94 BRITISH AMERICA.

Hudson’s Bay, and the north-west territory. They are seldom found on the land during Winter, but go out on the ice. The females that are pregnant, however, seek shelter at the skirts of the nearest' woods; these animals, when full grown, are heavier than most‘oxen, yet their young are not larger than , : hares: MT he female has only two teats, placed between the forelegs. This immense and powerful animal is very shy, and afraid of coming near man ; yet, when closely pressed in the water, they will attack a boat, and wrest the oars from the strongest man ; but the crew, being always provided with fire- arms, shoot them as they are'attempting to get into the boat. The Esquimaux prefer the skin to any other kind of clothing. They dress it by scraping off the fat, and rubbing it while frozen in winter, and soon make the pelt as beautifully white as the hair is. The flesh is strong, but the people in the service of the Hudson’s BayCompany consider it very palatable.

Foxes are numerous, and seem to possess all the cunning usually attributed to the species. They do not, however, kill sheep or lambs, nor do they often destroy poultry, as they generally procure sufficient food at less risk in the woods, or along the shores. They are caught in traps, or inveigled by a bait to a particular place, where they are shot by a person lying in wait, during the clear winter nights; at which time the ice and snow deprive them in a great mea- sure of their usual means of subsistence. The fur is much finer than that of ’the English fox; its prevail- ing colour is red. some foxes are jet black, others