NORTHERN OCEAN. op) 45: 
= 
feafon. Even in the Ifles of Orkney, and that in L771. 
Summer, the fheep attend the ebbing of the tide 
as regular as the Efquimaux curlew, and go down 
to the fhore which the tide has left, to feed on 
the fea-weed. This, however, is through necel- 
fity, for even the famous Ifland. of Pomona* will 
not afford them an exiftence above high-water- 
mark. 
With refpect to the inferior, or flave-beaver, of 
which fome Authors fpeak, it is, in my opinion, 
very difficult for thofe who are beft acquainted 
with the ceconomy of this animal to determine 
whether there are any that deferve that appellati- 
on or not. It fometimes happens, that a beaver 
is caught, which has but a very indifferent coat, 
and which has broad patches on the back, and 
fhoulders almoft wholly without hair. This is 
the only foundation for afferting that there isan 
inferior, or flave-beaver, among them. And 
when one of the above defcription is taken, it is 
perhaps too ‘haftily inferred that the hair is worn 
off from thofe parts by carrying heavy !oads : 
whereas it is moit probable that it is caufed by a 
diforder that attacks them fomewhat fimilar to 
the mange; for were that falling off of the hair 
occafioned by performing extra labour, it is na- 
tural to think that inftances of it would be more 
frequent than they are ; as itis rare to fee one of 
them 
December. 
* This being the largeft of the Orkney Iflands, is called by the Inhabi- 
tants the Main Land, 
