9S On Muriaie of Soda. 



bouring atmosphere is in no degree impregnated with it, a 

 number of facts oeeur concerning the eagerness with which 

 w ild and domesticated animals devour this refreshing ma- 

 terial. 



Wherever, by an indulgent provision of nature, the mu- 

 riate of soda is found in the soil of the interior parts ot 

 North America, thither the wild beasts of the forests are 

 invited, by its diflusive and savoury qualities, to regale 

 tliemsclvcs. The volatility and odour ai' salt in the atmo- 

 sphere is such, that a man travelling from the interior country 

 toward the sea-coast, can very distinctly smell the saline 

 impregnation at a considerable distance. It is believed upon 

 the strongest grounds that brute animals ar<- affected by a 

 similar sensation. But such of them as pass their lives in a 

 maritime air, become soon insensible of the salt which sur- 

 h)unds tl\.em, although they are apparently imbibing it in 

 considerable quantity. In islands and regions along the 

 ocean, this process of absorption, whereby salt as well as 

 water is taken into the constitution, seems to be conti- 

 nually going on. They, therefore, who make observations 

 y and experiments in a maritime atmosphere, would do well 



ill their publications to make too some allowance for the 

 muriatic tincture of it. 



'Jhe spots of the inland country where salt exists, either 

 in the soil or the springs, arc frequented, as was observed, 

 by the beasts of the forests. They apply their toi>gucs to 

 the earth so impregnated, and gather as nmch as will supply 

 tlieir wants. The spots thus resorted to are called /icA* or 

 Ikking-pluces. Some of these /icAvv are dry ; but the greater 

 number is moist, the water either slowly oozirig out, or 

 bursting forth in springs. Both the earth and the waters 

 are charged with different quantities of salt, from the most 

 trifling portion that the acute taste of a wild creature can 

 diitiniruish, to an impregnation of greater strength, and 

 even to a tolerably strong brine. 



The animals w hich frequent these licks, for the purpose 

 of salting themselves, are deer, elk, and bison (miscalled 

 the buflalo). Their bones are frequently found in the 

 nmddy and wet places around or near them. It is not 

 known that carnivorous bea-ls, such as wolves, panthers, 

 or wild cats, ever visit the inks for the purpose of regaling 

 thcmstlves with salt ; their only object is to seek prey among 

 the creatures who go there for that purpose : and to the de- 

 struction of the weaker graminivorous brutes by the more 

 ferocious ones who devour lic»h, is to be ascribed a part of 

 tlie collection or stratum of broken skeletons which abound 



thereabout 



