412 Hl. H. Howorth—The Mammoth in Siberia. 
The great natural history written in the sixteenth century, and 
entitled Bun zoo gan rom, says—The beast Tien shu is mentioned 
in the ancient ceremonial written in the fourth century B.c., and is 
called Fyn ‘shu and In shu, ie. ‘the self-concealing mouse.’ It is 
found in holes in the ground, has the appearance of a mouse, but is 
as large as a buffalo. It has no tail, and is of a dark colour. Its 
strength is very great, and it digs itself holes in the ground in hilly 
and woody places. Another writer says the Fyn shu frequents only 
dark and solitary places, and dies when it sees the rays of the sun or 
moon. Its feet are very short in comparison with its bulk, so that 
it travels only with difficulty. Its tail is about a Chinese ell long, 
its eyes very small, and its neck crooked. It is also stupid and 
inert.” In a great flood on the river Tan Shuan in 1571, many Fin 
shu appeared on the plain (Klaproth, note to Tilesius, Mems. St. 
Pet. Acad., 5th ser.-vol. d, pp. 409—411). These notices are very 
curious, since they show that the Chinese from early times not only 
were acquainted with fossil ivory from Siberia, but also knew of the 
occurrence there of Mammoths with their flesh and skin intact. The 
notion that they were still living underground has been very 
generally held by the indigenes of Siberia, and is a natural conclu- 
sion from the occurrence of the bodies in such a perfect state of 
preservation. I have already quoted the statement of Erman in this 
behalf. As early as 1731 we find Theodore de Hare, in his Disser- 
tatio et Observationes Sacrarum Sylloge, writes—« de Mammuth seu 
Maman quod animal in regionibus septentrionalibus sub terra vivere 
referunt.” 
Father Avril, whose narrative I have already referred to, 
tells us, “The Russians have discovered a sort of ivory which is 
whiter and smoother than that which comes from India. Not,” he 
says quaintly, “that they have any Elephants that furnish them with 
this commodity, but other amphibious animals which they call by 
the name of Behemot, which are usually found in the river Lena, or 
on the shores of the Tartarian sea... . Nor are elephants’ teeth 
comparable to them, either for beauty or whiteness, besides that they 
have a peculiar property to staunch blood, being carried about 
a person subject to bleeding. The Persians and Turks, who buy 
them up, put a high value upon them, and prefer a scimitar or 
a dagger haft of this precious ivory before a handle of massy gold 
or silver.” Again he says—‘ Nobody better understands the value 
of this ivory than they who first brought it into request, considering 
how they venture their lives in attacking the creature that produces it, 
which is as big and as dangerous as a crocodile.” ’ From a Russian, 
whom Avril calls Mushim Pushkun, then Vowoda of Smolensko, 
and who, he says, had been a long time Intendant of the Govern- 
ment of Siberia, and knew the countries beyond the Obi well, he 
learnt “that at the mouth of the Lena there was a spacious island 
very well peopled, and which is no less considerable for hunting the 
Behemot, an amphibious animal, whose teeth are in great esteem. 
The inhabitants go frequently upon the side of the frozen sea to hunt 
this monster, and because it requires great labour and assiduity, they 
