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OLAFSEN AND POYELSENS 



a great part of the day in their agricultural labours. They like- 

 •wise assert that the aquatic horse couples with the common 

 mare, and that thence have proceeded certain horses in Iceland 

 of so ticklish or delicate a disposition, that on making them enter 

 the water up to their bellies, they rear and throw the rider, as 

 well as any burden they may bear. 



It is, however, not probable, that the Icelanders, by the aquatic 

 horse, mean the hippotamus which is found in the great rivers 

 of Egypt and other parts of Africa. On the contrary, the latter 

 differs in every respect from the description given to the former; 

 and even supposing it to be the same, it might be asked, how 

 it could exist in so cold a climate, and in lakes w here it could 

 lind nothing to feed on. We may, therefore, presume, that 

 the Nikour of the Icelanders is merely a serpent, or some other 

 marine animal of a prodigious size, which may have been often 

 observed in the lakes and rivers. 



| DOGS. 



In this part of Iceland, three species of dogs are particularly 

 remarkable : the first of which is the sheep-dog, or, as Button 

 calls it, the Iceland dog ; it has long hair, short and thick legs, sharp 

 muzzle, and carries the tail curved and erect. It is of great ser- 

 vice to the shepherd, having always an attentive eye over the 

 Hocks ; and the moment it perceives a sheep to stray, it takes 

 great pains to bring it back. There is another variety of sheep- 

 dog, v.ith rough or frizzled hair, which is extremely adroit, and 

 learns all sorts of tricks. The second species is the largest: it 

 has smooth hair, is high upon its legs, and very similar to the 

 common dog of Denmark ; it is trained to fox-hunting, and is 

 very dextrous in unkenneling, pursuing, and killing this animal, 

 The third species is nearly like that last-mentioned, only differing 

 in the thickness of its tail. 



CATS. 



There is only one kind of cat in Iceland, which is the same as 

 that of Denmark: it is naturally tame, and resides in the houses: 

 though there are some which become wild by wandering in the 

 fields, and take up their retreat among the rocky fragments that 

 "fall from the mountains, where they prey upon sparrows and other 

 small birds. It appears, that cat-skins once formed an article 

 of commerce in Iceland, since they were taxed in the old tariffs 

 at hah an wre y which is equivalent to ten Danish schillings. 



OF FOXES. 



There are two species of foxes in this country, the white 

 (conisr lagopus), and brown (cauis vulpes). They destroy a 

 number of lambs, and even attack sheep, by fixing on their 



