Between Albany and Saratoga, %%f 



The houfes hereabouts are generally built 

 of beams of wood, and of unburnr bricks 

 dried by the fun and the air. The beams 

 are firfi erected, and upon them a gable 

 with two walls, and the fpars. The wall 

 on the gable is made of boards. The roof 

 is covered with mingles of fir. They make 

 the walls of unburnt bricks, between the 

 beams, to keep the rooms warmer ; and 

 that they might not eafily be deftroyed by 

 rain and air, they are covered with boards 

 on the outfide. The cellar is below the 

 houfe. 



The farms are either built clofe to the 

 river-fide, or on the high grounds; and 

 around them are large fields with maize. 



We faw great numbers of Mnjk-Rats 

 fCaftor Zibethicus Linn.) on the mores of 

 the river, where they had many holes, fome 

 on a level with the furface of the water. 

 Thefe holes were large enough to admit a 

 kitten. Before and in the entrance to the 

 holes, lay a quantity of empty fhells, the 

 animals of which had been eaten by the 

 Mujk-Rats *. They are caught, in traps 

 placed along the water- fide, and baited with 

 fome maize or apples. 



The 



| * This appears to be a new obfervatlon, as &m*-us t De 

 Buffon, and $arrafw pretend, they only feed on the Acorns, 



\ m Reeds, and other roots, F. 



