344 HISTORY OF 



The two divisions, however, continue their engagements and 

 animosity until one party overcomes the other. From that 

 time they utterly disappear, nor is it well known what becomes 

 of either the conquerors or the conquered. Some suppose that 

 they rush headlong into the sea; others, that they kill themselves, 

 as some are found hanging on the forked branches of a tree ; 

 and others still, that they are destroyed by the young spring 

 herbage. But the most probable opinion is, that, having de- 

 voured tlie vegetable productions of the country, and having 

 nothing more to subsist on, they then fall to devouring each 

 other J and, having habituated themselves to that kind of food, 

 continue it. However this be, they are often found dead by 

 thousands, and their carcases have been known to infect the air 

 for several miles round, so as to produce very malignant dis- 

 orders. They seem also to infect the plants they have gnawed, 

 for the cattle often die that afterwards feed in the places where 

 they passed. 



As to the rest, the male is larger and more beautifully spotted 

 than the female. They are extremely prolific ; and, what is ex- 

 traordinary, their breeding does not hinder their march j for 

 some of them have been observed to carry one young one in their 

 mouth, and another on their back. They are greatly preyed 

 upon by the ermine, and, as we are told, even by the rein-deer. 

 The Swedes and Norwegians, who live by husbandry, consider 

 an invasion from these vermin as a terrible visitation ; but it is 

 very different with respect to the Laplanders, who lead a vagrant 

 life, and who, like the lemings themselves, if their provisions be 

 destroyed in one part of the country, can easily retire to another. 

 These are never so happy as when an army of lemings come 

 down amongst them ; for then they feast upon their flesh ; which, 

 though horrid food, and which, though even dogs and cats are 

 known to detest, these little savages esteem veiy good eating, 

 and devour greedily. They are glad of their arrival also upon 

 another account, for they always expect a great plenty of game 

 the year following, among those fields which the lemings have 

 destroyed. 



THE MOLE. 



To these minute animals of the rat kind, a great part of whose 

 lives is passed in holes under gtornid, I will subjoin one little 



