Z oology. to Kamchatka, while the manati, perhaps the mermaid of fable, inhabits
the ftraits o f Beering, and the illes between the "continent's. To enumerate
the other animals of this extenfive part of Afia would be iuper-
fluous, as Siberia is,To rich in zoology and -botany, that, as Mr.. Pennant
obferves, even the difeovery of America has fcarcely imparted a greater
number.ofobiedts to the naturalift.
. It will be more appofite to the prefent purpofe to give a brief idea
of the m oft interefting animals. The horfes -of the Monguls, are of
lingular beauty, fome being ribbed like tlie tyger, and others.fpotted
like the leopard. The noftrils of the foals 'are commonly flitted, that
they may inhale more air' in the eourl’e. v The three great Nomadic
nations of the centre of Afia, the Tatars, Mo&guls;, and Mandfhurs,
have rio averfion to horfe flelh, which is in their opinion, fujpeEidr'. to
beef ,5 but it is» never eaten raw, 4$ fabled^ though they fometimes dry
it in the fun and air, when it will keep for a long time, and. is eaten
without further preparation. The adon, or ftud of%,pt^l|fe 'Mpt&gpjl,
may contain between three and four thoufand horfes and uiares. The
cattle are o f a middling flze, and pafs the winter ip the yepps or defarts.
As thefe nations ufe the milk of mares, fo they employ-the cow for
draught, a firing being paffed through a hole made -in their „noftril.
Mr. Bell met a beautiful Tatar girl aftride on a cow, attended by. two
male fervants. The lheep are o f the broad tailed kin,d-; but the delicately
waved lamblkins are procured by the cruel practice o f opening
the womb of die mother. m
The beft-fables are found near Yakutfk and Nerlhinfk ; but thplje, o f
Kamchatka are the, moll, numerous, and fevCral ftratagems are employ ed
to catch or kill the animal» without any injury to theJkin, which is
fometimes worth ten pounds on the fpot. The black foxes are alfo
highly efteemed, one fkin being fometimes fufficient to pay the tribute
of a village.13 The rock or ice fox, generally of a white colour, fometimes
bluilh, is found in great numbers in the eaftern Archipelago.
This animal rivals the ape in fly tricks and mifehief.. Other animals
• purfued for their Ikins are the marmot, the marten, the fquirrel, the
ermine, and others of inferior repute. The bear is deftroyed by many
*3 Tooke’s View, iii. 43,
ingenious. methods.- 1 The Kpriaks contrive a loop and bait hanging Zoplo«
from a tree, by which he is fufpended. In the fouthern mountains his
- ufual path is w-atebfed, a rope is laid'in it with a heavy block at one
;énd, and a noofe at the other. When thus entangled by the neck he
I I either exhaufted by dragging fo great k weight, or attacking the , .
.block with fury he throws ;it down fontejprecipice, when it feldom fails
to drag him • to deftrudion. On the; European fide of the Uralian
chain, where the peafants form bee Iviyes ip 'tall trees, the bear is de- •
'flroyed in a^empdto, &i?;e hpney, ,by a tr^p^^lfejatóts' l^fpenged
from a ftroug branch, and '{lightly attached to the entrance of the hive :
the animal finding this platform ,convenient for his purpofe undoes the -
flight fattening .to get at his lufcious repaft, but is iunafUly^^nyeyed
ijo'a great diftanee, and'remains in the perp^ndlopl^rj01 tte (b‘taucli, dill
! .fie be difeovered and (hot by the cont-riyers,,.*. Morunuft Ae^heasfeLand
Jthe^eivet' cat .bpceunirted, tfie latter animal found ii| 'thgiAltaiajt
chain, aud that fupreme prominence of Afia which extends to Tibet,
tjropgh ,perJ^apSifpmetime3 90nf p^n d b 7 travelers with the .ptfufk deer
o f Tibet; aud »even the civet ,cat rather refenjbfes tfie f@x, .Thé elk
alfo abounds.in Siberia \ the champis is fb’untf pnThe Cauc^ffiri. mountains
; and feyeral kinds of ^ te h ^ eO n DaouriSf/ Thé wild bbaf’grows
ltè,fücfi\ a .;fiïp,tfiat tire tu;(ks ar^lometimes faid^tli^M’p i ïix'hündred -
’ po^q^Sjdn no w ild e r that ■ wT'?hjgaü'bf tlje 'tu'fks’bf
pleplj^Ut^fQH&d ifi Siberia.'4 The wildborfe, afs^ndi lheep/ are mi-
^nut>ly:fiefcnb,ed .b y .Fallas j but the-various fliadesp£ difference be7
tweemraern and the doihcftic animals tett mS4 fe'"%r' .fhiésTapid
furvey.
The miiieraibgy. o f Siberia is equally fertile, and displays many fin- Mineral
gular and. interefting objeds. ' Peter the' great, who direded his atten- ' „
tjon to every objedt of utility, was the firft vvlio ordered thefe remote
minesi'tb be ekploraf, which have fihc-e fiippliett great rëfouféetof national
wealth and induftry. ' For .the. example of Spain, adduced by
theorifts againft this important branch, without which neither agricul- .
tuïe,*or.:any.óf;vthe arts ocaald.prj6>fper, -is^an .e^feptioii^g^d'.^pt^a^rwleV
and only fhews thatmifman^gement tr^y ru.in any advantage. Atwell
Tooke, iit,v'yg.