say that wherever it falls it is of such an acrimonious nature, that it will either burn the skin or cause very dangerous eruptions.

Such are these animals in their domestic state; but as they are found wild in very great numbers, they exhibit marks of great force and agility in their state of nature. The stag is scarcely more swift, or the goat or the chamois a better climber. All its shapes are more delicate and strong; its colour is tawny, and its wool is but short; in their native forests they are gregarious animals, and are often seen in flocks of two or three hundred at a time. When they perceive a stranger they regard him at first with astonishment, without marking any fear or suprise; but shortly, as if by common consent, they snuff up the air, somewhat like horses, and at once, by a general flight, take refuge on the tops of the mountains. They are fonder of the northern than the southern side of the Andes; they often climb above the snowy tracts of the mountain, and seem vigorous in proportion to the coldness of their situation. The natives hunt the wild lama for the sake of its fleece. If the dogs surprise one upon the plain they are generally successful; but if once the lama obtains the rocky precipice of the mountain, the hunters are obliged to desist in their pursuit.

The lama seems to be the largest of the camel kind in America; there are others, which are called "guanacoes" and "pacoes," that are smaller and weaker, but endued with the same nature, and formed pretty much in the same manner. They seem to bear the same proportions to each other that the horse does to the ass, and are employed with the same degree of subordination. The wool, however, of the paco seems to be the most valuable, and it is formed into stuffs not inferior to silk, either in price or beauty. The natural colour of the paco is that of a dried rose-leaf; the manufacturers seldom give its wool any other dye, but form it into quilts and carpets, which exceed those from the Levant. This manufacture forms a very considerable branch of commerce in South America, and probably might be extended to Europe, were the beauty and the durability of what is thus wrought up sufficiently known.

use its horns offensively; it seemed to have much dependence on its organs of smell, and snuffed keenly, and with noise, whenever any person came within sight; it did so likewise when any food or drink was brought to it; and was so easily offended with smells, or so cautious, that it would not taste the bread which was offered when the hand happened to smell strong of turpentine. Its manner of fighting is very particular. It was observed at Lord Clive's, where two males were put into a little enclosure, that, while they were at a distance from each other they prepared for the attack by falling upon their fore-knees; they then shuffled towards each other with a quick pace, keeping still upon their fore-knees; and when they were come within some yards, they made a spring and darted against each other. The intrepidity and force with which they dart against any object appeared by the strength with which one of them attempted to overturn a poor labourer, who unthinkingly stood on the outside of the pales of its enclosure. The nyl-ghau, with the quickness of lightning, darted against the wood-work with such violence that he broke it to pieces, and broke off one of his horns close to the root, which occasioned the animal's death. At all the places in India where we have settlements they are considered as rarities, and brought from the distant interior parts of the country. The Emperor sometimes kills them in such numbers as to distribute quarters of them to all his omrahs which shows that they are internally wild and in plenty, and esteemed good, delicious food. The nyl-ghaus which have been brought to England have been most, if not all of them, received from Surat or Bombay; and they seem to be less uncommon in that part of India than in Bengal, which gives room for a conjecture that they may be indigenous, perhaps, in the province of Guzarat-one of the most western and most considerable of the Hindostan empire, lying to the northward of Surat, and stretching away to the Indian Ocean.

CHAP. VIII.

THE NYL-GHAU.

This animal, the name of which is pronounced nylgaw, is a native of India, and has but lately been imported into Europe; it seems to be of a middle nature between the cow and the deer, and carries the appearance of both in its form. In its size, it is as much smaller than the one as it is larger than the other; its body, horns, and tail are not unlike those of a bull; the head, neck, and legs are very like those of a deer. The colour in general is ash or grey, from a mixture of black hairs and white; all along the ridge or the edge of the neck the hair is blacker, larger, and more erect, making a short, thin, and upright mane. Its horns are seven inches long-they are six inches round at the root, growing smaller by degrees, and terminate in a blunt point. The bluntness of these, together with the form of its head and neck, might incline us to suppose it was of the deer kind; but, as it never sheds its horns, it has a greater affinity to the cow.

From the disposition of that brought over to this country, which has been very accurately and minutely described by Dr. Hunter, their manners were harmless and gentle. Although in its native wildness it is said to be fierce and vicious, this seemed pleased with every kind of familiarity, and always licked the hand that stroked or gave it bread, and never once attempted to

CHAP. IX.

THE BEAR.

Of the bear there are three different kinds-the brown bear of the Alps, the black bear of North America (which is smaller), and the great Greenland or white bear. These, though different in their forms, are no doubt of the same origin, and owe their chief variations to food and climate. They have all the same habitudes, being equally carnivorous, treacherous, and cruel. It has been said, indeed, that the black bear of America rejects animal food; but of the contrary I am certain, as I have often seen the young ones which are brought over to London prefer flesh to every kind of vegetable aliment.

The brown bear" is properly an inhabitant of the temperate climates; the black finds subsistence in the northern regions of Europe and America; while the great white bear takes refuge in the most icy climates, and lives where scarce any other animal can find subsistence.

The brown bear is not only savage but solitary; he takes refuge in the most unfrequented parts and the most dangerous precipices of uninhabited mountains. It chooses its den in the most gloomy parts of the forest, in some cavern that has been hollowed by time, or in the hollow of some old enormous tree. There it retires alone, and passes some months of the winter without provisions, or without ever stirring abroad. However, this animal is not entirely deprived of sensation like the bat or the dormouse, but seems rather to subsist upon the exuberance of its former flesh, and only feels the calls of appetite when the fat it had acquired in sum

mer begins to be entirely wasted away. In this manner, when the bear retires to its den to hide for the winter it is extremely fat, but at the end of forty or fifty days, when it comes forth to seek for fresh nourishment, it seems to have slept all its flesh away. It is a common report that during this time they live by sucking their paws, which is a vulgar error that scarce requires confutation. These solitary animals couple in autumn, but the time of gestation with the female is still unknown. The female takes great care to provide a proper retreat for her young; she secures them in the hollow of a rock, and provides a bed of hay in the warmest part of her den. She brings forth in winter, and the young ones begin to follow her in spring. The male and female by no means inhabit the same den; they have each their separate retreat, and seldom are seen together but upon the accesses of genial desire.

The voice of the bear is a kind of growl interrupted with rage, which is often capriciously exerted; and though this animal seems gentle and placid to its masters when tamed, yet it is still to be distrusted and managed with caution, as it is often treacherous and resentful without a cause.

This animal is capable of some degree of instruction. There are few but have seen it dance in awkward measures upon its hind-feet, to the voice or the instru ment of its leader; and it must be confessed that the dancer is often found to be the best performer of the two. I am told that it is first taught to perform in this manner by setting it upon hot plates of iron, and then playing to it while in this uneasy situation.

The bear when come to maturity can never be tamed; it then continues in its native fierceness, and, though caged, still formidably impotent, at the approach of its keeper flies to meet him. But notwithstanding the fierceness of this animal, the natives in those countries where it is found hunt it with great perseverance and alacrity. The least dangerous method of capture is by intoxicating it, by throwing brandy upon honey, which it seems to be particularly fond of, and seeks for in the hollow of trees. In Canada, where the black bears are very common, and where their dens are made in trees that are hollow towards the top, they are taken by setting fire to their retreats, which are often about thirty feet from the ground. The old one is generally seen first to issue from her den, and is shot by the hunters. The young ones as they descend are caught in a noose, and are either kept or killed for provision. Their paws are said to be a great delicacy, and their hams are well enough known at the tables of the luxurious here. Their fat, also, which still preserves a certain degree of fluidity, is supposed to be an efficacious remedy in white or indolent tumours, though probably very little superior to hogs'-lard.

The "white Greenland bear" differs greatly both in figure and dimensions from those already described; and though it preserves in general the external form of its more southern kindred, yet it grows to above three times the size. The brown bear is seldom above six feet long; the white bear is often known from twelve to thirteen. The brown bear is made rather strong and sturdy, like the mastiff; the Greenland bear, though covered with very long hair and apparently bulky, is nevertheless more slender, both as to the head, neck, and body, and more inclining to the shape of the greyhound. In short, all the variations of its figure and its colour seem to proceed from the coldness of the climate where it resides, and the nature of the food it is supplied with.

The white bear seems the only animal that, by being placed in the coldest climate, grows larger than those that live in the temperate zones. All other species of Animated Nature diminish as they approach the poles, and seem contracted in their size by the rigours of the ambient atmosphere; but the bear, being unmolested

in these desolate climates, and meeting no animal but what he can easily conquer, finding also a sufficient supply of fishy provisions, he grows to an enormous size; and as the lion is the tyrant of an African forest, so the bear remains undisputed master of the icy moun tains in Spitzbergen and Greenland. When our mariners land upon those shores in such parts as have not been frequented before, the white bears come down to view them with an awkward curiosity; they approach slowly, seeming undetermined whether to advance or retreat, and being naturally a timorous animal, they are only urged on by the conscious experience of their former victories; however, when they are shot at or wounded they endeavour to fly, or, finding that imprac. ticable, they make a fierce and desperate resistance till they die. As they live upon fish and seals their flesh is too strong for food, and the captors have nothing but the skin to reward them for the dangers incurred in the engagement.

The number of these animals that are found about the north-pole, if we consider the scarcity thereof, of all other terrestrial creatures is very amazing. They are not only seen on land, but often on ice-floats several leagues at sea. They are often transported in this manner to the very shores of Iceland, where they no sooner land but all the natives are in arms to receive them. It often happens, that when a Greenlander and his wife are paddling out at sea, by coming too near an ice-float a white bear unexpectedly jumps into their boat, and if he does not overset it, sits calmly where he first came down, and, like a passenger, suffers himself to be rowed along. It is probable the poor little Greenlander is not very fond of his new guest; however, he makes a virtue of necessity, and hospitably rows him to shore.

As this animal lives chiefly upon fish, seals, and dead whales, it seldom removes far from the shore. When forced by hunger it often ventures into the deep, swims after seals, and devours whatever it can seize; it is, however, but a bad swimmer, and it is often hunted in this manner by boats till it is fatigued, and at last destroyed. It often happens that a battle ensues between a bear and a morse and a whale, but as the latter are more expert in their own element they generally prove victorious. However, when the bear can find a young whale it repays him for the danger he incurs from meeting with the parent.

CHAP. X.

THE BADGER.

The badger's legs are so short that its belly seems to touch the ground; this, however, is but a deceitful appearance, as it is caused by the length of the hair, which is very long all over the body, and makes it seem much more bulky than it really is. It is a solitary, stupid animal, that finds refuge remote from man, and digs a hole with great assiduity. It seems to avoid the light, and seldom quits its retreat by day, only stealing out at night to find subsistence. It burrows in the ground quite easily, its legs being short and strong, and its claws stiff and horny. As it continues to bury itself, it throws the earth behind it to a great distance, thus forming to itself a winding hole, at the bottom of which it remains in safety. As the fox is not so expert at dig ging into the earth, it often takes possession of that which has been quitted by the badger; some say it forces it from its retreat by laying its excrements at the mouth of the badger's hole.

This animal, however, is not long in making itself a new habitation, from which it seldom ventures far, as it flies but slowly, and can find safety only in the strength of its retreat. When it is surprised by the dogs at some

distance from its hole it then combats with desperate resolution; it falls upon its back, defends itself on every side, and seldom dies unrevenged in the midst of its enemies.

The badger, like the fox, is a carnivorous animal, and nothing that has life can come amiss to it. It sleeps the greatest part of its time; and thus, without being a voracious feeder, it still keeps fat, particularly in winter. They always keep their hole very clean, and when the female brings forth, she makes a comfortable warm bed of hay at the bottom of her hole for the reception of her young. She brings forth in summer, generally to the number of three or four, which she feeds at first with her milk, and afterwards with such petty prey as she can surprise. She seizes the young rabbits in their warren, robs birds'-nests, finds out where the wild bees have laid up their honey, and brings all to her expect ing brood.

The young ones when taken are easily tamed, but the old ones still continue savage and incorrigible. After a short time the young ones play with the dogs, follow their master about the house, but seem of all other animals the most partial to the fire: they often approach it so closely that they burn themselves in a dangerous manner. They are sometimes also subject to the mange, and have a glaud under the tail which scents pretty strongly. The poor of some countries eat their flesh, which, though fat, is at best but rank and ill-tasted.

CHAP. XI.

THE TAPIR.

There seems to be a rude but inferior resemblance between many animals of the old and the new world. The cougar of America resembles the tiger in natural ferocity, though far inferior in its dimensions. The lama bears some affinity to the camel, but is far behind it in strength and utility. The tapir may be considered as the hippopotamos of the new continent, but degraded both as to size and ferocity.

This animal bears some distant resemblance in its form to a mule. It has a long snout, which it lengthens or contracts at pleasure. Its ears are small, long, and pendant. Its neck and tail are short, and its claws strong and firm, of which it has four upon each foot. Its skin is thick, covered with brown hair; and the natives make shields of it, which cannot be pierced by

an arrow.

This animal may in some measure be termed amphibious, as it chiefly resides in the water. It differs, however, from all others of this kind in feeding entirely upon vegetables, and not making this element the place of its depredations. It feeds upon the pastures by the river-side, and, as it is very timorous, the instant it hears the least noise it plunges into the stream. They are greatly sought after by the natives, as their flesh is considered as a delicacy, and thought by some not inferior to beef.

least as long as the body; the fore-feet are much shorter than the hinder, both armed with five sharp claws, with which, and his teeth, the animal makes a vigorous resistance. Like the squirrel, it makes use of its paws to hold its food while eating; but it differs from the monkey kind, which use but one hand on those occasions, whereas the racoon and the squirrel use both-as, wanting the thumb, their paws singly are unfit for grasping or holding. Though this animal be short and bulky, it is, however, very active; its pointed claws enable it to climb trees with great facility; it runs on the trunk with the same swiftness that it moves upon the plain, and sports among the most extreme branches with great agility, security, and ease; it moves forward chiefly by bounding, and though it proceeds in an oblique direction, it has speed enough most frequently to escape its pursuers.

This animal is a native of the southern parts of America, nor have any travellers mentioned its being found in the ancient continent. But in the climates of which it is a native it is found in noxious abundance, particularly in Jamaica, where it keeps in the mountains, and where it often descends to feed upon the plantations of sugar-cane. The planters of these climates consider these animals as one of their greatest miseries; they have contrived various methods of destroying them, yet still they propagate in such numbers that neither traps nor fire-arms can set them free; so that a swarm of these famished creatures are found to do more injury in a single night than the labours of a month can repair.

But though when wild they are thus troublesome, in a state of tameness no animal is more harmless or amusing; they are capable of being instructed in various little amusing tricks. The racoon is playful and cleanly, and is very easily supported; it eats of everything that is given it, and if left to itself no cat can be a better provider; it examines every corner, eats of all flesh, either boiled or raw, eggs, fruits, or corn; insects themselves cannot escape it, and if left at liberty in a garden, it will feed upon snails, worms, and beetles; but it has a particular fondness for sweets of every kind, and to be possessed of these in its wild state it incurs every danger. Though it will eat its provisions dry, it will for choice dip them in water if it happens to be in the way; it has one peculiarity which few other animals have been found to possess-it drinks as well by lapping like the dog as by sucking like the horse.

The first peculiarity with which this animal strikes the spectator is the extreme length of its snout, which in some measure resembles that of the hog, but elongated to a surprising degree; it bears some distant resemblance to the animal last described, except that the neck and the body are longer, the fur shorter, and the eyes smaller; but its principal distinction, as was said before, consists in the shape of its nose-the upper jaw being an inch longer than the lower, and the snout, which is moveable in every division, turning up at the end. Like the racoon, it sits up on the hinder legs with great ease, and in this position carries the food with both paws to its mouth.

This animal is very subject to eat its own tail, which is rather longer than its body; but this strange appetite is not peculiar to the coati alone-the mococo and some of the monkey kinds do the same, and seem to feel no pain in wounding a part of the body so remote from the

centre of circulation.

It seems possessed of the same playful qualities and