z 4 NATURAL HI S TOR Y of NOR WA T. 



SECT. XIII. 



Squirrel. Egernet, the Squirrel, called here alfo Ikhorn. This is a 



well-known creature: it feeds chiefly on hazle-nuts, and other 

 dry fruits, which it gathers in large quantities during Summer, 

 for the Winter provifion. This little creature is grey, and its 

 well-known skin, called Graa Werck, is much valued by the 

 ladies *. They are fhot with blunt arrows, and are catch'd alfo 

 in fnares and traps, in this manner : they raife a pole againft a 

 tree, which the Squirrel readily runs up, without regarding the 

 trap at the end, as it has a bird's head, or fomething of that 

 kind, for a bait. Some have dogs to catch them with ; on a 

 chip, or piece of wood> they'll fail crofs a fmall water on this 

 expedition, and make ufe of their tail for a fail ; and with one 

 foot they'll paddle, and fleer themfelves with the other; and 

 thus they efcape fometimes thofe that wait afhore for their landing, 

 and find themfelves miftaken, by thinking they mufl come with 

 the wind f . 



S E C T. XIV. 



Ermin. ||-Hermelin Ermin, called here Roefe Cat, becaufe it hides itfelf 



in the cracks of rocks, and among heaps of ftones. Some are 

 of opinion it is the fame which Pliny calls Ponticus Mus ; and I am 

 under fome doubt whether it is different in Kind from the Danifh 

 weafel ; the fhape and fize may be known from its well-known 

 precious white skin_, which has a black fpot on the tail : this fur 

 is now become commoner than in former times; for now in 

 Bergen there is fcarcely a woman but has a cloak ornamented, 



* In Chronico Norvegico^ p. m. 94. Haraldum Erici regem Graafell, a pellibus iftis 

 grifeis cognomen tulifTe dicitur, quod veftem fuam. grifeis pellibus forratam geftare 

 ceperit. O. Sperling in notis ad Teftam. Abfolon. p. 115. It Hands in the fame 

 place that in Vendfyffel is found a fort of Black Egerne, or Squirrels, which is intro- 

 duced in Frifers arms. 



-f- In Ruffia there is a particular fort of fquirrel, that has fuch wide fkins at their fides, 

 that, by the help of them, they fly through the air from tree to tree, ufingthem as wings. 

 J. G. du Vernoi has publifhed fome Anatomical Qbfervations relating thereto ; they are 

 to be found in Commentar. Academ. Petropolitans, Tom. v. p. 218. under this title : 

 De Quadrupede Volatili Ruffise. And more is to be found in the Englifh royal fociety's 

 Philofophical Tranfacfions, Tom. xxxviii. Art. iv. I think that flight is nothing 

 but a long jump, or leap, which is helped by the long and light tail, as well as the 

 long hairs and loofe fkins on the iide. I have not been afTured that this fort is native 

 of Norway •, though by Car. Linnasus's words, it is to be prefumed, who has found 

 them in Lapland. Sciurus hypochondriis prolixis volitans habitat in Finlandia & 

 Lapponia. Fauna Suecica, p. 6. The common fort of Squirrels are found here 

 in large quantities, and the flefh is not defpifed by the farmers in Valders : it looks 

 white, they make foup of it, and fay that the meat is not bad tafted. 



|| The Ermin is of the weafel kind ; and indeed fcarce differs at all from the common 

 weafel, except in colour. It is called Hermellanus and Ermeneus by authors. 



ftced, 



