PAULOVSKOY. 
288 
chap, as a frontier town against the Tahlars and Turks. 
. 1 _ ^ The territory of the former then extended to 
Bachmut, on the southern side of the Donetz ; 
and that of the Turks, to the place where now 
stands the fortress of Dimitri, upon the Don. 
There was here a Botanic garden, as at JVoronetz ; 
but of this not a trace now remains. The 
underwood about the place was, in Gmelin's 
time, a forest: it is daily diminishing, but it 
Animals, contains many animals common in the sur- 
rounding steppes ; as bears, ivolves, foxes, martens, 
hares, weasels, ermines, and squirrels. Among the 
birds, not frequent elsewhere, may be mentioned 
the pelican : vast flights arrive annually from the 
Black Sea and the Sea of Azof, accompanied by 
swans, cranes, storks, and geese. They alight at 
the mouths of the Don, and proceed up the 
river: in autumn they return by the same 
route. Pelicans construct their nests of rushes, 
lining the interior with moss, or any soft herb. 
Such nests are found only upon the small islets 
of the river, and in places where moss may be 
procured. They lay two white eggs, about the 
size of those of the swan, and employ the same 
time in hatching. If disturbed while sitting, 
they hide their eggs in the water ; taking them 
out afterwards with their bill, when they believe 
the danger removed. They live altogether upon 
fish, and consume a prodigious quantity. The 
