THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 



were often fo mutilated with refpecfl to the diftinguifliing 177.S. 

 parts, ftich as the paws, tails, and heads, that it was im- ^" ' 

 poffible even to guefs at the animals to whom they belong- 

 ed ; though others were fo perfedV, or, at lead, fo well 

 known, that they left no room to doubt about them. 



Of thefe the moft common were bears, deer, foxes, and 

 wolves. The bear-flcins were in great numbers ; few of 

 them very large ; but, in general, of a fhining black co- 

 lour. The deer-lkins were fcarcer, and they feem to be- 

 long to that fort called the fallow-deer by the hiltorians of 

 Carolina ; though Mr. Pennant thinks it quite a dif- 

 ferent fpecies from ours, and diftinguifhes it by the 

 name of Virginian deer *. The foxes are in great plen- 

 ty, and of fevcral varieties ; fome of their fkins being 

 quite yellow, with a black tip to the tail ; others of a deep 

 or reddifh yellow, intermixed with black ; and a third fort 

 of a whitifli grey or afh-colour, alfo intermixed with 

 black. Our people ufed to apply the name of fox or 

 wolf indifcriminately, when the ikins were fo mutilated as 

 to leave room for a doubt. But we got, at lafl, an entire 

 wolf's flcin wiih the head on ; and it was grey. Befides 

 the common fort of martin, the pine-martin is alfo here ; 

 and another, whofe fkin is of a ligluer brown colour than 

 either, with coarfer hair ; but is not fo common, and is, 

 perhaps, only a mere variety arifmg from age, or fome other 

 accidental circumdance. The ermine is alfo found at this 

 place; but is rare and fmall ; nor is the hair remarkably 

 fine, though the animal appeared to be perfedly white, 

 except an inch or more at the tip of the tail. The racoons 

 and fquirrels are of the common fort ; but the latter is ra- 

 ther ftnaller than ours, and has a deeper rufty colour run- 

 ning along the back. 



♦ See Virginian deer ; Peiinaiit's Hift. Qtiad. Vol. i. N"46 ; and Ar^ic Zool. N''6. 



We 



293 



