birds of passage. When they go upon this expedition, they are seen in great droves, for many days together, making towards the north, taking that part of the sea most free from ice, and going still forward into those seas where man cannot follow. In what manner they return, or by what passage, is utterly unknown; it is only observed, that when they leave the coasts to go out upon this expedition, they are all extremely fat, but on their return they come home excessively lean.

The females in our climate bring forth in winter, and rear their young upon some sand-bank, rock, or desolate island, at some distance from the continent. When they suckle their young, they sit up on their hinder legs, while these, which are at first white with woolly hair, cling to the teats, of which there are four in number, near the navel.(g) In this manner the young continue in the place where they are brought forth, for twelve or fifteen days; after which the dam brings them down to the water, and accustoms them to swim and get their food by their own industry. As each litter never exceeds above three or four, so the animal's cares are not much divided, and the education of her little ones is soon completed. In fact, the young are particularly docile; they understand the mother's voice among the numerous bleatings of the rest of the old ones; they mutually assist each other in danger, and are perfectly obedient to her call. Thus early accustomed to subjection, they continue to live in society, hunt and herd together, and have a variety of tones, by which they encourage to pursue, or warn each other of danger. Some compare their voices to the bleating of a flock of sheep, interrupted now and then by the barking of angry dogs, and sometimes the shriller notes of a cat.(g) All along the shore, each has its own peculiar rock, of which it takes possession, and where it sleeps when fatigued with fishing, uninterrupted by any of the rest. The only season when their social spirit seems to forsake them, is that when they feel the influences of natural desire. They then fight most desperately; and the male that is victorious, keeps all the females to himself. Their combats on these occasions are managed with great obstinacy, and yet great justice: two are never seen to fall upon one together; but each has its antagonist, and all fight an equal battle, till one alone becomes victorious.

We are not certainly informed how long the females continue pregnant; but if we may judge from the time which intervenes between their departure from

* DOMESTICATION OF ANIMALS.-It appears that what we call the domestication of animals, consists in our becoming members of the society which these animals form among themselves. Man becomes the chief of its herd; from the moment that an animal admits man as a member of its society, it is domesticated," as a man could not enter into such society without becoming the chief of it." Applying these principles to wild animals, the apes and monkeys, notwithstanding their social instinct and intellect, are yet so violent and irritable, as to be incapable of all useful subjection. Among carnivorous animals, the seals, together with the various species of the dog tribe, would be the best adapted to attach themselves to us, and serve us. M. Cuvier suggests, that the seal might be trained for fishing, as the dog is for hunting. Several animals peculiar to South America, having but very feeble means of defence, will, as that country is peopled, gradually disappear from the face of the

earth. After other illustrations, the writer concludes, that all domestication is founded on the propensity which animals have to live together in herds, and to attach themselves to one another. "We obtain it only by enticement, and principally by augmenting their wants, and satisfying them. But we could only produce domestic individuals, and not races, without the concurrence of one of the most general laws of life, the transmission of the organic or intellectual modifications by generation. . Here one of the most astonishing phenomena of nature manifests itself to us, the transformation of a fortuitous modification into a desirable form; of a fugitive want into a fundamental propensity; of an incident habit into an instinct. This subject is assuredly worthy of exciting the attention of the most accurate observers, and of occupying the meditations of the most profound thinkers.-ARCANA OF SCIENCE, 1829.

(g) Coeunt in littore resupinata femina.-LIN. SYST.

(g) Linnæi Syst.

the Greenland coasts and their return, they cannot go above seven or eight months at the farthest.*

The seal is taken for the sake of its skin, and for the oil its fat yields. The former sells for about four shillings; and, when dressed, is very useful in covering trunks, making waistcoats, shot-pouches, and several other conve

We learn from Buffon that this animal, in France, couples in winter, and brings forth in the beginning of spring. But it is certainly different with us, for its young are never found till the latter end of summer; and I have frequently, when a boy, discovered their retreats, and pursued them at that season. I am, therefore, more inclined to follow the account given us of this animal by Mr. Lots, of the Academy of Stockholm, who assures us that it couples about the middle of summer, and brings forth, at the end of nine weeks, generally three or four at a time.

In the rivers and the lakes frequented by the otter, the bottom is generally stony and uneven, with many trunks of trees, and long roots stretching underneath the water (g) The shore also is hollow and scooped inward by the waves. These are the places the otter chiefly chooses for its retreat; and there is scarce a stone which does not bear the mark of its residence, as upon them its excrements are always made. It is chiefly by this mark that its lurking places are known, as well as by the quantity of dead fish that are found lying here and there upon the banks of the water. To take the old ones alive is no easy task, as they are extremely strong, and there are few dogs that will dare to encounter them. They bite with great fierceness, and never let go their hold when they have once fastened.* The best way, therefore, is to shoot them at once, as they never will be thoroughly tamed; and, if kept for the purposes of fishing, are always apt to take the first opportunity of escaping. But the young ones may be more easily taken, and converted to very useful purposes. The otter brings forth its young generally under the hollow banks, upon a bed of rushes, flags, or such weeds as the place affords it in the greatest quantities. I see in the British Zoology a description of its habitation, where that naturalist observes, "that it burrows underground, on the banks of some river or lake, and always makes the entrance of its hole under water, then works up to the surface of the earth. and there makes a minute orifice for the admission of air; and this little air-hole is often found in the middle of some thicket." In some places this may be true, but I have never observed any such contrivance; the retreat, indeed, was always at the edge of the water, but it was only sheltered by the impending bank, and the otter itself seemed to have but a small share in its formation. But, be this as it may, the young ones are always found at the edge of the water; and, if under the protection of the dam, she teaches them instantly to plunge like herself, into the deep, and escape among the rushes or weeds that fringe the stream. At such times, therefore, it is very difficult to take them; for, though ever so young, they swim with great rapidity, and in such a manner that no part of them is seen above water, except the tip of the nose. It is only when the dam is absent that they can be taken; and in some places there are dogs purposely trained for discovering their retreats. Whenever the dog comes to the place, he soon, by his barking, shows that the otter is there; which, if there be an old one, instantly plunges into the water, and the young all follow. But if the old one be absent, they continue terrified, and will not venture forth but under her guidance and protection. In this manner they are secured and taken home alive, where they are carefully fed with small fish and water. In proportion, however, as they gather strength, they have milk mixed among their food, the quantity of their fish provision is retrenched, and that of vegeta

* BITE OF THE OTTER.-Some few years ago, the late Mr. Bradshaw, of Hatton Hall, was otter-hunting in the river Lune. After some time, the chase being no longer able to keep the water, left it, and made for the mouth of a sough or drain, a short distance from the river's edge. Several persons were standing near the mouth of the sough, among the rest a mechanic of the name of Slater. The otter was in a fair way of getting in, when Slater seized him by the tail. The animal instantly

turned its head, and bit the end of the man's thumb completely off!

One of the workmen belonging to Arrats mill, near Montrose, while walking beside the mill-head, in February, 1825, observed an otter. A little dog belonging to the man, began to bark and approached it, when the otter, making a sudden leap, seized the dog by the back, plunged with it into the water, from which it never rose again.-ED.

(g) Journal Etranger, Juin. 1755, p. 14.

bles is increased, until at length they are fed wholly upon bread, which perfectly agrees with their constitution. The manner of training them up to hunt for fish requires not only assiduity but patience; howevor, their activity and use, when taught, greatly repays the trouble of teaching; and, perhaps, no other animal is more beneficial to his master. The usual way is, first to teach them to fetch as dogs are instructed; but as they have not the same docility, so it requires more art and experience to teach them. It is usually performed by accustoming them to take a truss stuffed with wool, of the shape of a fish, and made of leather, in their mouths, and to drop it at the word of command; to run after it when thrown forward, and to bring it to their master. From this they proceed to real fish, which are thrown dead into the water, and which they are taught to fetch from thence. From the dead they proceed to the live, until at last the animal is perfectly instructed in the whole art of fishing.

Otters are to be met with in most parts of the world, and rather differ in size and colour from each other, than in habitudes or conformation.(g) In North America and Carolina they are usually found white, inclining to yellow. The Brasilian otter is much larger than ours, with a roundish head, almost like a cat. The tail is shorter, being but five inches long; and the hair is soft, short. and black, except on the head, where it is of a dark brown, with a yellowish spot under the throat.*

THE BEAVER.t-In all countries as man is civilized and improved, the lower ranks of animals are repressed and degraded.(g) Either reduced to servitude, or treated as rebels, all their societies are dissolved, and all their united talents rendered ineffectual. Their feeble arts quickly disappear, and nothing remains but their solitary instincts, or those foreign habitudes which they receive from human education. For this reason there remain no traces of their ancient talents and industry, except in those countries where man himself is a stranger; where, unvisited by his controlling power, for a long succession of ages, their little talents have had time to come to their limited perfection, and their common designs have been capable of being united.

*THE SEA OTTER.-The whole length of the sea otter is generally about four feet, of which the tail occupies thirteen inches. The fur is extremely soft, and of a deep glossy black. The ears are small and erect, and the whiskers long and white. The legs are short and thick, the hinder ones something resembling those of a seal. The weight of the largest sea otter is from seventy to eighty pounds. In their general habits of life, these animals are perfectly harmless and inoffensive; and towards their offspring they exhibit a degree of attachment which is extremely interesting. They will never desert them; they will even starve themselves to death on being robbed of them, and strive to breathe their last on the spot where their young have been destroyed. The female produces only a single one at a time, which she suckles almost a whole year, and until it takes to itself a mate. The sea otters pair, and are very constant. They often carry their young between their teeth, and fondle them, frequently throw. ing them up, and catching them again in their paws. Before these can swim, the old ones will take them in their fore feet, and swim about with them on their backs. The sea otters swim sometimes on their sides; at other times on their backs, or in an upright position. They are very sportive, embrace (g) Ray.

each other, and seem to kiss. When attacked they make no resistance, but endeavour to save themselves by flight: if, however, they are closely pressed, and can see no means of escape, they scold and grin like an angry cat. On receiving a blow, they immediately lie on their side, draw up their hind legs together, cover their eyes with their fore paws, and thus seem to prepare for death. But if they are fortunate enough to escape their pursuer, they deride him as soon as they are safe in the sea.

The skins of the sea otters are of great value, and have long formed a considerable export from Russia. They are disposed of to the Chinese at the rate of eighty or a hundred rubles each. The trade for this fur at Nootka had, not many years ago, nearly produced a war between Great Britain and Spain.

THE CAYENNE OTTER-The toes on the fore feet are unconnected; the tail is long, taper, and naked. It inhabits Cayenne.

THE BEAVER has the front teeth in the upper jaw abruptly cut off, and hollowed out into a transverse angle; those of the lower jaw being transverse at the tips; there are four grinders on each side in each jaw: the tail is long, flattened and scaly; and it has perfect collar bones. (g) Buffon.

The beaver seems to be now the only remaining monument of brutal society From the result of its la

bours, which are still to be seen in the remote parts of America, we learn how far instinct can be aided by imitation. We from thence perceive to what a degree animals, without language or reason, can concur for their mutual advantage, and attain by numbers those advantages which each, in a state of solitude, seems unfitted to possess.

If we examine the beaver merely as an individual, and unconnected

with others of its kind, we shall find many other quadrupeds to exceed it in cunning, and almost all in the powers of annoyance and defence. The beaver, when taken from its fellows, and kept in a state of solitude or domestic tameness, appears to be a mild, gentle creature, familiar enough, but somewhat dull, and even melancholy; without any violent passions or vehement appetites, moving but seldom, making no efforts to attain any good, except in gnawing the wall of its prison, in order to regain its freedom; yet this, however, without anger or precipitation, but calm and indifferent to all about, without attachment or antipathies, neither seeking to offend nor desiring to please. It appears inferior to the dog in those qualities which render animals of service to man; it seems made neither to serve, to command, nor to have connexions with any other set of beings, and is only adapted for living among its kind. Its talents are entirely repressed in solitude, and are only brought out by society. When alone, it has but little industry, few tricks, and without cunning sufficient to guard it against the most obvious and bungling snares laid for it by the hunter. Far from attacking any other animal, it is scarce possessed of the arts of defence. Preferring flight to combat, like all wild animals, it only resists when driven to an extremity, and fights only then when its speed can no longer avail.

But this animal is rather more remarkable for the singularity of its conformation than any intellectual superiorities it may be supposed, in a state of solitude, to possess. The beaver is the only creature among quadrupeds that has a flat, broad tail, covered with scales, which serves as a rudder to direct its motions in the water. It is the sole quadruped that has membranes between the toes on the hind feet only, and none on the fore feet, which supply the place of hands, as in the squirrel. In short, it is the only animal 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. In other respects, it is about two feet long and near one foot high; it is somewhat shaped like a rat, except the tail, which, as has been observed, is flat and scaly, somewhat resembling a neat's tongue at the point. Its colour is of a light brown; the hair of two sorts; the one longer and coarser; the other, soft, fine, short, and silky. The teeth are like those of a rat or a squirrel, but longer and stronger, and admirably adapted to cutting timber, or stripping bark, to which purposes they are constantly applied. One singularity more may be mentioned in its conformation; which is, that like birds, it has but one and the same vent for the emission of its excrements and its urine; a strange peculiarity, but which anatomists leave us no room to doubt of.

The beavers begin to assemble about the months of June and July, to form a society that is to continue for the greatest part of the year. They arrive in