206 NATURALIST'S CABINRT. 



Migrations. 



drying in the sun. They associate in pairs; and 

 except during the summer, when the male leads 

 a solitary life in the woods, the male and female 

 commonly sleep in the same nest. 



The migrations of these quadrupeds have been 

 noticed both by Dr. Grieve and Mr. Pennant ; 

 but neither of them have attempted to explain 

 the cause. " In the spring," says the former 

 writer, " they assemble in amazing numbers, and 

 proceed in a direct course westward; swimming 

 with the utmost intrepidity over rivers, lakes, 

 and even arms of the sea. Many are drowned, 

 and many destroyed by water-fowl or rapacious 

 fish. Those that escape, on emerging from the 

 water, rest awhile to bask, dry their fur, and re- 

 fresh themselves. The Kamtschadales, who have 

 a kind of superstitious veneration for these little 

 animals, whenever they, find any of them thrown, 

 upon the banks of the rivers, weak and exhaust- 

 ed, render them every possible assistance. As 

 soon as they have crossed the river Penschinska, 

 at the head of the gulf of the same name, they 

 turn in a south-westerly direction ; and about the 

 middle of July, generally reach the rivers Ochot- 

 ska and Judoma a distance of about a thousand 

 miles! The flocks are also so numerous, that tra- 

 vellers have sometimes waited about two hours 

 for them to pass. The retirement of these ani- 

 mals is considered by the Kamtschadales as a se- 

 rious misfortune; but their return occasions the 



