THE PACIFIC OCEAN*. 
34* 
I nTuft refer the Reader for an account of the if at is % or *779. 
O stolid 
ar£iic fox, to Mr. Pennant’s Arctic Zoology, as I never faw . 
either the animal or the fkin, which I underftand they fet 
no value upon. The varying hare t is alfo negledted on the 
fame account. They are in great abundance; and, as is 
always the cafe with this fpecies, turn quite white during 
the winter. Our fhooting parties faw feveral of this colour 
the beginning of May, but found them fo fhy, that they 
were not able to get within gun-fhot. 
The mountain-rat, or earlefs marmot J, is a beautiful lit¬ 
tle animal, conliderably fmaller than a fquirrel, and, like it, 
feeds upon roots, berries, the cedar-apple, &c. which it eats 
fitting upon its hind-legs, and holding them up to its mouth 
with the paws. Its fkin is much valued by the Kamtfcha- 
dales, is both warm and light, and of a bright fhining co¬ 
lour, forming, like the plumage of fome birds, various co¬ 
lours when viewed in different lights. 
The float, or ermine §, is here held in no eftimation, and, 
confequently, never engages the attention of the hunters, 
becaufe, as I have heard, its fur is of an ordinary kind. I 
faw many of thefe little animals running about; and we 
bought feveral of their fkins, which were of a bad white, 
and of a dirty yellow toward the belly. The common 
weafel || is alfo negle£ted, and for the fame reafon. 
On the contrary, the fkin of the glutton, or wolverene f, 
is here in the higheft repute ; infomuch, that a Kamtfcha- 
dale looks upon himfelf as moll richly attired, when a 
fmall quantity of this fur is feen upon him. The women 
adorn their hair with its pats, which are white, and con- 
* Cams lagepus. f Lepus tbnidus. J Mus cite Hus. 
§ Mujiela erminea. t| Mujlela nivalis . f[ XJrfus lufcus . 
fidered 
