70 An Hiftorical Journal of 



brings them up in the Houfe. It is fomething ftrangc that alî 

 our Habitations have not whole Herds bf them. The Savages 

 iunt them bot feldom. 



There are alfo in the Woods of Canada many Wolves, or ra- 

 Of the Wohes ^'^^^ '^^^^ C^ts, for they -only refemble the 

 "'^ Wolves in a Kind of Howling : In every 



midl^oxes. Thing elfe, fays Mr, ^arrafin, they are 



genere felino (of the Cat Kind.) They, are true Hunters, which 

 live only on the Animals they catch, and which they purfue to 

 the Tops of the highefl Trees. Their Flefh is white and good 

 to eat. Their Skins are well known in France ; it is one of the 

 £nei1: Furs of this Country, and one of the greateil Articles of 

 its Trade. 



There are a Sort of black Foxes in the northern Mountains, 

 whofe Skins are much valued, but they are very fcarce. There 

 are fome that are more common, the Hair of which is black or 

 grey, and others of a tawny red. They find fome going up 

 the Mijjiffippi that are very beautiful, the Fur of which is of a 

 Silver Colour. We alfo .meet with here Tygers, and Wolves 

 of a fmaller Kind than our's. The Foxes here catch Water- 

 Powl in a very ingenious Manner. They go a little Way into 

 the Water, and come out again, and make a thoufand Capers 

 ■upon the Bank of the River. The Ducks, the Buftards, and the 

 like Birds who are pleafed with this Sport, approach the Fox : 

 When he fees them v/ithin his Reach, he keeps himfelf very 

 quiet at firft, not to fcare them ; he only wags his Tail to draw 

 them nearer, and the filly Birds give into the Snare fo far as to 

 pick his Tail. Then the Fox leaps upon them, and feldom 

 anifies his Aim. Some Dogs have been broke to this Way with 

 Succefs, an-"» thefe Dogs make a lharp War with the Foxes. 

 Here is a: Kind Pole- Cat, which they call Enfant cle Diabk or 

 Of th'^ fmaH ^^^^ Puante (the Child of the Devil, or ftink- 

 p ] ^^^^ ^^"^S Beaft) becaufe when it is purfued, it 



^^"^U* makes a Urine which iHnks the Air for half a 



M:.le round. It is in other Refpeds, a very pretty Anim.al. It is 

 about as high as a fmall Cat, but bigger round, has bright Hair 

 inclining to grey, with tv/o v/hite Lines, which form on the 

 Back an oval Figure from its Head to the Tail. Its Tail is 

 biifiiy like a Fox''s, and it carries it like a Squirrel. Its Fur is 

 like that of the Fekans, another Kind of wild Cat, about the 

 fame Bignefs of our's. Otters Skins, common Pole-Cat's, the 

 Pitois or Stote, the Field Rat's, the Ermine's, and the Marten's, 

 are vv^hat we call the fmall Peltry. The Ermine is about the 

 $i2:e of our SqmrrQÎ, but fomething longer ; its Hair is a fine 

 white, and it has a very long Tail, the End of which is as black 

 as Jet. The Martens in Canada are not fo red as thofe of 



France 



