New Jerfey, Raccoon. 381 



they are touched they make a noife and moan ; 

 they then fometimes affume a form, as if they had 

 blown up the hind part of the back, fo that it 

 makes a high elevation ; and then they do not ftir, 

 though touched. When they are put alive into 

 fpirits of wine, they die within a minute. 



Mar. 1 2th. THE bird which the Englifb and 

 Swedes in this country call Robin-red-breajl *, is 

 found here all the year round. It is a very dif- 

 ferent bird from that which in "England bears the 

 fame name. It is Linnceuss tfurdus migratorius. 

 It iings very melodioufly, is not very ihy, but 

 hops on the ground, quite clofe to the houfes. 



THE Hazels (Corylus avellana) were now open- 

 ing their bloflbms. They fucceeded beft in a 

 rich mould, and the Swedes reckoned it a fign 

 of a good foil where they found them growing. 



Mar. 1 3th. THE alder (Betula Alnus) was juft 

 bloffoming. 



THE Dracontium fcetidum grew plentifully in 

 the marfhes and began to flower. Among the 

 ftinking plants, this is the moft foetid ; its nau- 

 feous Icent was fo ftrong, that I could hardly 

 examine the flower ; and when I fmelled a little 

 too long at it, my head ached. The Swedes 

 call it Byorn-blad (bear's-leaf) or Byorn-retter 

 (bear's-root.) The Englijh call it Polecat-root, 

 becaufe its effluvia are as naufeous and foetid as 

 thofe of the polecat, which I have mentioned 

 before. The flowers are purple- coloured ; when 

 they are in full flower, the leaves begin to come 



* Of this bird we have giver, a figure in plate 3, where like- 

 wife the Mocking-bird is reprefented ; both drawn after fpecimens 

 lately brought from America, and which we were favoured with. F. 



out 



