So NATURAL HI S TOR Y of NO R WA Z 



hand when the weather is altering, according to the unalterable 

 laws of nature. 



SECT. XX. 



EMuning. Of the Norvegkn quadrupedes, there is yet one left which 



may be referred to the clafs of rats and mice, it is called by fome 

 people Laemus; by others, Laemen, Lemming, or Lomhundf ; 

 in Lappifh, Lummick j in Swedilh, Fieldmuus, Rodmuus' 

 Sabelmuus j and of fome Latin writers, Mus Norvagicus, NorJk 

 Muus. Their original or native country, is the mountain or 

 rock of Kolen, in Lapland, belonging to the Swedes, as well as 

 to the Norvegian neighbouring provinces - 7 and we find a Swedilh 

 writer, namely, Olaus Magnus, is the firft among us, who, in 

 his Hift. Septentr. L. xviii. c. 20. has given us any written ac- 

 counts of this aftonifhing and pernicious creature ; though no- 

 more than what Geiher, in Icon animal. Cap. xvii. art* 2. has alfb 

 related; Jul. Caef Scalig. Exerc. 192. Se£t. 3. jac. Zieglero in 

 Defcript. Norveg. ad Caftra Bahuf. & Johnftonis in Taumatogra- 

 phiae Clafle iv. cap. 8. as well as in Hift. Nat. Quadruped, cap. 

 xviii. art. 3. has mentioned it : and the induftrious and learned 

 Do&. O Wormius has thought it worthy to be illuftrated with 

 a Scriptum Monographon, entitled, Hiftoria Muris Norvagici vel 

 animalis, quod e nubibus quandoque in Norvegia decidit, & fata 

 ac gramina magno incolarum detrimento celerrime depafcitur. 

 It like wife ftands in the Memoirs of the Academy of Sciences 

 in Sweden, ad arm. 1740, VoL i. p. 320. Hr. Linnseus alio re- 

 marks on the Lemming, in his two laft particular writings, and 

 the univerfal report of the country confirms the fa£ts, things not 

 confident with reaibn only excepted. After this premonition I 

 fhall give a Ihort extract, and leave it for others to amend ; for 

 this is the only way to attain, or make advancements in the 

 knowledge of nature, or to elucidate it by degrees. 



The Lemming's fhape and make, as Wormius L. C. represents 

 them in a print, (and I do not pretend to know any more, except 

 from their Ikins, of which I have feen many) is in part like a 

 moufe, and part like a rat, excepting that the tail is very fhort y 

 about a thumb's length, and a little turn'd up at the end $ the 

 legs are very Ihort, and icarce appear to keep the belly from the 

 ground ; the head and mouth are like a field moufe, with very 

 long and large whifkers, confifting of about half a fcore long hairs 



■f Lae Iflandis & Norvegis noxa vel damnum eft. Lseminge illis dicti funt mures 

 noxii fegetibus, Norvegis peculiares, quos coelo decidifTe, & per agros difperfos alicubi 

 ©bviarunt. O. Sperling in Notis ad Teftairu Abfalonis, No, j8 t p, 147. 



