NATURAL HISTORY of NORWAY. |i 



Sometimes, -however, the Bear is contented with beating his 

 conquer' d enemy with his paws, till lie feerns to be dead ; and 

 when he perceives that he draws no more breath, he'll leave him ; 

 fometimes that way a life is faved. If the farmer conquers, which 

 generally happens, he tben fleas the Bear, and fixes up the head, 

 as a trophy of viclory, and proof of his courage, on his houfe. 

 I have fometimes feen farmers houfes, ornamented with three or 

 four at a time. A hide will fell for four, five, or fix rixdollars. 

 They fay the flefti does not tafte badly, but 'tis rather too much 

 like liver, excepting when it is falted ; a fine fat Bear ham is 

 generally commended, and does a hoft as much honour, at a wed- 

 ding, as it gives pleafure and fatisfadion to the guefts K 



SECT. VIIL 



The Wolf, Ulven. which is otherwife called Varg, alias Graa- The woi£ 

 been, is now become the plague and torment of this country. 

 In former times it is not known that a Wolf ever was feen in 

 the diocefe of Bergen. Filefield was then the bound of this crea- 

 ture's devaluations ; he never pafTed that mountain, till about the 

 year 17 1 8, or at the end of the laft war, at which time the 

 armies marched ; and all manner of neceflaries of life were 

 tranfported over that mountain in the Winter, and the infatiable 

 Wolf followed the feent of the provifion. By that means this 

 creature was firft drawn over thofe mountains, and now we are 

 no where fecure, except on the iflands : for the Winters are not 

 near fo fharp (as I have before obferved.) Near the fea it is much 

 milder than elfewhere, and feldom lb fevere as to freeze over the 

 water to the iflands, with ice enough for them to go upon. 



The Wolf is fhaped not unlike to a large dog, but its teeth 

 and claws are much (tronger : they are in colour commonly grey, 

 but in the mountains in Winter white ; they have five or fix 

 young at a time • and we fet ourfetves moft earneftly to deftroy 

 them. ^ The old ones are very carelefs, and don't feek for fafe 

 places in the woods to hide themfelves, as the bear does J but 

 run about in flocks on the mountains, and barren places f. The woir. food. 

 Wolf's proper food or fubfiftence is prey of all fuch creatures as 

 he can conquer, even dogs ; for in hard Winters he will run into 

 the farmers yards after, and fometimes devour them at the kennel* 



* Bear's flefh is reckoned one of the greateft rarities among the Chinefe. According 

 to Pere du Halde s account, the emperor will fend 50 or 100 leagues into Tartary, to 

 fetch them, againft a great entertainment. 



t Hr. C. Linnasus is of another opinion, according to his Fauna Suecia, p. 5 , 

 where he fays, that the Wolf's proper habitation is in woods, Habitat hodie vulgaris 

 m iilvis, ante 26 annos rarius animal in Suecia. 



Part II. F if 



