120 
GENERAL REMARKS 
fhus up its entrance, and prevents the animal’s egrefs. The Lap¬ 
landers give to the beaver the name of majeg. 
Otters abound in Finmark, where they are called by the Lap¬ 
landers zhjevres, a name which is applicable to the male as well as 
female of this animal. There are three fpecies or varieties of the 
otter, as, lft. The fea-otte'r, called by the Norwegians the hav, or 
brem-otter ; the fur of this otter is coarfe, and its colour a pale 
yellow : thefe are very common, and the price of a fkin is a Danifh 
crown. 2d. The bay-otter, called in Norway the fiord-otter , and 
fo named becaufe found in the bays and harbours: this otter is 
fmaller, and his fur brighter than the former, and of a blackifh 
colour; a fkin of this otter will produce three Danifh half crowms. 
3. The frefh-water-otter, called in Norway vas-otter , havhig a 
white breaft and raven-coloured back. The fkin ot this otter is 
worth five Danifh half crowns, and often more. The otter is 
cafily tamed, and may be trained to catching fifh for the benefit 
of its matter; and notwithftanding it is but a Email animal itfelf, 
it is able to feize and bring a large cod-fifh to fhore. Whilft this 
animal is feeding, he conttantly keeps his eyes fhut, which enables 
the hunter to approach him until he is within gun-fhot. Befides 
fhooting, the Laplander takes the otter in fnares and traps, and 
tells the fkins to the Ruffian merchants, who make confiderably 
more than cent, per cent, by difpofing of them again in Tartary. 
The coaft of Finmark abounds with feals, which are found 
there of various fizes : the skins of fome kinds are black, of others 
white, and of fome of both colours mixed. There are like wife 
fome 
