34 REINHA.RDT ON THE MAMMALS OF GREENLAND. 



Kraken * which drew stout ships down to the bottom of the sea, 

 in a Greenlandic version, still terrifying the squat seal-hunters 

 who gather round the blazing Kotlup during the long winter 

 nights ; but I need say nothing further about it. It is one of 

 the old trols of Scandinavia, familiar enough to all of us. 



Still more would it be an idle task to inquire regarding that 

 ** sea monster " which good Hans Egede saw, and Pastor Bing 

 sketched <' off our colony in 64° north latitude."! 



I have said enough to show that, though there is yet much to 

 be done to the legitimate zoology of Greenland proper, there is 

 still more to be done in what may be called the illegitimate 

 zoology — the history of zoological myths and errors. 



II. — Note on additional Mammals of Greenland. In a 

 letter to Prof. A. Newton, from Prof. J. Reinhardt, 

 University Museum, Copenhagen, dated Feb. 2, 1875. 



{See List of Mammals in the Appendix to H. Rink's " Gronland," by J.Rein- 

 hardt, 1857. See also the foregoing Article.) 



"As to what relates to the Mammals there are two very in- 

 teresting additions made by the German Arctic Expedition, viz., 

 the Ovibos moschatus and Putorius ermineus. I believe, however, 

 that both are restricted to the east coast. An animal of the 

 size of the Ovibos, at least, could scarcely have escaped being 

 observed during the long period of the Danish colonization, if 

 it really lived along the western coast, where the Danish settle- 

 ments are. One must also keep in mind that the interior of 

 Greenland is most likely all covered with ice, in fact, one im- 

 mense glacier. It would be very strange if any Mammal should 

 be able to cross it from east to west. Even the Myodes torquatus 

 {Mus grcenlmidicus) has never been observed at the Danish 

 Settlements. 



" But even the list of the Mammals of West Greenland has 

 received an addition during late years. A magnificent white Wolf 

 {Canis lupus, var. alba) was killed at Omenak during the winter 

 1868-69. The skin is beautifully stuffed in the Museum. I have 

 been told that there were two individuals in company, but one of 

 them escaped ; and afterwards footmarks of an old Wolf and of its 

 whelps seem to have been observed." See above, p. 31. 



* Krakeiiy Kraxen, Krahhen, and Horven, see Pontopiddan, Nat. Hist, of 

 Norway, vol. ii. p. 211 ; Ancker-Trold, Glaus, Wormius, Torfseus, &c. 

 "j- Lib. cit, p. 86. 



