12 R. BROWN ON THE MAMMALS OF GREENLAND. 



of them can be said to be 'acclimatized. The Horse (Nej^sasoak) 

 was once introduced into Greenland, but only remained for a short 

 time. As far as I can discover, its importation was for the pm-pose 

 of Major Oscean and Capt. Landorff, who in 1728 proposed the 

 mad-cap scheme of " riding across Greenland ! " 



(/3) As the winter approaches, most of the Birds leave the country 

 and do not return again until spring. The terrestrial Mammals are 

 proliibited, by the insularity of the country, from resorting to this 

 method of escaping the rigours of the climate, or the scarcity of 

 food. The Bear to some extent hybernates, though, as I shall 

 afterwards show, this hybernation is not so complete as is usually 

 supposed. The migratory Mammals are therefore limited to the 

 marine species. 



All of the Seals, with the exception of Trichechus rosmarus, 

 Cal/ocephaliis vitulinus, and Pagomys fcetidus, leave the coast 

 during a portion of the winter, and even of the summer. The 

 migration of the Seals is too complicated a subject to be discussed 

 in a general review ; under my notes on each species I shall have 

 occasion to recur to it. In hke manner all the Cetacea leave the 

 seas in the winter, with the exception of Monodon monoceros and 

 Beluga catodoii, which can be seen at open places in the ice all the 

 winter through. Why these species should be Avinter denizens in 

 preference to the others it is difficult to decide. Several species 

 have Avhat may be called a local migration, moving from one 

 portion of the coast to another, north and south, during the summer, 

 according to the state of the ice, &c., — all of which will be noticed 

 in another place. 



(y) The species indigenous all the year round are therefore the 

 terrestrial Mammals and the remainder of the marine species not 

 already mentioned as migratory, viz., Ursits maritimus, Canis 

 familiaris, var. borealis, Vidpes lagopus, Mustela crminea, Le- 

 pus glacialis, Myodcs torqtcatus, Ovibos inoschatus, Rangifcr 

 tarandus, Trichechus rosmarus, Callocephalus vitulinus, Pagomys 

 f(jetidus, Monodon monoceros, and Beluga catodori. 



In addition to these well established species there are others 

 frequently entered among the Greenland Mammalia, some of 

 which have but scant right to a place, and others are entirely 

 mythical, as I will show in a section on these animals. Amorg 

 these 1 class Giilo borealis ( Ursus luscus), Phoca ursina ( Callo- 

 rhinus iirsinus), and Trichechus manatus {Bhytina gig as) as 

 animals with little or no claim to be admitted members of the 

 arctic fauna. 



The columns for the " Local distribution in Greenland " are 

 arranged solely with reference to our present knowledge of the 

 range of the species in the country, and, being only temporary and 

 to a great extent artificial, are subject to changes as our knowledge 

 of the species extends. At the same time I think it only right to 

 say that they have been very carefully compiled, after considerable 

 study of the natural range of the species, and upon principles , 

 akin to those for the general distribution of the species. 



The column headed " East coast only" I have erected for the 

 reception of Mustela erminea solely, all the species of the east 



