except the big bull, who presented his forehead to the shafts, shook them off as they fell; but missing one at length, it wounded him in the side; whereon, springing round, he bounded over the Ohio, over the Wabash, the Illinois, and finally over the great lakes, where he is living at this day."

Among these wild animals in existence at present, may be enumerated, the buffalo, elk, moose, carrabou, tiger, porcupine, mountain cat, shunk, carcajou, wood chuck, beaver, opposum, racoon, deer, wolf, panther, bear, fox, lynx, hare, rabbit, squirrel, weasel, ermine, marten, otter, seal, rat, mouse, bat, minx, &c. &c. The first thirteen being common to the United States, deserve a more particular description.

The Buffalo is larger than an ox; high on the shoulders and deep through the breast. The flesh of this animal, particularly the female, is equal in goodness to the best beef; its skin makes good leather, and its hair, which approaches to the nature of wool, is manufactured into a tolerable kind of cloth. In many parts of the Missouri territory, immense herds of buffaloes are found; and on the River Arkansaw upwards of 3,000 have been seen in one drove.

The American Elk is much larger than the animal known by the same name in Europe; some of them attaining the amazing height of ten feet. It is shaped somewhat like a deer, and its horns grow to a prodigious size; some having been seen which were nearly eleven feet from tip to tip. But what is still more extraordinary, these horns are shed yearly, in the month of February, and by September the new ones are full grown.

The grey Moose of America is about the size of a horse, their horns are as long as those of a stag, but much broader; and, like the elk, it sheds them annually. The black Moose is from eight to twelve feet high, with horns of a vast size; being no less than two fathoms from the top of one horn to another. Though these animals are of the deer kind, they never herd as deer do in general. They delight in cold countries, feeding upon grass

in summer, and the bark of trees in winter, when the ground is covered with snow.

The Carrabou is somewhat like the moose in shape, though not so tall. It is a native of the icy regions of the north, where it is known by the name of the Reindeer. The female has horns as well as the male, by which the species is distinguished from all other animals of the deer kind whatsoever. Its flesh is exceedingly good; and its tongue in particular is held in high esteem.

The Tiger of America is the most formidable and mischievous of all the animals of that country. It resembles in shape those of Asia and Africa; but is considerably smaller; nor does it appear to be so fierce and ravenous as they are; being unable to contend against a single man. The colour is of a darkish yellow, and is entirely free from spots.

The American Porcupine differs very much from that of the old continent; and may be considered as an animal of a different species: the latter being two feet in length, and fifteen inches high, with quills from ten to fourteen inches long; while the former is only about the size of a small dog, with quills about four inches in length. Its shape resembles that of a fox, except its head, which is something like the head of a rabbit; and its body is covered with quills, most of which are, excepting at the point, of the thickness of a straw.

The Mountain Cat resembles a common cat, but is of a much larger size. Its hair is of a reddish or orange colour, interspersed with spots of black. This animal is exceedingly fierce, though it will seldom attack a man.

The Shunk is the most extraordinary animal the American woods produce. It is of the same species with the pole-cat, which it resembles in shape, but is less in size, and is particularly different in the length of its hair and colour. The hair is above three inches and a half long, and at the end of the tail above four inches. The colour is partly black and partly white, variously disposed over the body, very glossy and beautiful. It lives chiefly in woods and hedges, and is possessed of extraordinary powers: which, however, are exerted only when it is pursued.

On such an occasion, it ejects from behind a small stream of water, of so subtle a nature, and so powerful a smell, that the air is tainted with it to a surprising distance. The dogs in pursuit immediately abate of their ardour, when they find this offensive battery played off against them; they instantly turn tail, and leave the animal undisputed master of the field. Should even but one single drop of this powerful liquid fall upon a man's garment, it is more than probable that he could never wear any part of it more. The fat of the shunk, when externally applied, is a potent emollient.

The Carcajou is a creature of the cat kind, and is also found in the north of Europe and in Siberia, where it is called the Glutton. In America it is a terrible enemy to the elk, and to the carrabou, as well as to every species of deer. He either comes upon them unperceived, or climbs up into a tree, and taking his station on some of the branches, drops upon his prey when passing by, sticks his claws between their shoulders, and remains there unalterably firm. It is in vain that the large terrified animal takes to flight, the carcajou having taken possession of his post, nothing can drive him off, and opening the jugular vein, he soon brings his victim to the ground. The only way of escape is by flying immediately to the water; for, as this voracious creature has a great dislike to that element, he will sooner relinquish his prey than enter it. The flesh of the carcajou, as may be supposed, is not fit to be eaten; but the skin amply rewards the hunter for his toil and danger. The fur has the most beautiful lustre that can be imagined, and is preferred before all others, with the exception of that of the Siberian fox,

or the sable.

The Wood Chuck is a ground animal of the fur kind, about fifteen inches long; its body is round and its legs short; its fore paws are broad, and constructed for the purpose of digging holes in the ground, in which it burrows like the mole. Its flesh is tolerably good.

The Beaver is an amphibious animal, which cannot live for any long time in the water. The largest beavers

found in America are nearly four feet in length, about fourteen inches in breadth, and weigh fifty or sixty pounds. It is the only creature known that in its fore parts entirely resembles a quadruped, and in its hinder parts seems to approach the nature of fishes, by having a scaly tail. Its teeth are like those of a rat, but much longer and stronger and admirably adapted for cutting timber and stripping bark, to which purposes they are constantly applied. Its colour is of a light brown, and it has fur of two sorts, the one long and coarse, the other soft, fine, short, and silky; being that which is usually manufactured. Castor, so useful in medicine, is produced from the body of the beaver. The ingenuity of these animals in building their cabins, and in providing themselves subsistence, is truly wonderful. When they are about to choose a habitation, they assemble in companies of two or three hundred, in. the months of June and July, and after mature deliberation, fix on a place where plenty of provisions, and all necessaries, are to be found. Their houses are always: situated in the water, where they form a dam by building a bank across the stream, sometimes 100 feet long, and twelve feet broad at the base. This bank is built of wood and clay, for which purpose they select a number of trees, always choosing those above the place where they intend to build, that they may swim down with the current, and placing themselves by threes or fours round each tree, soon bring them to the ground. By the same means they cut the trees into proper lengths, and rolling them into the water, navigate them to the place where they are to be used. Having thus provided timber for the construction of their dam, they next prepare the clay; but knowing that the conveyance of heavy materials would not be so easily accomplished by land as by water, they swim with the mortar upon their broad scaly tails, holding the smaller stakes between their teeth, to the places where they are most wanted. The formation of their cabins is very remarkable; being built either on piles in the middle of the pond they have formed, on the

bank of a river, or at the extremity of some point of land projecting into a lake. The figure of them is round or oval; two-thirds of each of them rising above the water; and this part is large enough to contain eight or ten inhabitants. They are contiguous to each other, so as to allow an easy communication. Each beaver has his place assigned to him, the floor of which he carefully covers with leaves, rendering it clean and comfortable. Their houses are generally finished in the middle of September, when they begin to lay in their stores. Their provisions for the winter, consist principally of the wood of the birch, the plane, and some few other trees, which they steep in water from time to time, to render it softer. This wood is cut again into small particles, and conveyed to one of their largest lodges, where the whole family meet, to consume their respective dividends, which are made impartially, in even and equal portions.

The Opposum is an animal of a distinct genus, and therefore has little resemblance to any other creature, except the Kangaroo of New South Wales. It is found in almost every part of America, and is about the size of a common cat, which it resembles in some degree as to its body. Its head resembles the fox, its legs are short, and its feet like those of a rat, as are its ears; the snout and head are like the hog's; the teeth, fifty in number, like those of the dog; and its body covered with whitish hair, long and bristly. But that which (before the discovery of the kangaroo) distinguished this animal from all others, and has excited the wonder of mankind for more than two centuries, is the extraordinary conformation of its belly; as it is found to have a false womb, into which the young when brought forth in the usual manner, creep and continue for some days longer, to lodge and suckle securely. This bag afterwards serves them for a retreat, when they want to sleep, or when pursued by an enemy: the dam on such occasions opening this convenience to receive them. The opposum, when on the ground, is a slow helpless animal; but it climbs trees with great ease