THE CRldETUS. 121 



ground. About the latter end of August they begin 

 to fill these storehouses with pease, beans, and different 

 kinds of corn ; and when they have completed their 

 labour, they close up the mouth with so much inge- 

 nuity that it's entrance cannot be found. 



The appetite of this quadruped is so very voracious, 

 and they are capable of devouring such immense quan- 

 tities of com, that Government holds out rewards for 

 their destruction, from the dread that they should ab- 

 solutely over-run the land; but, like the other species 

 of this animal, they decrease their number by making 

 war upon themselves* 



THE LEMING. 



The leming, which is a native of Scandinavia, is 

 often seen to pour down in myriads from the northern 

 mountains, and, like a pestilence, destroys all the pro- 

 ductions of the earth. The leming is described as be- 

 ing rather larger than a dormouse, with the same kind 

 of bushy tail, though not so long ; the body is of a 

 reddish brown, with black spots ; the eyes are small, 

 but very black ; the ears are round ; and the hinder 

 legs are longer than those before. 



The astonishing multiplication of this destructive 

 little animal is as surprising as its migration ; and, as 

 all the species of the rat-kind are known to increase 

 more in damp than dry situations, it is generally after 

 moist and rainy seasons that the country is annoyed 

 by these desolating pests. 



As they never make their appearance but after very 

 heavy and long-continued rains, the ignorance of the 

 Laplanders is so great, that they believe they fall from 

 the clouds ; and indeed so many millions combine to- 

 gether in a troop, that they deluge a whole plain with 



