THE DOG KIND. 



327 



isatis is very common in all the northern coun- 

 tries bordering upon the Icy Sea ; and is sel- 

 dom found, except in the coldest countries. It 

 extremely resembles the fox, in the form of its 

 body, and the length of its tail ; and a dog, in 

 the make of its head, and the position of its 

 eyes. The hair of these animals is softer than 

 that of a common fox; some are blue, some 

 are white at one season, and at another of a 

 russet brown. Although the whole of its hair 

 be two inches long, thick, tufted, and glossy, 

 yet the under jaw is entirely without any, and 

 the skin appears bare in that part. 



This animal can bear only the coldest cli- 

 mates, and is chiefly seen along the coasts of 

 the Icy Sea, and upon the banks of the great 

 rivers that discharge themselves therein. It is 

 chiefly fond of living in the open country, and 

 seldom seen in the forest, being mostly found 

 in the mountainous and naked regions of Nor- 

 way, Siberia, and Lapland. It burrows like 

 the fox ; and, when with young, the female 

 retires to her kennel, in the same manner as 

 the fox is seen to do. These holes, which are 

 very narrow, and extremely deep, have many 

 outlets. They are kept very clean, and are 

 bedded at the bottom with moss, for the ani- 

 mal to be more at its ease. Its manner of coup- 

 ling, time of gestation, and number of young, 

 are all similar to what is found in the fox; and 

 it usually brings forth at the end of May or the 

 beginning of June. 



Such are the particulars in which this ani- 

 mal differs from those of the dog kind, and in 

 which it resembles them : but its most striking 

 peculiarity remains still to be mentioned ; 

 namely, its changing its colour, and being seen 

 at one time brown, and at another perfectly 

 white. As was already said, some are natu- 

 rally blue, and their colour never changes ; 

 but such as are to be white, are, when brought 

 forth, of a yellow hue, which, in the beginning 

 of September, is changed to white, all except 

 along the top of the back, along which runs a 

 stripe of brown, and another crossing it down 

 the shoulders, at which time, the animal is 

 called the crossed fox ; however, this brown 

 cross totally disappears before winter, and then 

 the creature is all over white, and its fur is two 

 inches long : this, about the beginning of May 

 begins to fall ; and the moulting is completed 

 about the middle of July, when the isatis be- 

 comes brown once more. The fur of this 



animal is of no value, unless it be killed in 

 winter. 



THE HYAENA. 



THE hyaena is the last animal I shall men- 

 tion among those of the dog kind, which it, in 

 many respects, rrsembles, although too strong- 

 ly marked to be strictly reduced to any type. 

 The hyaena is nearly of the size of a wolf; and 

 has some similitude to that animal in the shape 

 of its head and body. The head, at first sight, 

 does not appear to differ, except that the ears 

 of the hyaena are longer, and more without 

 hair ; but, upon observing more closely, we 

 shall find the head broader, the nose flatter, 

 and not so pointed. The eyes are not placed 

 obliquely, but more like those of a dog. The 

 legs, particularly the hinder, are longer than 

 those either of the dog or the wolf, and diffe- 

 rent from all other quadrupeds, in having but 

 four toes, as well on the fore-feet as on the 

 hinder. Its hair is of a dirty grayish, marked 

 with black, disposed in waves down its body. 

 Its tail is short, with pretty long hair; and im- 

 mediately under it, above the anus, there is an 

 opening into a kind of glandular pouch, which 

 separates a substance of the consistence, but 

 not of the odour, of civet. This opening 

 might have given rise to the error of the an- 

 cients, who asserted, that this animal was eve- 

 ry year alternately male and female. Such 

 are the more striking distinctions of the hyaena, 

 as given us by naturalists ; which, neverthe- 

 less, convey but a very confused idea of the 

 peculiarity of its form. Its manner of holding 

 the head seems remarkable ; somewhat like a 

 dog pursuing the scent, with the nose near the 

 ground. The head being held thus low, the 

 back appears elevated, like that of the hog, 

 which, with a long bristly band of hair that 

 runs all along, gives it a good deal the air ol 

 that animal ; and, it is probable, that from this 

 similitude it first took its name ; the word 

 huoina being Greek, and derived from hits, 

 which signifies a soiv. 



But no words can give an adequate idea of 

 this animal's figure, deformity, and fierceness ; 

 more savage and untameable than any other 

 quadruped, it seems to be for ever in a state of 

 rage or rapacity, for ever growling except 

 when receiving its food. Its eyes then glisten. 



