QUADRUPEDS. 
279 
from the other. By both these approaches to the 
field, the dogs belonging to Reikevig were run¬ 
ning with the greatest speed, while their compa¬ 
nions of the neighboring country were hastening 
to the place of rendezvous from other quarters. 
We counted twenty-five of them, not all of the 
true Icelandic stock (the Fiaar-huundar ), but 
some of different kinds, which had probably been 
brought to the country by the Danes; and I pre¬ 
sume it was one of these, much larger and stronger 
than the rest, who placed himself upon an emi¬ 
nence in the centre of the crowd. In a few se¬ 
conds, three or four of them left the main body, 
and ran to the distance of thirty or forty yards, 
where they skirmished in a sort of sham battle; 
after which, one or two of these returned, and 
one, two, or three others immediately took their 
places: party succeeding party, till most, if not 
all, had had their share in the sport. The cap¬ 
tain remained stationary. The engagement was 
in this manner kept up by different detachments, 
the dogs continuing their amusement in perfect 
playfulness and good humor, though not without 
much barking and noise, for about a quarter of 
an hour, when the whole of them dispersed, and 
took the way to their respective homes in a less 
hasty manner than they had arrived. 
Four species of Phoca are noticed by Mohr, in 
