NORTHERN OCEAN. 
ice as foon as it is fkinned over, and at a confide- 
rable diftance from the fhore ; always taking care 
to keep a hole open in the ice to admit them to 
dive for their food, which chiefly confifts of the 
roots of grafs: inthe Southern parts of the coun- 
try they feed much on a well-known root, call Ca- 
lamus Aromaticus. Vhe materials made ufe of in’ 
building their houfes are mud and grafs, which 
they fetch up from the bottom. It fometimes 
happens in very cold Winters, that the holes in 
their houfes freeze over, in fpite of all their efforts 
to keep them open. When that is the cafe, and 
they have no provifions left in the houfe, the 
ftrongeit preys on the weakeft, till by degrees 
only one is left out of a whole lodge. 1 have 
feen feveral inftances fuflicient to confirm the 
truth of this afflertion; for when their houfes 
were broke open, the fkeletons of feven or eight 
have been found, and only one entire animal. 
Though they occafionally eat fifth and other ani- 
mal food, yet in general they feed very clean, and 
when fat are good eating, particularly when nice- 
ly finged, f{calded, and boiled. They are eafily 
tamed, and foon grow fond; are very cleanly 
and playful, and fmell exceedingly pleafant of 
mufk; but their refemblance to a Rat is fo great 
that few are partial tothem. Indeed the only 
difference between them and a common Rat, ex- 
clufive of their fuperior fize, is, that their hind- 
feet are large and webbed, and the tail, inftead of 
being round, is flat and fcaly. 
Though 
