[ i57 3 



is hung to dry. Leemius, in other parts of his work, men- 

 tions, that they devour the heads of thefe mice only, with the 

 greateft avidity ; which alfo may arife from want of other food, 

 as it is believed that no other quadruped (which chews the cud) 

 deftroys animals for the purpofe of fufrenance. 



All defcribers of the Rein have taken notice of the cracking 

 noife which they make when they move their legs, which 

 HofFberg attributes to the animals feparating and afterwards 

 bringing together the divifions of their hoof ; but he does not 

 aflign the caufe of the Reins fo doing, which I conceive to 

 be the following 11 . 



The Rein inhabits a country which is covered with mow for 

 great part of the year; the hoof therefore of this quadruped is 

 moft admirably adapted to the furface which it is moft com- 

 monly to tread. 



The under part is entirely covered with hair, in the fame man- 

 ner that the claw of the Ptarmigaw is with feathery b riffles, 

 which is almoft the only bird that can endure the rigour of the 

 fame climate. 



The hoof, however, is not only thus protected ; the fame 

 neceffity which obliges the Laplanders to ufe mow fhoes makes 

 the extraordinary width of the Rein's hoof to be equally conve- 

 nient in palling over fnow, as it prevents their finking too deep, 

 which they would be fubject to eternally, did the weight of their 

 body reft only on a fmall point. . 



k M. Buffbn fuppofes that the Elk makes the fame mapping noife 

 with the Rein, which, if true, feems to arife from its having the fame 

 occafion to traverfe large tracfs oi fnow. I can only fay that I faw a live 

 Elk about ten years ago, which belonged to Lord Rockingham, and that, 

 though I put this awkward quadruped in motion, I did not hear any fuch 

 noife. Sir Jerom Bowes, who was ambalTador from Queen Elizabeth 

 to the Duke of Muicovy, brought with him from thence an Elk. 

 Cambden's Annals, i<8a. 



