lhus up its entrance, and prevents the animal’s egrefs. The L ap landers
give to the beaver the name of majeg.
Otters abound in Finmark, where they are called by the L ap 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, i l l . T h e fea-otter, called by the Norwegians the hav, or
brem-otter; the fur of this otter is coarfe, and its colour a pale
yellow: thele are very common, and the price of a ikin is a D anilh
crown. 2d. The bay-otter, called in Norway <he fiord-otter, and
lb named becaule found in the bays and harbours: this otter is
fmaller, and his fur brighter than the former, and of a blackilh
colour; a Ikin of this otter will produce three Danilh half crowns.
3. The frelh-water-otter, called in Norway vas-otter, having a
white breall and raven-coloured back. The ikin of this otter is
worth five Danilh half crowns, and often more. T h e otter is
ealily tamed, and may be trained to catching fiih for the benefit
of its mailer; and notwithllanding it is but a fmall animal itfelf,
it is able to feize and bring a large cod-filh to fhore. W h illl this
animal is feeding, he conllantly keeps his eyes lhut, which enables
the hunter to approach him until he is within gun-lhot. Befides
lhooting, the Laplander takes the otter in fnares and traps, and
fells the Ikins to the Ruffian merchants, who make confiderably
more than cent, per cent, by, difpofing of them again in T artaiy.
The coall of Finmark abounds with feals, which are found
there of various lizes : the skins of fome kinds are black, of others
white, and of fome of both colours mixed. There are likewife
lome
lome of that fpecies of animals which are known by the name
of fea-horfes ( trichechus rofmarus) , by the Norwegians called hval-
ros, and by the Laplanders morjk. The fea-horfe has broad nof-
trils, a thick tongue, and large prominent teeth, by which he can
fallen himfelf to the rocks fo as not eafily to be drawn from th em :
thefe teeth are, for their fuperior whitenefs, preferred to ivory.
T h e Laplanders fometimes ihoot them, and often attack them
with clubs when they come on lhore at the fealbn of their breeding.
On thele occafions the males make a llout refiilance, and
the females will fight in defence of their young till they them-
felves are killed. This animal, as well as the leal, is amphibious,
being as often feen on the rocks and on the beach as in the fea.
Squirrels, to which the Norwegians give the name of ikorn, and
the Laplanders orre, are taken in many parts of Finmark. They
are generally Ihot with blunt arrows from crofs-bows, to preferve
the beauty of their skins. When they are fold, they are put up
in lots of forty ikins each, which produce to the firll feller a crown
or dollar.
The ermine, which is a kind of weazle, breeds in Finmark in
immenfe numbers : to this little animal the Laplanders give the
name of boitta. The point of its tail is. black, and the reil of its
body white. It is taken in traps, and, like the common weafle,
is exceedingly voracious and bold, frequently attacking animals of
a much larger fize than itfelf. When caught in a trap it conllantly
voids its urine, which, if it touch the skin, generally ilains it yellow
and fpoils it.
In