The glutton climbs up a tree, and when he lees a deer within his
reach, he leaps up its back, and fallens himfelf by his teeth and
claws until he has killed the animal. The glutton is charged
with a moil extraordinary pertinacity of appetite, and is laid to
eafe his llomach when overloaded, by fqueezing out its contents
between two trees; after which he falls to eating again, and continues
the like pra&ice as long as any part of his prey remains uneaten.
This curious circumllance refpeding the glutton is a tale
th a t has been often told, and derived from ancient times, yet does
not on th a t account deferve the more credit. The better and
more probable opinion is, that this animal having been efpied between
two trees, in order, by rubbing againll them, to relieve the
itching of his Ikin, it has been fuppofed that he had placed himfelf
there for the purpofe before-mentioned; and hence this
llory has taken its rife, and feems to have given name to the
beall. The glutton is moreover accufed of robbing thofe repoli-
tories we have already defcribed, in which the Laplanders llore
the venifon intended for their fummer emigration; but this
is a theft which, unlefs there is evidence that the animal was
caught in the fail, is as chargeable to the wolf or fox, both of
them of great notoriety as dexterous thieves, and confeffedly here
in great numbers. The ikin of the glutton fetches a great price,
and is ufed for muffs and the linings of coats. From the Ikin of
the legs, the Lapland women cut out patterns for gloves, which
they work with tinfel after their falhion.
The beaver is found in feveral parts of Finmark by the fide ol
lakes
lakes and rivers. Wonderful Itories are related of this animal, of
his extraordinary fagacity in conflrudting his habitation for the
winter, which includes lodging and llore rooms, befides a cold
b a th ; moreover, that in the conftruition of this habitation, he
makes ufe of his tail as a trowel, &c. all which are entertaining in
the perufal, but exceed the utmoll llretch o f probability. As
impoflible is it to believe that the beaver Ihould fuffer himfelf to
be drawn about by his fellows, in order to form a carriage for
the conveyance of birchen llicks for building; a circumllance
which is inferred from the appearance of their fur being much
rubbed, as if this might noL be more naturally accounted for, by
fuppoling their lkins to be thus flopped of their hair from creeping
out and in of their haunts. Thefe narrations are- to be feen
in the accounts of fome travellers, but we would rather refer to
them, than give them a place here, as we wilh more to inform
than merely to amufe. T h e caftoreum prepared from the beaver
is ufed as a medicine, and is faid to have the power of driving
away the whale from ihips or boats wherein it happens to be
found ; for which purpofe fifhermen occalionally take it to lea
with them. The Laplanders dilpofe of the fkins they take in
Ruffia, the ufe of which in the manufacture of hats, and in lining
garments, is well known. White beavers have been obferved in
fome parts of L apland; but this is merely a variety, or rather a
monltrous production of nature, and to be claffed with inllances
of the like kind in other four-footed animals as well as birds;
The beavers are taken in their lurking places by a trap door, which
F f 2 lhuts