90 ANIMALS OF THE 



these wild and extensive forests, that for a great 

 part of the year are covered with snow ; and in 

 this instance, as in many others, the luxuries and 

 ornaments of the vain are wrought out of the 

 dangers and the miseries of the wretched. These 

 are obliged to furnish a certain number of skins 

 every year, and are punished if the proper quan- 

 tity be not provided. 



The sable is also killed by the Russian soldiers, 

 who are sent into those parts to that end. They 

 are taxed a certain number of skins yearly, like 

 the former, and are obliged to shoot with only a 

 single ball, to avoid spoiling the skin, or else with 

 a cross-bow and blunt arrows. As an encourage- 

 ment to the hunters, they are allowed to share 

 among themselves the surplus of those skins which 

 they thus procure ; and this, in the course of six 

 or seven years, amounts to a very considerable 

 sum. A colonel, during his .seven years' stay, 

 gains about four thousand crowns for his share, 

 and the common men six or seven hundred each 

 for theirs. 



THE ICHNEUMON. 



THE Ichneumon, which some have injudicious- 

 ly denominated the Cat of Pharaoh, is one of the 

 boldest and most useful animals of all the weasel 

 kind. In the kingdom of Egypt, where it is 

 chiefly bred, it is used for the same purposes that 

 cats are in Europe, and is even more serviceable, 



