode of pur- fuing the nightly fpoiler “ Soon the fagacious brute, his curling tail “ Flouriih’d in air, low bending, plies around “ His bufy nofe, the {learning vapour fnuffs “ Inquifitive, nor leaves one turf untry’d, “ Till, confcious of the recent ftains, his heart “ Beats quick ; his fnuffling nofe, his adtive tail, “ Atted his joy : Then with deep-op’ning mouth, “ That makes the welkin tremble, he proclaims “ Th* audacious felon : Foot by foot he marks inftead of ears, has only a fmall orifice on each fide of its head. It is of a dark-grey colour. Its body is long and (lender, and its tail fliort. It is found in Bohemia, Auftria, Hungary, and Sibe- r*ia. — It forms its hole in the ground, with a double en- trance ; and fleeps during the winter in the center of its lodge,— It lays in a ftore of corn, nuts, &c. ; and fits up like a Squirrel when it eats. — It is eafily provoked, and bites hard. Its fur is of little value ; but its flefti is reckoned good eating. A a 3 374 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. In Poland and Ruflia, there is an animal of this kind, called the Zemni; and, by Mr Pennant, the Podolian Marmot. Its habits are fimilar to thofe of the Souflik ; but it is larger, ftronger, and more mifchievous. The head is thick, the body flender, and the ears fhort and round: It has two cutting-teeth in each jaw j thofe of the under jaw are much longer than the upper: The eyes are fmall, and concealed in the fur like thofe of the Mole : Its tail is fhort, and of an afh colour. The Tail-less MARMOT. We are favoured by Mr Pennant with the drawing of this animal, which has hitherto been undefcribed. In the form of its body, it feems to agree with the defcrip- tion given of the Zifel, and probably may be a variety of that animal. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 375 The LEMING, or Lapland MARMOT. This wonderful little animal is found only in the nor- thern parts of Europe and Alia ; and is fometimes feen in immenfe numbers, overfpreading large tradls of coun- try, in Norway, Sweden, and Lapland. But as its ap- pearance is at very uncertain periods, and the fource from whence it is derived has not been hitherto explored by any naturaliffc, its exiftence has been ferioufly attri- buted, by fuperflitious ignorance, to the generation of the clouds, from whence, it has been fuppofed, it was poured down in (bowers of rain. Myriads of them march together ; and, like a torrent which nothing can refill, their courfe is marked with ruin and dcfolation. Neither fire nor water prevents their progrefs. They go flraight forward, in regular lines, about three feet afun- der, and generally in a fouth-eall direction : They fwim acrofs lakes and rivers : No oppolition impedes them. If thoufands are deftroyed, thoufands fupply their place : The void is quickly filled up \ and their number does not appear diminilhed. They perfill in their courfe, in fpite of every obltacle ; and if prevented from proceeding, they either by afliduity furmount it, or die in the at tempt. — Their march is moftly in the night. I hey reft during the day, and devour every root and vegetable they A a 4 37 6 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. meet with. They infeCt the very herbage *, and cattle are faid to perifh that feed upon the grafs they have touched. An enemy, fo numerous and deftruCtive, would foon render the countries they pafs through utterly uninhabit- able, did it not fortunately happen, that the fame rapa- city that excites them to lay wafte the productions of the earth, at laft impels them to deftroy each other. — Having nothing more to fubfift on, they are faid to feparate into two armies, which engage with the mod deadly hatred, and continue fighting and devouring each other till they are all entirely deftroyed. Thoufands of them have been found dead ; and the air, infected by their putrid car- cafes, has fometimes been the occafion of malignant dif- tempers. — Great numbers of them are likewife deftroyed by Foxes, Lynxes, Weafels, and other beads of prey, which follow them during their march. The Leming runs fwiftly, although its legs are fhort and (lender. — It is fomewhat lefs 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 fhort, eyes fmall, fore legs fhorter than the hind : The colour of the head and body black and tawny, difpofed in irregular patches; the belly white, tinged with yellow. Though perfe&ly difgufting to ever) other people, its flefh is faid to be eaten by the Laplanders. Where thefe emigrants are collected, as was before obferved, is not certainly known. Linnaeus fays, they are produced among the Norwegian and Lapland Alps ; and Pontoppidan fuppofes, that Kolen’s Rock, which di- vides Nordland from Sweden, is their native place. But wherever they come from, none return. Their courfc is predeftined ; and theypurfue their fate. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 377 T he R A T, t | THOUGH fmall, weak, and contemptible in its 1 appeara.'je, poiTeffes properties which render it a more formidable enemy to mankind, and more injurious to the interefts of fociety, than even thofe animals that are endued with the greateft ftrength and mod rapacious difpofitions. To the one we can oppofe united powers and fuperior 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 ineffectually oppofed to an enemy poffeffed of fuch variety of means to elude it. There are two kinds known in this country, — the Black Rat, which was formerly univerfal here, but is now very rarely feen, having been almoft extirpated by the large brown kind, generally diftinguifned by the name of the Norway Rat. — This formidable invader is now univerfally diffufed through the whole country ; from whence every method has been tried in vain to ex - terminate it. — It is about nine inches long ; of a light- brown colour, mixed with tawny and afh; the throat and belly are of a dirty white, inclining to grey ; its feet are naked, and of a pale flefli colour; the tail is as long as the body, covered with minute dufky fcales, thinly in- terfperfed with fhort hairs. 378 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. In fummer, it frequents the banks of rivers, ponds, and ditches; where it lives on frogs, fifli, and fmall animals. But its rapacity is not confined entirely to thefe : It deftroys rabbits, poultry, young pigeons, & c. : It infefls the granary, the barn, and the florehoufe ; does infinite mifchief among corn and fruit of all kinds ; and, not content with fatisfying its hunger, frequently carries off large quantities to its hiding-place. It is a bold and fierce little animal ; and when clofely purfued, will turn and fallen on its affailant. — Its bite is keen ; and the wound it infliCts is painful, and difficult to heal, owing to the form of its teeth, which are long, fharp, and of an irregular form. The Rat is amazingly prolific, ufually producing from twelve to eighteen at one time. Their numbers would foon increafe beyond all power of reflraint, were it not for an infatiable appetite that impels them to deflroy and devour each other. The weaker always fall a prey to the flronger ; and the large male Rat, which ufually lives by itfelf, is dreaded by thofe of its own fpecies as their mofl formidable enemy. It is a lingular fa£t, in the hiftory of thefe animals, that the fkins of fuch of them as have been devoured in their holes have frequently been found, curioufiy turned infide out ; every part being completely inverted, even to the ends of the toes. How the operation is performed, it would be difficult to afcertain ; but it appears to be ef- fected in fome peculiar mode of eating out the contents. Befides the numbers that perifh in thefe unnatural con- flicts, they have many fierce and inveterate enemies, that take every occafion to deflroy them. Several kinds of Dogs purfue them with great alacrity, and eagerly kill them, though they invariably refufe to eat their flefh : HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 379 The Cat is alfo a very formidable enemy, but generally finds greater difficulty in the contefl : The Rat makes a vigourous refiftance, and fometimes effects its efcape. The Weafel is the mofl determined enemy of the Rat kind: It hunts them with unceafing avidity, purfues them into their holes, where it foon kills them, and fucks their blood: And in particular fituations, the Fer- ret is a ftill more deadly adverfary. Mankind have like- wife contrived various methods of deftroying thefe bold intruders. For that purpofe, traps are often found inef- fectual ; fuch being their extreme fagacity, that when any are drawn into the fnare, the others by that means learn to avoid the dangerous allurement, notwithflanding the utmofl caution may have been ufed to conceal the de- fign. The fureft method of killing them is by poifon: Nux vomica ground, and mixed with oatmeal, with a fmall proportion of oil of Rhodium and mufk, have been found from experience to be very effectual. 3So HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The WATER-RAT » v y is fomewhat fmaller than the former ; its head and nofe are thicker ; its eyes are fmall ; its ears fhort, fcarcely appearing through the hair ; its teeth are large, ftrong, and yellow. In an old one which we examined, the low- er incifors meafured fomewhat 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 fhort black hairs, and the tip with white. The Water-Rat generally frequents the Tides of rivers, ponds, and ditches ; where it burrows, and forms its neft. It feeds on frogs, fmall fifh, and fpawn ; fwims and dives remarkably faft *, and can continue a long time under water. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 381 The MUSK-RAT of Canada is about the fize of a young Rabbit : Its head is thick and fhort, refembling that of a Water-Rat ; its hair foft and glofly ; beneath the outward hair there is a thick fine down, very ufeful in the manufacture of hats ; it is of a reddifh-brown colour ; its bread: and belly afh, tinged with red; its tail is long and flat, covered with fcales; its eyes are large ; its ears fhort and hairy ; it has two ftrong cutting-teeth in each jaw, — thofe of the under jaw are about an inch long, but the upper ones are fhorter. This animal is a native of Canada, where it is called the Ondatra. In many refpeCts, it very much refembles the Beaver, both in form and manners. It is fond of the water, and fwims well. — At the approach of winter, feveral families aflociate together. They build little huts, about two feet in diameter, compofed of herbs and rufhes cemented with clay, forming a dome-like covering : From thefe are feveral paflages, in different directions, by which they go out in queft of roots and other food. The hunters take them in the fpring, by opening their holes, and letting in the light fuddenly upon them. — At that time their flefli is tolerably good, and is frequently eaten ; 382 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. / 1 but in the fummer, it acquires a fcent of mulk, fo ftrong, as to render it perfectly unpalatable. The Muscovy MUSK-RAT is about the flze of the common Rat: Its nofe is long and flender, like that of the Shrew-Moufe ; it has no ex- ternal ears, and its eyes are very fmall ; the tail is com- prefled fideways, and its hind feet are webbed ; it is of a dulky colour; the belly of a light a(h. It is a native of Lapland and Ruffia, frequents the banks of rivers, and feeds on fmall filhes. It is often devoured by pikes and other fifh, to which it commu- nicates fo ftrong a flavour of mulk, as renders them very unpleafant to the tafte. From its tail is extracted a kind of mulk, very much refembling the genuine fort.~Their Ikins are frequently laid amongft cloaths to preferve them from moths. In Lapland, it is called the Defman . HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 383 The BEAVER is the moft induftrious of all animals. Its labours feem the refult of a focial compa£l, formed for mutual conve- nience, prefervation, and fupport ; and as, in all well-re- gulated focieties, a due fubordination is neceffary for the well ordering and conducing each individual effort to the advantage of the whole ; fo, amongfl thefe curious ani- mals, we find that, in forming their habitations, all have their proper part of the work affigned to them, that, by dividing their labours, fafety, liability, and expedition, may be the general effe£l. To this purpofe, a communi- ty of two or three hundred affemble together : An over- feer is chofen, whofe orders are pundlually obeyed ; and, by flriking the water fmartly with his tail, gives the fignal where the united force of numbers is neceffary to be applied, in order to flrengthen or fupport the fabric ; or, at the approach of an enemy, to apprize the fociety of their danger.— As foon as a convenient place is chofen for the erection of their building, which is generally a le- vel piece of ground with a fimall rivulet running through it, they dhile into companies: Some are employed in cutting down trees of great flze, which is done by gnaw- 384 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. ing them witli their teeth : Thefe they lay acrofs the dam with furprifing labour and perfeverance, or form into piles, which others roll down to the water, where they make holes at the bottom for receiving the ends, and placing them upright, fecure them in that pofition ; whild another party is engaged in collecting twigs, inter- weaving and twilling them with the piles, and thereby {lengthening the work : Some coiled large quantities of earth, (tones, clay, and other folid materials, which they difpofe of on the upper fide of the piles next the dream, forming a mound ten or twelve feet thick at the bottom, tapering gradually upwards, and capable of fudaining a confiderable weight of water. The length of the dam, occafioned by this means, is fometimes not lefs than one hundred feet. — Having compleated the mole, their next care is to ered their apartments, which are built on piles: They are of a circular form, and generally confid of three dories, about eight feet high above the water : The fird lies below the level of the dam, and is generally full of water ; the other two are above it. The walls are two feet in thicknefs, neatly plaidered with clay on the infide, which is arched like an oven, and at the top re- fembles a dome. — In each houfe there are two openings, — one towards the water, to which the animal has always accefs, in cafe of furprife ; the other towards the land, by which it goes out in qued of food. — The number of houfes in one of thefe dams is from ten to twenty-five, fome of them large enough to contain a family of twenty or thirty Beavers. Each Beaver forms its bed of mofs ; and each family lays in its magazine of winter provifion, which confids of bark and boughs of trees : They pile up the latter with great ingenuity and regularity, and draw it out to their apartments as their wants require. They HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 385 are faid to be fonded of the faflafras, a(h, and fweet gum. During fummer, they feed on leaves, fruits, and fometimes crabs or cray-fifh ; but fifh is not their favour- ite food. Their time of building is early in the fummer. In winter, they never go farther than to their provifion (lores, and, during that feafon, are very fat. They breed once a year, and bring forth two or three at a birth, Beavers are found chiefly in the northern parts of Eu- rope, Afia, and America ; particularly the latter, from whence many thoufands of their (kins are annually brought into Europe. In 1763, the Hudfon’s Bay com- pany fold 54,670 Beaver fkins at one fale. — They vary in colour. The mod valuable are black *, but the general colour is a chefnut-brown, more or lefs dark. Some have been found entirely white, others fpotted ; but both thefe kinds are very rare. The Beaver is remarkable for the fize and drength of its cutting-teeth, which enable it to gnaw down trees of great magnitude with eafe. Its ears are fhort, and almofl hid in the fur ; its nofe blunt •, tail broad and flat, nearly of an oval form, and covered with fcales — it ferves not only as a rudder to direct its motions in the water, but as a mod ufeful indrument for laying on the clay, pref- fing it into the crevices, and fmoothing the outward co- vering ; its fore feet are fmall, and not unlike thofe of a Rat ; the hind feet are large and drong, with membranes between each toe *, its length, from nofe to tail, is about three feet ; the tail is eleven inches long, and three broad. The cador produced from thefe animals is found in a liquid date, in bags near the anus, about the fize of an B b 3S6 HISTORY OF QUADRUFEDS. egg. When taken off, the matter dries, and is reducible to a powder, which is oily, of a ffiarp bitter tafte, and a ftrong difagreeable fmell. — Thefe bags are found indif- ferently in males and females, and were formerly fup- pofed to be the animal's tefticles ; which, when purfued, it was faid to bite off, and by that means efcape with its life* HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 387 The MOUSE. r | 'III IS well-known little animal is diffufed in great 1 numbers over almoft every part of the world. It feems a conflant attendant on man, and is only to be found near his dwelling. Its enemies are numerous and powerful, and its means of refiftance weak and inconfi- derable : Its minutenefs feems to be its bed fecurity ; and it is faved from utter extindlion only by its amazing fecundity. The Moufe brings forth feveral times in the year, and generally from fix to ten each litter. The young are produced without hair, and in little more than fifteen days are able to fubfift by themfelves; fo that the in- creafe is prodigious. Ariflotle tells us, that having fliut up in a veffel a Moufe big with young, and provided plenty of grain for her and her offspring, in a fhort time he found 120 Mice, all fprung from the fame flock. The Moufe, when viewed without the difgufl and ap- prehenfion which ufually accompany the fight of it, is a beautiful little animal : Its fkin is fleek and foft, its eyes bright and lively, all its limbs are formed with exquifite delicacy, and its motions are fmart and adlive. Some few of this fpecies are of a pure white colour; but whether they be a permanent kind, or only an acci- B b 2 388 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. dental variety, cannot well be determined. Its appear- ance is, however, very beautiful : Its fine full eyes, of a red colour, form an agreeable contrail with the fnowy whitenefs of its fur. The Long-tailed FIELD-MOUSE is rather larger than the common Moufe, and very fimi- lar to it in form: It is of a yellowifh- brown colour, its belly white, and its eyes remarkably large and prominent. — It is found only in the fields, woods, and gardens ; feeds on nuts, corn, and acorns; and lays up great (lores for its fupport during winter. It burrows in the earth, and generally forms its neft near the root of a tree or thick bu(h. If provifions fail during a (lorm, they de- vour each other ; are very prolific, and bring forth nine or ten young at a time. Mr Pennant mentions a fpecies, found in Hampfhire, only two inches and an half long from nofe to tail, of a fine ruft colour above, and white beneath. It appears in great numbers in harveft-time among the (heaves and ricks of corn. During the winter, it (helters itfelf under ground, where it makes a warm bed of dry grafs and leaves. — Its young are brought forth on a neft made be- tween the draws of the (landing corn, and are generally about eight in number each time. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 389 k The Short-tailed FIELD-MOUSE differs from the laft, in having a thicker head, and fhort- er tail: Its ears are very fhort, and almoft hid in the hair ; its body is about three inches long, and the tail one inch ; the upper part of the body is of a reddifh- brown, and the belly a deep-afh colour. — Like the lalt, it frequents the fields and woods, but is feldom troublefome in gardens : It alfo lives on the fame kinds of food, which it hides in holes under ground. — It makes its neft in moilt meadows, and brings forth feven or eight young at a time. The SHREW-MOUSE is fmaller than the common Moufe, being only two inch- es and a half long from the nofe to the tail : The nofe is long and llender ; the ears fhort ; and the eyes, like thofe of the Mole, almoft concealed in the fur. It is of a red- B b 3 39o HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. difh-brown colour ; the belly white. The two upper fore teeth of this animal are fmgularly conftru&ed, and deferve particular notice j having a fmall barb on each fide, fo fine, as to be fcarcely vifible. The Shrew-Moufe frequents old walls and heaps of ftonesj feeds on infects, corn, and putrid fubftances ; and is fometimes feen on dunghills, where it roots with its nofe like a Hog. — It has fo ftrong and difagreeable a fmell, that the Cat, after fhe has killed, refufes to eat it. — It forms its nefi: of dry grafs, mofs, &c. on the furface of meadows or paftures ; and is faid to breed four or five young at a time. There feems to be an annual mortality of thefe animals in Auguft ; numbers of them being found dead in the fields, highways, &c. about that time. The Water SHREW-MOUSE is larger than the laft. The upper part of its body is black j the throat, bread:, and belly, of a light afh-colour. It is rarely to be feen ; frequents the banks of rivulets and marfhy places, where it burrows. It is very numerous in Lincolnfliire, but was never ob- ferved there till about twenty years ago. — It i s called, in that country, the Blind Moufe . HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 391 The Dwarf MOUSE is a native of the Cape of Good Hope, where it was dif- covered, and firft defcribed, by Sparrman. — It is diftin- guifhed from every other fpecies of the genus by four black lines along its back, from the head to the tail. It is fuppofed to be the molt diminutive quadruped in the world, being fcarcely two inches in length. In the annexed reprefentation it is drawn the natural lize, and forms a ftriking contrail with thofe gigantic animals which inhabit that quarter of the world. B b 4 392 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The M O L E.* THIS animal, deftined to feek its food and pro- vide for its fubfiflence under the furface of the earth, is wonderfully adapted, by the all-wife Author of nature, to its peculiar mode of living. It enjoys the fenfes of hearing and fuelling in a very eminent degree : The former gives notice of every approach of danger; whilfl the latter enables it to find its prey in the midlt of darknefs, and compenfates in a great meafure for an almoft total want of fight. To an animal fo circum- ftanced, a larger degree of vifion would be attended with manifeft inconveniences, as well as liable to continual in- juries. We are told by anatomifts, that, for their better fecurity, the eyes of the Mole are furnifhed with mufcles, * The ingenious Mr Burn, hatter, of Newcaftle upon Tyne, has lately difcovereda method whereby the exquifitely fine fur ofthis noxious, and hi- therto defpifed animal, is likely to become of the greatefl importance and utility to the public : By incorporating it with other materials, it forms a flamen of peculiar ftrength and beauty, for the purpofe of making hats, luperior to any that has hitherto been made ufe of in that valuable branch ©f manufa&ure, and for which he has obtained a Royal Patent. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 393 by which it has the power of withdrawing or exerting them at pleafure. Its eyes are extremely fmall, and per- fectly hid in the fur *, but it is probable, they are fo formed, as to admit diftinCt images of the diminutive ob- jects of its purfuit. The form of this creature’s body, and particularly the conftruCtion of its fore feet, are admirably adapted to the purpofe of making its way in the earth, which it does with wonderful facility: They are quite naked, very broad, with large palms, almolt like a hand : There are five toes on each, terminated with ftrong nails, very con- cave on the under fide ; and, in place of a thumb, a ftrong bone under the fkin. The hind feet are very fmall, with five ilender toes, and a fmall thumb on the iniide. — Whenever it happens to be furprifed on the fur- face of the ground, it difappears in an inftant ; and every attempt to prevent its fubterraneous retreat would be vain. The Mole is moftly found in grounds where the foil is loofe and foft, and affords the greateft quantity of worms and infeCts, on which it feeds. The female brings forth in the fpring, and generally produces four or five at a time. The young are quite naked, and continue fo till they are grown to a confider- able lize. — It makes its neft a little below the furface of the ground, forming a commodious apartment, where it prepares a warm bed of mofs and herbage ; From this there are feveral paffages in different directions, to which it can retreat with its young ones in cafe of danger; into thefe it likewife makes exturfions in quell of food. — In the aCl of forming its tracks or runs, it throws up large heaps of mould, which are extremely troublefome and in- 384 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. jurious in meadows, grafs lands, and cultivated grounds. Its deftrudtion is confequently an objeCl of importance to farmers, gardeners, &c. The fkin of the Mole is extremely tough ; its fur fhort, clofe-fet, and fofter than the finefl velvet, or perhaps the fur of any other animal : It is ufually black, fometimes fpotted with white, and fometimes (though rarely) white. It is about fix inches in length, and its tail one inch. The Radiated MOLE is lefs than the common Mole, being not quite four inches long: Its fur is very clofe, fhort, and fine : Its nofe is very curioufly befet with radiated tendrils. It is a native of North- America, feeds on roots, and forms fubterraneous paffages in different directions. There is a kind, found in Siberia, with a very fhort nofe, and no tail. It is of a beautiful green and gold co- lour, variable with the light. There are fome other varieties, that difter chiefly in the colour of the hair; fuch as the Yellow Mole of North-America, which is larger than the European. Its hair is foft, and of a filky glofs. That which is found in Virginia refembles the com- mon Mole. It is of a black colour, mixed with deep purple. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 395 The OPOSSUM IS found in great numbers in various parts of North and South-America, and was fuppofed by BufFon to belong entirely to the new continent: We are now, however, allured, that it exilts in many of the Indian illands. Several varieties of the Opoflum kind have been feen alfo in the newly-difcovered countries in the South Seas. The Saragoy. The Murine. The Saragoy, or Mulucca Opossum of Mr Pen- nant, is about the fize of a Cat : Its head is long ; nofe fharp and pointed ; ears large, thin, and naked ; eyes fmall, black, and lively, having a white fpot above each of them *, its fur is foft, long, and of a dulky afh colour; its belly white; its tail is fimilar to that of a Rat, naked and fcaly, except a fmall part near the body, which is 396 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. / covered with hair ; its legs are fhort ; and its feet or hands not unlike thofe of a Monkey, having five toes or fingers on each; the thumbs on the hind feet are defti- tute of nails. But the peculiar and diftinguifhing cha- ra£leriftic of the Opoflum is a pouch or falfe belly, in which the female depofits her young immediately after they are brought forth, and nourifhes them in it till they are able to provide for themfelves. The Chevalier d’Aboville, whilft in America during the late war, in order to be fatisfied refpedling the time of its geflation, manner of bringing forth, and fuckling its young, procured a male and female Opoflum, which he tamed, and kept in his chamber till they copulated. Ten days after, he obferved a confiderable alteration in the fize and form of the pouch ; its aperture being wider than it was before, and its orifice thicker : From that time it gradually grew clofer, leaving only a fmall open- ing in the middle, fimilar to a navel : On the fifteenth day he introduced his finger, and found at the bottom of the bag a fmall round body, about the fize 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 feen, on opening it a little. At the end of two months, on examining the pouch, there ap- peared to be fix 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 fix weeks old, the young Opoflum could refume it by llrong fuc- tion, the mouth being then large enough to receive the pap, which is about two lines in length, and the fize of the fecond or third firing of a violin. The number of the young varies from five to ten or eleven. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 397 The paps are not difpofed in regular order, as in other animals *, but feem as if they were formed in thofe places where the embryos attach themfelves to the mother. The Opoffum is a flow, helplefs animal, when on the ground ; but climbs trees with great eafe and quicknefs ; fometimes conceals itfelf among the branches, and fur- prifes the birds that come within its reach. It frequent- ly hangs fufpended by its tail ; and in that fituation watches for its prey, which it darts upon with great agi- lity. By means of its tail, the OpofTum flings itfelf from one tree to another. — It feeds on birds, reptiles, infedts, roots, leaves, and the bark of trees.— It is eafily tamed, is neither mifchievous nor ferocious *, but its figure is dis- agreeable, and the odour that exhales from its fkin rank and difgufting. The Murine Opossum, or Marmose of M. Buf- fon, inhabits the warmed parts of South-America.- — It refembles the former, but is much lefs. Its food and manner of living are likewife very Similar to it. It brings forth from ten to fourteen young at a time ; but, indead of a bag, the female has two longitudinal folds under her belly, within which the young are Se- cured. When firft produced, they are not larger than beans, and remain clofely attached to the teat till they attain Sufficient growth and drength to provide for them- felves. 3p3 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The Mexican OPOSSUM differs little from the preceding either in ffze or form It is found in the mountainous parts of New-Spain, lives in trees. Its tail is ufeful in twifting round the branch- es, and fecuring its hold. The young attach themfelves to their mother by their hands and tails ; and, upon the leaff: alarm, embrace her clofely ; whilft flie carries them to the fhelter of fome neighbouring tree. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 399 The PHALANGE R, or, Surinam OPOSSUM, is fomewhat larger than a Rat : Its nofe is thick ; ears fhort and hairy ; its fur of a reddifli colour, variegated % with light alh and yellow; the under part of the body yellowilh- white ; it is diftinguifhed from all thofe of the Opoffum kind we have hitherto mentioned, in having the firft and fecond toes of the hind feet clofely united ; its claws are large ; tail long, very broad and thick at its junction with the body, and naked at the end. It inhabits Surinam; is fuppofed to be the animal call- ed the Cane- Rat, very deftru£tive to the fugar-canes. 400 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The Spotted OPPOSSUM of New South-Wales. The general colour of this animal is black ; the body fpotted with irregular roundiih patches of white ; the ears are large and qredt ; muzzle long, pointed, and fur- nifhed with long {lender whifkers ; both fore and hind legs thinly covered with hair of an afh colour ; on the fore feet it has five claws, and on the hind four ; length, from nofe to tail, about twenty-five inches; tail thick and bufhy, like that of a Squirrel, except a part near the body, which is fmall, and covered with fhort hairs. The female has fix teats, placed circularly within the pouch. The Vulpine OPOSSUM of New South - Wales is long-bodied and fhort-legged ; from the nofe to the in- fertion of the tail, meafures two feet two inches ; tail fif- teen inches ; upper part of the body grilly, confiding of dufkv, reddifli, and white hairs; the under parts light- HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 401 tawny ; two thirds of the tail black *, a blackifh fpace round each eye ; long black whifkers ; five toes on the fore feet, and four on the hind, with a thumb of two joints placed at the bafe of the inner toe ; the toes of the fore feet are long, and anfwer the purpofe of a hand ; the ears are about an inch and a half in length ; in the upper jaw are fix cutting teeth, four grinders, and two canine teeth ; in the lower jaw, two long cutting teeth, like thofe of a Squirrel, and four grinders, but no canine teeth. The Flying OPOSSUM of New SOU TH-W ALES. Its nofe is pointed ; its ears large and ere£I ; the fur more delicate, and of a finer texture, than that of the Sea-Otter, — is of a beautiful dark colour, and very glofly, mixed with grey ; the under parts white ; on each hip is a tan-coloured fpot *, the fur is continued to the claws; C c 402 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. the failing membrane is the fame 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 ufe it as a hand ; it is remarkable, that the three out- fide claws of the hind feet are not feparated like the others. The OPOSSUM of Van Diemen’s Land / was difcovered by Captain Cook in January, 1777 ; who defcribes it as about twice the fize of a large Rat. — It is covered with long foft glofly hair, of a rufty brown co- lour ; its belly is of a dirty white. It inhabits Van Diemen’s Land, the fouthern point of New-Holland. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 403 The SQUIRREL-OPOSSUM. We are favoured with a drawing of this beautiful ani- mal, taken from a living one in the pofleffion of the re- verend Mr Egerton, prebendary of Durham, by the in- genious Mr Carfrae. It is a native of New South-Wales; is about eighteen inches long, exclufive of the tail, which is twelve : Its head is broad, and pointed at the muzzle, which is fur- nifhed with long whilkers ; its eyes are full, exceedingly prominent, and of a fiery rednefs ; it has five claws on the fore feet, — three on the hind, and a thumb ; two cutting teeth in each jaw, the upper projecting beyond the under. — Its manners are fimilar to thofe of a Squir- rel. It fits up, holds its food in its fore paws with great dexterity, and feeds itfelf. When irritated, it fits ftill more erect, or throws itfelf upon its back, making aloud and harfh noife.— It feeds on vegetables, froall birds, &c. C e z 404 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The fur is long, foft, and very clofe ; of a mixed brown or greyifh colour on the back; the under parts of a yellowifh- white. Its tail is prehenfile, very broad at the bafe, tapers to the end, and is naked on the under fide.— The female is furnilhed with a pouch. is a native of New-Holland, where it was firfl difcover- ed by Sir Jofeph Banks. Its head is fmall and taper, ears large and ere£t, upper lip divided, the end of the nofe black, noftrils wide, lower jaw fhorter than the up- per, and there are whilkers on both ; it likewife has Itrong hairs above and below the eyes ; its head, neck, and fnoulders, are fmall ; the lower parts of the body in- creafing in thicknefs to the rump ; its tail is long, very thick near the rump, and taper ; its fore feet are ex- HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 405 tremely (hort, and a re modly ufed in digging or bringing its food to its mouth ; it moves altogether on its hind legs, making fucceflive bounds of ten or twelve feet, with fuch rapidity, as to outdrip the fleeted Greyhound ; it fprings from rock to rock, and leaps over bullies feven or eight feet high, with great eafe ; it has live 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 relts on its hind legs, which are hard, black, and naked on the under fide. Its fur is fhort and foft, of a reddilh alii colour, lighter on the lower parts. It is the only quadruped our colonifts have yet met with in New South- Wales that fupplies them with ani- mal food.— — There are two kinds. The larged that had been {hot weighed about 1401b.; and meafured, from the point of the nofe to the end of the tail, fix feet one inch ; the tail, two feet one inch ; head, eight inch- es; 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 fmaller kind feldom exceed 60 lb. This animal is furnilhed with a pouch, fimilar to that of the Opofium, in which its young are nurfed and Axel- tered. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The K ANGURQO-RAT, of New S O U *T H - W ALES, is about the fize of a Rabbit, and in fhape refembles the Kanguroo, both in refpe£t to the fhortnefs of the fore legs, and the peculiar conftru£tion and ufe of the hind ones ; the form of the head is like that of a Rat, and its body nearly of the fame colour; in the upper jaw it has two long cutting teeth, with three fhort ones on each fide of them; in the lower jaw, two long cutting teeth, and three grinders on each fide. The female, like molt of the animals of that country, has a pouch, like the Opoflum. It feeds on vegetables, burrows in the ground, and is very tame and inoffenfive. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 407 The Ring-tailed MACAUCO. THE Yellow Macau co has been clafled with the Vvreafel tribe by Mr Pennant, in his Hiftory of Quadrupeds; and it feems to bear fome general refem- blance to that fpecies of animals. Its head is flat and \ broad; its ears are fliort, eyes fmall, body long and flen- der, legs and thighs Abort and thick, and it has five, flraight toes on each foot : Its fur is fhort, foft, and glofly, — of a black colour, mixed with yellow, on the back ; the cheeks, infide of the legs, and belly, yellow ; along the back, from head to tail, there is a broad dufky dirip e ; and another on the belly, half way fropi the tail, C c 4 408 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS, which is nearly as long as its body, of a bright tawny colour, mixed with black, and has the fame prehenfile faculty as thofe of fome kinds of Monkies. Its length, from nofe to tail, is nineteen inches. One of this fpecies was fhewn in London fome years ago, and was faid to have been brought from Jamaica, \ where it is called the Potto . It was good-natured and fportive, would catch hold of any thing with its tail, and fufpend itfelf by it. * The Ring-tailed Macauco is a very beautiful animal, about the fize of a Cat. Its body and limbs are long and {lender ; its tail very long, and marked with al- ternate bars of black and white : In the conformation of its paws, it feems to approach the Monkey kind ; but its nofe is long and fharp, like that of a Fox ; and its ears are alfo large and pointed : Its head and throat are white ; eyes large, and furrounded with black : Its fur is glofly, foft, and delicate, — of a reddifh-afh colour on the back ; belly white. It is found in Madagafcar and the neighbouring illes, is very playful, but not mifchievous. When in mo- tion, it makes a fort of galloping progrefs in an oblique direction, and carries its tail almolt erect ; but when fit- ting, it is twitted round the body, and brought over its head. Troops of thirty or forty are fometimes feen together. It is a cleanly animal; and, when taken young, may be eafily tamed. t HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 409 The Tail-less MACAUCO. The M O N G O O Z. The Tail -less Macauco is found in Ceylon and Bengal, lives in woods, and feeds on fruits ; is fond of eggs and fmall birds, which it devours greedily. It is a very inactive animal, and its motions flow; very- tenacious of its hold, and makes a plaintive noife. Its head is fmall, and nofe pointed 5 each eye is edged with a circle of white, which is alfo furrounded with another of black ; its body is covered with a fhort fllky fur, of a reddifh-afh colour; the toes naked; nails flat, except thofe on the inner toes of the hind feet, which are fharp and crooked. Its length, from the nofe to the rump, is fixteen inches. 4to HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The Mongooz is nearly the fame fize as the Ring- tailed Macauco. Its fur is fine, foft, and woolly, — of a deep brownifh- afli colour ; the eyes are of a beautiful orange colour, furrounded with black ; the ears are fhort ; cheeks white ; end of the nofe black ; the tail very long, and covered with hair of the fame fort and colour as the body *, its hands and feet are naked, and of a dulky colour-, its ■nails, except one upon the inner toe of each hind foot, are flat. It inhabits Madagafcar and the ifles adjacent, fleeps in trees, is very playful and good-natured, feeds on fruits, is extremely tender, and cannot bear any change to a lefs temperate climate. The LORIS is a very flender animal, and differs greatly from the pre- ceding, both in form and manners. It is not much larger than a Squirrel, but its limbs are Jonger-, the hind legs greatly exceed the fore in length; the thumbs on each foot are more diftinct and feparate from the toes than thofe of other Macaucos ; its nofe is pointed, like that of a Dog ; its forehead high ; ears Tound and thin ; its fur is fhort and delicately foft, of a tawny colour on the back, and whitifh below ; It has no tail. The Loris is a native of Ceylon, very a£live, lives in trees, and feeds on fruit. Seba fays, the male climbs the trees, and tafles the fruit before lie prefents it to his mate. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 411 The Black MACAU CO, or Vari of M. Buffon, is larger than the Mongooz.— It is a native of Madagafcar, is very fierce, and makes a loud noife in the woods ; but, when tamed, is gentle and good-natured. Its eyes are of a deep orange-colour. Round its head the hair is long, and (lands out like a ruff. The general colour of this animal is black ; but fome are white, fpotted with black. The feet are black and naked. The TARSIER is remarkable for the great length of its hind legs, iti which it refembles the Jerboa; has four (lender toes and a diftindl thumb on each foot : Its vifage is pointed ; eyes v large and prominent; ears eredl, broad, and naked: Its hair is foft and woolly, of a deep afh colour, mixed with tawny : Its length, from the nofe to the rump, is nearly fix inches; the tail is nine inches long; round, fcaly, al- moft naked, like that of a Rat, and tufted at the end. It is found in fome of the remote iflands of India, efpecially Amboyna. 412 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. Animals of the MONKEY Kind. WE come ntfw to the defcription of a numerous race of animals, confiding of a greater variety of kinds, and making nearer approaches to the human fpecies, both in form and adtion, than any other clafs of quadrupeds. Monkies are found only in the warmed parts of the world, and chiefly in the torrid zone. They abound in the woods of Africa, from Senegal to the Cape of Good Hope, and from thence to Ethiopia; in all parts of India and its ifles; in the South of China; in Japan; and in South-America, from the Idhmus of Darien, as far as Pa- raguay. A fpecies or two are alfo met with in Arabia and the province of Barbary. On account of the numbers and different appearances of thefe animals, they have been divided into three clafies, and defcribed under the following denominations ; viz. — Apes, or fuch as have no tails; Baboons, or fuch as have fliort tails ; Mon kies, or fuch as have long tails. In the Ape kind, we fee the whole external machine drongly impreffed with the human likenefs, and capable of fimilar exertions: They walk upright, their pofleriors are flefliy, their legs are furniflied with calves, and their hands and feet are nearly like the human. In the Baboon, we perceive a more didant refem- blance of the human form : He generally goes upon all four, feldom upright, but when condrained to it in a date of fervitude. — Some of them are as tall as a man. — They have fliort tails, long faces, funk eyes, are ex- tremely difguding, lafcivious, and poffeffed of the mod brutal fiercenefs. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 413 The Monkey kind are removed (till farther, and are much lefs than the former. Their tails are generally longer than their bodies; and, although they fit upon their pofteriors, they always move upon all four. — They are a lively, adlive race of animals, full of frolic and gri- mace, greatly addicted to thieving, and extremely fond of imitating human actions, but always with a mifchiev- ous intention. The ORAN-OUTANG, or WILD MAN of the Woods, is the largeft of all the Ape kind, and makes the neareft approach to the human figure. One of this kind, dif- fefted by Dr Tyfon, has been very accurately defcribed by him. The principal external differences pointed out 414 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. by that learned phyfician, confided in the great length of the arms, and fhortnefs of the thighs; the thumb is alfo much fmaller, and the palm of the hand longer and nar- rower, than in man ; the form of the feet is very diffimi- lar, the toes being much longer, and the large toe placed at a greater didance from the others ; the forehead is higher, the nofe flat, and the eyes much funk: Befide thefe, the anatomid has enumerated a variety of effential differences in the internal conformation of the Oran-Ou- tang ; all of which fufficiently evince, that, though he has the ftrongeft affinity to the human form of any other quadruped ; yet, as Buffon elegantly obferves, u the in- terval which feparates the two fpecies is immenfe ; the refemblance in figure and organization, and the move- ments of imitation which feem to refult from thefe fimi- larities, neither 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 Madagafcar, Borneo, and fome parts of the Ead-Indies. It is a folitary animal, avoids mankind, and lives only in the mod defert places. The larged of the kind are faid to be about fix feet high, very active, drong, and intrepid, capable of over- coming the dronged man : They are likewife exceeding- ly fwift, and cannot eafily be taken alive. — They live en- tirely on fruits and nuts, will fometimes 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 refidence. They fometimes furprize the female negroes, and carry them off into the woods, where they compel them to day with them. When taken young, however, the Oran-Outang is car # HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 4i$ pable of being tamed, and rendered extremely docile. — One of them, fhewn in London fome years ago, was taught to fit at table, make ufe of a fpoon or fork in eat- ing its victuals, and drink wine or other liquors out of a glafs. It was extremely mild, affectionate, and good-na- tured; much attached to its keeper, and obedient to his commands. Its afpeCt was grave, and its difpofition me- lancholy. 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 clofer on the back than on the fore part of the body ; the hands and foies of the feet were naked, and of a dufky colour. A variety, called the Pigmy, is found in Guinea, Ethiopia, and other parts of Africa, much fmaller than the laft, being not more than a foot and a half in length. It is very traClable, good-natured, and eafily tamed ; is fuppofed to have been the Pithecos of the ancients. It lives in woods, and feeds on fruits and infeCts. — Troops of them affemble together, and defend themfelves from the attacks of wild beads in the defert, by throwing a cloud of fand behind them, which blinds their purfuers, and facilitates their efcape. 4i 6 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The GIBBON is diftinguifhed by the extraordinary length of its arms, which reach to the ground when its body is upright, and give it a difgufting appearance. Its face is flat, and of a tawny colour, furrounded with a circle of grey hair, which adds to the Angularity of its afpedl ; its eyes are large and deep funk ; ears round and naked ; body cover- ed on all parts with black rough hair, except its buttocks, which are quite naked. It is a mild, gentle, and traelable animal ; feeds on fruits, leaved, and barks of trees ; is a native of the Eaft- Indies, Sumatra, and the Molucca ifles; and meafures from three to four feet in height. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 417 The MAGOT, or Barbary APE, is wilder and more untradlable than the others. His head is large, and his nofe prominent : He likewife dif- fers from the lad, in having cheek pouches, which he frequently fills with food before he begins to eat . The canine teeth are large and drong •, ears round, and fome- what like thofe of a man ; The body is covered with hair of a brown colour, inclining to green ; lighter on the belly. When (landing ere£t 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 red- ing, fupports his body on two prominent callofities, (dil- ated on his buttocks. The Magot is a very common fpecies ; and is found in mod parts of Africa, from Barbary to the Cape of Good Hope. 4iS HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The BABOON differs from animals of the Ape kind, not only in ex- ternal appearance, but alfo in temper and difpofition. Fierce untraclable and libidinous, its difpofition feems to partake of the hideous and difgufting deformities of its outward figure. — Its body is thick, compact, and ner- vous ; and its ftrength prodigious. — Neither art nor ca-» reffes can render it in any degree docile or obedient. It feems to be continually fretting with rage, and feeking every opportunity of (hewing its favage and vicious pro- pensities.— In a (late of captivity, it muff be kept clofely confined ; and, even in that (late, we have feen one (hake the bars of its cage fo powerfully with its hands, as to excite the ut^moft terror in the fpedtators. rHiis animal, of which we have given a very faithful reprefentation from the life, was about four feet high when (landing on its hind legs : Its head was large, flioulders of an amazing ftrength and thicknefs, its muz- HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 419 zle long and thick, eyes fmall and deep funk, 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 toupee from its forehead and each fide of its face, which, when angry, it ere£ted ; the hair on the bo- dy was uniformly of a light reddifh-brown ; the tail fhort, and darker at the end ; buttocks red and naked. The Baboon inhabits the hotted parts of Africa 5 feeds on fruits, roots, and other vegetables. — Numerous troops fometimes 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 Ihort time. The female brings forth only one young at a time, which (lie carries in her arms, and fuckles at her bread. — Notwithdanding its libidinous difpofition, it will not breed in temperate climates. 420 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The Great Ribbed-hose BABOON. This fingular creature is no lefs remarkable for its great fize and ftrength, than for the variety of beautiful colours on different parts of its body. Its nofe is marked with broad ribs on each fide, of a fine violet-blue colour: A vermilion line begins a little above the eyes ; and, run- ning down on each fide of the nofe, which is fomewhat fimilar to that of a Hog, fpreads over the tip of it : The infides of the ears are blue, which gradually foftens to a purple, and terminates in vermilion ; the rump is alfo of a vermilion colour ; and the beautiful colours on the hips are gradations from red to blue : The hair on the fore- head is long, turns back, and forms a kind of pointed creft : Its beard is dark at the roots, orange at the mid- HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 421 die and yellow at the end : The back and legs are cover- ed with fhort hair, of a dark brown colour, mixed with yellow ; the bread and belly with long whitifh hair, fpeckled with fmall dark fpots: Its tail is (liort 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, ex- tremely fierce, libidinous, and drong. At the fight of women it difcovered marks of the mod violent pafiion : It once caught hold of a lady, who was fo incautious as £0 approach too near it; and die was with fome difficulty refcued by the interference of the keeper. Its voice was drong and' harfh, not unlike the ordinary growl of the Lion. It generally went upon its four' feet, unlefs obliged by its keeper to dand ere£h Its mod ufual atti- tude was fitting on its rump, with its arms placed before it. This creature inhabits the hotter parts of Africa. Schreber fays, it lives on fucculent 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 fwallow the contents. Our reprefentation of this animal was done from a drawing in the pofleffion of the Rev. Mr Egerton, taken from the life by an eminent painter. We fuppofe the Mandrill of Buffon to be a variety o£ this fpecies. D d 3 422 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The Small Ribbed-nose BABOON feems to agree in every refpeft with that defcribed by Mr Pennant, in the firft volume of his Hiftory of Qua- drupeds, under the name of the Mandrill. The annexed cut was done from the living animal, in the pofieflion of Mr Rayne, furgeon, in Newcaflle. It is about fifteen inches in height ; its face flat, of a fine blue colour; eyes bright hazle, exceedingly brilliant and lively ; the cheeks marked with fmall ribs, bounded with thick bufliy hair, of a greenifh colour, beautifully fpeckled with black, falling back on each fide ; the hair on the forehead is of the fame colour, very long, and runs up to a point on the top of the fhoulders ; the muz- zle is broad, and furnilhed with flhort hair, thinly Scat- tered on each fide ; on the chin it has a fhort thin beard, ending in a point, where it is of an orange colour ; the hair on the body is dark brown, mixed with firades of green on the back and fides, — the haunches dulhv ; the ears are fmall, naked and pointed ; the tail fhort and hairy; the buttocks bare, and of a red flefii-colour; hands and feet naked: It has cheek pouches ; feeds on HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 423 fruits, nuts, roots, and other vegetables. It is lively, playful, and full of mifchievous frolics; walks commonly on all four, is in continual motion, and leaps with ado- nifhing agility.- This fpecies is faid to come from the coad of Guinea. The MAIMON, or Pig-tailed BABOON, fo termed from its fhort naked pig-like tail, is the lead of all the Baboon kind ; a gentle, mild, and tra&able animal; very lively and frolicfome : but has none of that impudent petulance fo peculiar to mod of its fpecies.— Its muzzle is large and thick ; face and ears naked, and of a flelh colour ; the hair on the head and back is of a deep olive, paled on the bplly ; it has hazel eyes, cheek pouches, callofities on the buttocks, which are naked, and of a red colour. It is a native of Sumatra and Japan. One of this kind was (hewn in the North in 17BS, from which this drawing was made. D d 4 424 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. It is a curious circumftance, that not only this, but every animal of the Baboon and Monkey kind we have yet feen, have fhewn a remarkable greedinefs for tobac- co, muftard, and even fnuff, which they eat without ex- prefling the fmallefl: inconvenience, and always feem ex- tremely defirous for more. The Dog-faced BABOON is diftinguifhed by a longer tail than the reft of its kind In this refpe£t, it feems to bear fome affinity to the Mon key, and has been mentioned under that denomination by feveral naturalifts. We may obferve here, that, in tracing the progrefs of animated Nature, we are led, by the molt imperceptible gradations, from one kind to another : The line of repa- ration feems fo faintly drawn, that we are frequently at a lofs how to fix the boundaries of one clafs without en- croaching upon that of another; and, notwithftanding % 0's HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 425 the regularity and order which every-where prevail a- mong the numerous families that inhabit the earth, the bell and mod approved fyflems of arrangement fall infi- nitely fhort of precifion : They ferve, indeed, to direct us to the general characters which form the diftinguifli- ing features of each genus, but are very inadequate to difcriminate the intermingled {hades and nice touches by which all are diverfified. The drawing of this animal was taken from one fhetfti in London under the name of the Persian Savage.-— Its head was large ; muzzle long and thick \ eyes fmall; face naked, and of an olive, colour ; the hair on its fore- head feparated in the middle, and hung down on each fide of the face, from thence down its back as far as its waift ; it was long and lliaggy, of a bluifh-grey colour, freckled with dark fpots ; the hair on the lower part of the body (hort; its buttocks bare and red. That defcribed by Mr Pennant, which feems to agree with this, is reprefented as very fierce and untractable. It inhabits the hotted: parts of Africa and Afia, lives in troops, and commits great depredations in gardens and cultivated grounds ; is above five feet high, exceedingly ftrong, vicious, and impudent. The Ursine BABOON is not unlike the laft, but rather lefs. Its note is long ; head large ; ears fhort ; forehead high and prominent, terminating in a ridge; the body thick and ftrong, co- vered with long dufky hair, which gives it the appear- ance of a young Bear ; its tail half the length of the bo- dy ; buttocks red. This animal is very numerous about the Cape 01 Good. 426 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. Hope. — Troops of them aflemble together, and make ex- peditions for the fake of plunder, in which they obferve the utmoft precaution. To prevent furprife, they place a centinel, which, upon fight of a man, gives a loud yell ; when the whole troop retreats with the greateft precipi- tation. It is highly entertaining to fee the females car- rying off their young ones clinging to their backs ; whilfl their pouches are crammed fo full of fruit, that they feem ready to burft. They fometimes form a line, and throw the fruit from one to another, in order to carry it off the more expeditioufiy. / The WANDEROU is a native of Ceylon and the Eaft-Indies.- — -Its head is • * thick and long, and furrounded with a large quantity of white hair, which falls down below the chin, forming a rough fhaggy beard j the reft of the body is covered with a dark-brown coat, almoft black. Like all ani- mals of this kind, it is wild and vicious ; but when taken young, may eafily be tamed ; and appears to be more fufceptible of education than other Baboons. There are feveral varieties of this fpecies. — The bodies of fome are black, with white beards ; in others, the bo- dy is whitifh, and the beard black : Some are found en- tirely white ; but this fpecies is extremely rare, and is faid to be ftronger and more mifchievous than the others. Thefe bearded Baboons are much efteemed for the gravity of their appearance ; and are ufed by the Indians in their ceremonies and fhows, in which they are faid to acquit themfelves to the admiration of the fpectators. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 427 The M A C A QJJ E, or Hare- lipped Monkey of Mr Pennant, is placed next to the Baboons, and makes the neareft approach to them in the form of its body, which is fliort and thick : Its head and muzzle are large ; its vifage ugly, naked, and wrinkled ; and its noflrils divided, like thofe 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 green ifh-afh, — lighter on the brealt and belly. There are feveral varieties, which differ both in fize and colour. This animal is found in Guinea, Congo, and fome of the fouthern parts of Africa. — They go in troops, and do * infinite mifchief to plantations of millet, which they car- ry off under their arms and in their mouths. They are extremely nice and delicate in their choice ; and, by pull- ing up what does not pleafe them, do more damage than by what they really eat. The PAT AS, or Red MONKEY, is nearly of the fame fize with the Macaque, and inhabits the fame country ; its body is, however, rather longer, its face lefs hideous, and its hair more beautiful. It is remarkable for the brilliancy of its coat, which is of fo bright a red, as to have the appearance of being painted. There are two varieties of this kind : The one is dif- tinguifhed by a black line above the eyes, extending from ear to ear; in the other, the line is white. Both have long hair under the chin, and round the cheeks ; which in the firfl is yellow, and in the fecond white: The nofe 428 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. is black ; the under part of the body of an alh colour, tinged with yellow. Thefe Monkies are very numerous on the banks of the river Senegal. — They are fo curious, as fometimes to de- fcend from the tops of trees to the extremities of the branches, while boats are palling, and feem to obferve them with great attention. If not difturbed, their fami- liarity becomes troublefome : They break off branches, throw them at the paffengers, and frequently with fo fure an aim, as to annoy them not a little ; but, upon being (hot at, they fet up molt hideous cries, endeavour to re- venge themfelves by collecting more offenlive materials, fuch as (tones, dirt, See. which they throw at the enemy, and foon retire. Travellers relate that, in Guinea, Monkies are fre- quently feen together in troops of forty or fifty, plun- dering gardens and fields of corn with great boldnefs. One of them Itands on a tree, liltens, and looks about on all fides, while the reft are bufy. Upon the leaft ap- pearance of interruption, he fets up a loud cry to alarm the party; when they immediately fly oft' with the booty they have collected, leaping from tree to tree with prodi- gious agility. The MALBROUCK / differs little from the laft, either in difpofition or man- i ners. — — It is a native of Bengal, is fond of fruits, fre- quently (teals into plantations of fugar-canes, loads itfelf with them, and, if purfued, will thro^* away a part to carry off the remainder with more eafe: — It efcapes the purfuit of Tigers and other wild beads, by climbing HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 429 trees, and leaping from one to another. Serpents are the molt deadly enemies of this and all the Monkey kind : They follow them to the highefl branches of the trees, and frequently furprife them whilft they are fleeping. The Chinese Bonnet MONKEY appears to be only a variety of the Malbrouck : The prin- cipal difference confifts in its having the hair on its head difpofed in the form of a flat bonnet, from which its name has been derived. It inhabits the fame country, and lives in the fame manner. When fruits and fucculent plants fail them, thefe ani- mals are faid to eat infedls, and fometimes watch by the fea-fide for crabs and other fhell-fifh, which they are very dexterous in catching. They are never thoroughly tamed, and cannot be trufl- ed without a chain. — They do not breed when in a date of confinement, even in their own country; but require to be at perfect freedom in their native woods. The MANGABY is diftinguifhed from all other Monkies by a very remark- able chara&er. 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 yellowifh- brown, colour ; that on the belly white. Some of them have a broad collar of white hair furrounding their neck and face. — They are natives of Madagafcar. 430 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The CALLITRIX, or Green MONKEY, fo 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 under fide of the limbs, are of a filvery whitenefs : The tail is eighteen inches long, length of the body thirteen, height eight and a half. It is common in the Cape de Verd iflands and the Eaft-Indies* and is alfo found in Mauritania, and in the territories of ancient Carthage. — Hence it is probable, fays M. BufFon, that it was known to the Greeks and Romans : and that it was one of thofe long-tailed Mon- kies to which they gave the general name of Callitrix. It feems to be the fame kind as that mentioned by Adanfon who relates that the woods of Podor, along the river Niger, are full of Green Apes, which, from their colour, are fcarcely difcernible among the branches of the trees where they live. The animal from which the above was taken, was a female, in the pofieflion of William Hargrave, efqj of Shaw don. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 431 The MUSTACHE 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 bluifh colour, body of a greenifh afh, bread 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 Ead-Indies, where it is differed to mul- tiply without moledation, owing to the religious fuperdi- tion of the bramins, which forbids them to take the life of any kind of animal whatever. They are fo tame and familiar, that numbers of them frequently come into their towns, enter the houfes, and, if not prevented, help themfelves to whatever they meet with that is agreeable to them; fuch as fruits, fweetmeats, &c. The Talapoin is about twelve inches long: Its head is round ; ears black, and fhaped like the human ; eyes oi a bright hazel colour, with black pupils } the hair on the back, upper part of the body, and limbs, of a dulky yel- low, tinged with green, the belly lighter ; its tail very long, (lender, and of an olive colour. 43* HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The Varied MONKEY, or MONA, is bed known of all the Monkey tribe, being more fre- quently brought into Europe than any other. It is a native of Barbary and other northern parts of Africa, Arabia, and Perfia ; where it is called the Mona, from which our general term is derived. Its nofe is fhort and thick ; its face of a dark-lead co- lour ; the beard on each fide long, and of a greenilh-yel- low ; the top of the head is bright-yellow, freckled with black ; back and fides deep-brown, with black freckles ; legs, feet, and tail, black ; infide of the thighs of a pale blue colour, thinly covered with whitifh hairs; and on each fide of the rump, clofe to the tail, is a large white fpot. The drawing and defcription were taken from the liv- ing animal, in the poffeflion of Robert Hedley, efq; of Newcaftle. It was remarkably gentle, tame, and fami- liar ; and feemed to have- fome attachment to thofe with whom it was acquainted. Its length Was eighteen inch- es ; tail about two feet. It was fed with bread, roafted meat, and fruit of all kinds, of which it was particularly fond. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 433 All the Baboons and Monkies we have yet defcribed are furnifhed with cheek-pouches, capable of containing food fufficient to fupply them for a day or two : They alio ferve as receptacles for whatever they obtain more than fupplies their prefent wants* But we have thought it unneceffary to repeat this circumftance in the account of every animal of thofe kinds. The DOUG differs from other Monkies, in having no callofities on its buttocks, which are entirely covered with hair; it is alfo much larger, being nearly four feet high when eretk Its face is fhort, and rather flat, furnifhed on each fide with long hairs, of a pale yellow colour ; its body is beautifully variegated with differently coloured hair ; round the neck there is a collar HERE are feveral animals diftinguifhed by the common name of Ant-eaters, which differ great- ly in form. They are divided into three clafies; viz. the Great, the Middle, and the Lefler Ant-eater, The Great Ant-eater is nearly four feet in length, exclufive of its tail, which is two and a half. It is remarkable for the great length of its fnout, which is of a cylindrical form, and ferves as a fheath to its long and {lender tongue, which always lies folded double in its mouth, and is the chief inilrument by which it finds fubfiftence. This creature is a native of Brazil and Guiana, runs (lowly, frequently fwims over rivers, lives wholly on ants, which it collects by thrufting its tongue into their holes, and having penetrated every part of the neff, with- draws it into its mouth loaded with prey. Its legs are fo ftrong, that few animals can extricate themfelves from its gripe. It is faid to be formidable 460 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. even to the Panthers of America *, and fometimes fixes it- felf upon them in fuch a manner, that both of them fall and perifh together *, for its obftinacy is fo great, that it will not extricate itfelf from its adverfary even after he is dead. The flefh has a ftrong difagreeable tafte, but is eaten by the Indians. a. * The Middle Ant-eater is one foot feven inches from nofe to tail. It inhabits the fame countries, and procures its food in the fame manner, as the laft. Its tail is ten inches long, with which it fecures its hold in climbing trees by twilling it round the branches. Both thefe animals have four ftrong claws on the fore feet, and five on the hind. The Lesser Ant-eater has a fharp-pointed nofe, inclining a little downward : Its ears are fmall, and hid in the fur : It has two ftrong hooked claws on the fore feet, the outward one being much the largeft ; and four on the hind feet : Its fur is long, foft, and filky, — of a yellowilh-brown colour : Its length, from nofe to tail, is feven inches and a half ; tail above eight, thick at the bafe, and taper to the end. — It inhabits Guiana ; climbs trees in quell of a fpecies of ants which build their nefts among' the branches. Animals of this kind are found in Ceylon and the Cape of Good Hope. Kolben defcribes the latter as having long heads and tongues ; that they feed on ants •, and are fo ftrong, that, if they fallen their claws in the ground, they cannot eafily be pulled away. ■ « — It is call- ed in Ceylon the Talgoi, ox Ant-Bear. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 461 The Great MANIS, or PANGOLIN. THIS fingular animal is defended by a coat of mail, which protects it from the attacks of the molt powerful animals. All the upper parts of its body are clofely covered with fcales of different fizes, which it can ere£t at pleafure, oppofing to its adverfary a formidable row of offenfive 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 itfelf up like a Hedge-hog, and by that means fecures all the weaker parts of its body. It is a native of Formofa and the Indian ifles ; is like- wife found in Guinea, where it feeds on ants, which it takes by laying out its long red tongue, covered with an un£tuous llime, acrofs the paths of thofe infedfs. It is flow in its motions ; grows to the length of eight feet, including its tail, which is four. Its flefh is much efleemed for its delicacy ; but it is difficult to procure, as the animal avoids mankind, and lives in obfcure retreats, in woods, and marfliy places. 462 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The PHATAGIN, or Long-tailed MANIS, is lefs than the Pangolin, being not more than a foot long from head to tail. Its body is covered with fharp- pointed fcales ; its throat and belly with hair: Its legs are ihort ; and each foot has four claws. It is remarka- ble for the great length of its tail, which in fome is above a yard long. It is a native of Guinea, has been fometimes called the Scaly Lizard, and may be faid to be the connecting link in the chain of being between quadrupeds and rep- tiles. The ARMADILLO IS found only in South-America, where there are fe- veral varieties of them.— They are all covered with a ftrong cruft or fhell, and are diftinguifhed from each other by the number of the flexible bands of which it is compofed. It is a harmlefs, inoffenfive animal j feeds on roots, fruits, and other vegetables ; grows very fat ; and is greatly efteemed for the delicacy of its flelh. The Indians hunt it with fmall Dogs, trained for that purpofe. When furprifed, it runs to its hole, or at- tempts to make a new one, which it does with great expedition, having ftrong claws on its fore feet, with which it adheres fo firmly to the ground, that if it Ihould be caught by the tail whilft making its way into the earth, its refiftance is fo great, that it will fometimes leave it in the hands of its purfuers : To avoid this, the HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS, 463 hunter has recourfe to artifice ; and by tickling it with a flick, it gives up its hold, and fufFers itfelf to be taken alive. If no other means of efcape be left, it rolls itfelf 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 fituation it fome- times efcapes by rolling itfelf over the edge of a preci- pice, and generally falls to the bottom unhurt. The rnofl fuccefsful method of catching Armadillos is by fnares laid for them by the fides of rivers or other places where they frequent. — They all burrow very deep in the ground, and feldom flir out, except during the night, whilfl they are in fearch of food. To give a minute defcription of the (hells or coverings of the Armadillos, would be extremely difficult ; as they are all compofed of a number of parts, differing greatly from each other in the order and difpofition of the fi- gures with which they are diflinguifhed: But it may be neceffary to obferve, that in general there are two large pieces that cover the fhoulders and the rump, between which lie the bands, which are more or lefs in number in different kinds. Thefe bands are not unlike thofe in the tail of a lobfter *, and, being flexible, give way to the motions of the animal. The firft we fhall mention is The TATUAPARA, or Three-banded ARMADILLO. Its (hell is about twelve inches long, with three bands in the middle: The cruft on the head, back, and rump, is divided into a number of elegant raifed figures, with five angles or fides : Its tail is not more than two inches long : It has neither cutting nor canine teeth 5 and has five toes on each foot. / 464 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The TATOU, or Six-banded ARMADILLO, is about the fize of a young Pig. Between the folds of the bands there are a few fcattered hairs : Its tail is long, thick at the bafe, and tapers to a point. It is found in Brazil and Guiana. The TATUETTE is furnifhed with eight bands. Its ears are long and up- right ; eyes fmall and black : It has four toes on the fore feet, and five on the hind : Its length, from nofe to tail, is about ten inches; the tail nine.- It inhabits Brazil, and is reckoned more delicious eating than the others. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 465 The Nine-banded ARMADILLO has a tenth band, moveable half way up on each fide 2 The (hell on the fhoulders and rump is marked with hex- angular figures; the bread: and belly are covered. with long hairs ; its tail is long and taper ; and the whole ani- mal three feet in length. One of this kind was brought to England a few years ago from the Mufquito fhore, and lived fome time. It was fed with raw beef and milk, but refufed to eat our fruits and grain. 466 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The KABASSOU is furniflied with twelve bands, and is the largeft of all the Armadillos, being almoft three feet long from nofe to tail : The figures on the fhoulders are of an oblong form ; thofe on the rump hexangular. It is feldom eaten. The Weasel-headed ARMADILLO, fo called from the form of its head, which is flender, has eighteen bands from its fhoulder to its tail : The fhell is marked with fquare figures on the {houlders ; thofe on the legs and thighs are roundifh : The body is about fifteen inches long ; tail five. All thefe animals have the power of drawing them- felves up under their fhells, either for the purpofe of re~ pofe or fafety. They are furniflied with Itrong lateral mufcles, confifting of numerlefs fibres, eroding each other in the form of an X, with which they contrail themfelves fo powerfully, that the ftrongefi: man is fcarcely able to force them open. The fhells of the larger Armadillos are much flronger that thofe of the fmaller kinds. Their flefh is likewife harder, and more unfit for the table. i HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 467 The WALRUS, or SEA-HORSE. THERE are feveral animals whofe refidence is al- mod condantly in the water, and which feem to partake greatly of the nature of fifties, that are neverthe- lefs clafied by naturalids under the denomination of qua- drupeds ; and being perfe&ly amphibious, living with equal eafe in the water as on land, may be confidered as the lad ftep in the fcale of Nature, by which we are conduced from one great divifion of the animal world to the other. — Of thefe the Walrus is the mod confideralde for its fize, being fometimes found eighteen feet in length, and twelve in circumference at the thicked part : It is likewife remarkable for two large tuiks in the upper jaw, which fometimes 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 bridles ; its eyes fmall and red ; indead of ears, it has two fmall orifices and above the whifkers, femicircular nodrils, through G g 2 468 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. ■which it throws out water like the whale, but with much* lefs noife : Its fkin is thick and wrinkled, and has a thin covering of fhort brownifh hair : Its legs are fhort : It has five toes on each foot, connected by membranes ; and on each toe a fmall nail : The hind feet are very broad, and extended nearly on a line with the body. The Walrus is chiefly found in the northern feas. — Great herds of them are fometimes feen together on the fea fhore, or fleeping on an ifland of ice. When alarm- ed, they inftantly throw themfelves 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 fink it by ftriking their great teeth into its fides, at the fame time bellowing in a mod hideous manner. It is hunted for its teeth, which are equal to thofe of the Elephant for durability and whitenefs. An ordinary Walrus is faid to yield half a ton of oil, equal in goodnefs to that of the whale. The female produces one or two young at a time, which (lie fuckles upon land. In climbing upon the ice, the Walrus makes ufe of its teeth as hooks to fecure its hold, and draw its great un- wieldy body after it. It feeds on fea-weeds and fhell-fifh, which it is faid to difengage from the rocks to which they adhere with its tufks. The White Bear is its greateft enemy. — In the com- bats between thefe animals, the Walrus is faid to be ge- nerally victorious on account of the defperate wounds it ioflidts with its teeth. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 4 69 The SEAL. Is found, with fome variety in almoft every quarter of the globe : In the northern Teas of Alia, Europe, and America, as well as the lefs frequented regions towards the fouth pole. Its ufual length is from five to fix feet. The body is clofely covered with fhort hair of various colours, fmooth and Ihining; its tongue is forked at the end; it has two canine teeth in each jaw, fix cutting teeth in the upper, and four in the lower; it has five toes on each foot, fur- nilhed with ftrong (harp claws, which enable it to climb the rocks, on which it frequently balks. It fwims with great ftrength and fwiftnefs, is very playful, and fports without fear about {hips and boats. — It feeds on various kinds of filh, and is frequently feen near the Chore in purfuit of its prey. Seals are found in great abundance on the coafts of Great-Britain ; particularly in the deep recefles and ca- verns in the northern parts of the ifland, where they re- fort in the breeding time, and continue till the young ones are old enough to go to fea. The time for taking Seals is in the month of O&ober, or the beginning of November. The hunters, provided °g 3 470 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. with torches and bludgeons, enter the mouths of the ca- verns about midnight, and row in as far as they can : They then land ; and, being properly ftationed, begin by making a great noife, which alarms the Seals, and brings them down from all parts of the cavern in a confufed bo- dy, making frightful fhrieks and cries. In this hazard- ous employment, great care is neceffary on the part of the hunters to avoid the throng, which prefles down with great impetuofity, and bears away every thing that op- pofes its progrefs ; but when the lirft crowd is pall, they kill great numbers of young ones, which generally ftrag- gle behind, by linking them on the nofe. A young Seal yields above eight gallons of oil. — When full grown, their (kins are very valuable, and make a beautiful kind of leather, much ufed in making Ihoes, &c. The flelh of the Seal is fometimes eaten ; and that it was formerly admitted to the tables of the great, may be feen in the bill-of-fare of a furnptuous entertainment given by archbilhop Nevil in the reign of Edward the Fourth. The growth of Seals is fo 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, fits on her hind legs while fhe fuckles them, and, as foonasthey are able, carries them to fea, learns them to fwim and fearch for food : When they become fatigued, fhe places them on her back. — The young ones know the voice of their mother, and attend to her call. The voice of the Seal has been compared to the hoarfe barking of a Dog ; when young, it is clearer, and refem- bles the mewing of a Cat. HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 471 Seals are Kkewife found in the Mediterranean and Caf- pian feas, in the lake Baikal, and fome of the larger lakes. Thefe are fmaller than the fait- water Seals j but fo fat, that they feem almoft fhapelefs. The Hooded SEAL is found in the South of Greenland ; and is diftinguifhed by a thick fold on its forehead, with which it can cover its eyes and nofe. Its hair is white, with a thick coat of black woolly hair underneath, which makes it appear of a fine grey colour.-— The hunters fay, that it is not eafily killed till the covering on its head is removed. 1 G g 4 472 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. The Ursine SEAL, or SEA-BEAR, is much larger that the common Seal, being eight feet in length, and weighing eight hundred pounds. Thefe animals are found among the iflands which lie between Kamtfchatka and America; alfo on the coafts of New Zealand, Staten Ifland, New Georgia, and Falk- land’s Iflands. — They lie in thoufands on the fhore, in feparate families, each confifting of above an hundred. One male will fometimes have fifty females, which he guards with extreme jealoufy. They are exceflively fat and indolent, fometimes fcarcely ever moving from the place where they lie for the fpace of three months ; during which time the females breed and fuckle their young. If another approach their ftation, they are rouf- ed from their fupinenefs : A battle enfues, which fre- quently becomes general, and fpreads confufion through the whole fliore. Thefe confli I l 9 * < %/ ' * v $ f * * ^ < • 49 - * \ * \ / I \ \ l . t \ r % * \ i i ^ / v K * J \ % \ < I . i I v * - , i ; *