NATURAL, HISTORY of NORWAY. zj 



unlike a boar's tufk ; 'tis of a tawny or yellow colour: with 

 this, as with a fmall ax, the Beaver fells any kind of trees, and 

 prepares the wood for the jokes ; he fits all together, and then 

 lays them, or fixes them over one another, fo that they wont 

 eafily fall. After this, to tranfport thefe building materials to 

 the fpot, he ufes a raoft furprifing addrefs, as I am affur'd by 

 many who have been witnefs : It is this. A number are 

 employed on this work together ; and one will fufFer himfelf to 

 be ufed as a cart, which the others, like horles, take hold of, 

 fattening on him by the neck, and dragging him along ; for this pur- 

 pofe he firft throws himfelf on his back, with his legs up, between 

 which they lay their already fitted and prepared timber ; and in 

 that manner bring it to the fpot where the building is to be 

 ere&ed, one load after the other*; but this always cofts the firft 

 a bare back, for it takes all the hair off; which hair and caftoreum 

 are the two valuable things found on this creature. The hair or 

 fur, it is well known, is ufed for the fineft hats, as well as for 

 a very light and foft fort of cloth. 



SECT. XVI. 



The Otter, Odder, a well-known creature, which not a little 0m ^ 

 refembles the beaver, and lives upon all forts of fifh : they are 

 found in Norway, both in fait and frefh waters ; they live in 

 holes betwixt the rocks ; from whence the huntfman decoys them, 

 by imitating the voice of their mates. They are very nice, and 

 will only eat the fatteft fifh : the eagle and crow wait upon the 

 Otter to take his leavings; unlefs it be a young Otter, and then 

 the eagle drives him away from his prey. Thefe creatures, when 

 young, may be tamed and ufed to a houfe, by feeding them with 

 milk, and they will become daily fifhers for their matter; they'll 

 go out on command, and bring in one fifh after the other to the 

 kitchen. This a very creditable man in this neighbourhood ha$ 



* Something of this kind is related of the known MaramotS, Marmotis or Murmer* 

 dyr, in afpe£t ibmething like a cat. The learned cardinal Polignac afcribes, perhaps, 

 too much to them, in his Antilucretios, Lib. VI. lately publifhed, wherein he relates, 

 that in a civil war betwixt them, the conquered prifoners, after a jure belli, are 

 fentenced to be (laves to the conqueror ; and particularly to be ufed for waggons, to 

 bring home their hay and winter provifion ; in the fame manner and pofition, a,s juft 

 related of the Beaver. 



Protinus ad mef&m ducunt fervata ferendam 

 Mancipia, inverfifque folum premere atque fupinis 



Corporibus, turn crura jubent attollere furfum X 



. Quatuor erectis perftent, ut gramina palis 

 Inde onerant caudaque trahunt animantia plauftra^ 

 Erafoque via.s miferorum tergore verrunj;. 



tried, 





