ARCTIC FOX. 327 
generally from 70 to 65 degrees latitude. They 
abound in Nova Zembla: are found in Cherry 
island, midway between Finmark and Spitzbergen ; 
to which they must have been brought on islands 
of ice; for it lies above four degrees north of 
the first, and three south of the last : and, lastly, 
in the bare mountains between Lapland and Nor- 
way. 
They are the hardiest of animals^ and even in 
Spitzbergen and Nova Zembla prowl for prey dur- 
ing the severity of winter. They live on the young 
wild geese, and all kinds of water-fowl; on their 
eggs; on hares or any lesser animals; and in 
Greenland (through necessity) on berries, shell- 
fish, or whatsoever the sea throws up. But in 
the north of Asia, and in Lapland, their princi- 
pal food is the Leming (a species of mouse). The 
Arctic Foxes of those regions are as migratory 
as those little animals ; and when the last make 
their great migrations, the former pursue them in 
vast troops. But such removals are not only un- 
certain, but long: dependent on those of the 
Leming. The Foxes will, at times, desert their 
native countries for three or four years, probably 
as long as they can find any prey. The people 
of Jenisea imagine that the wanderers from their 
parts go to the banks of the Oby. Those found 
on Bering's and Copper isles were probably 
brought from the Asiatic side on floating ice: 
Steller havinp- seen in the remoter islands onlv 
the black and brown Foxes : and the same only 
on the continent of America. They burrow in 
