{Fox.}
The Fox of Carolina is gray, but smells not as the Foxes
in Great-Britain, and elsewhere. They have reddish Hair about their Ears,
and are generally very fat; yet I never saw any one eat them.
When hunted, they make a sorry Chace, because they run up Trees, when pursued.
They are never to be made familiar and tame, as the Raccoon is.
Their Furs, if in Season, are used for Muffs and other Ornaments.
They live chiefly on Birds and Fowls, and such small Prey.
{Supposed Lion and Jackall.}
I have been inform'd by the Indians, that on a Lake of Water
towards the Head of Neus River, there haunts a Creature,
which frightens them all from Hunting thereabouts. They say,
he is the Colour of a Panther, but cannot run up Trees;
and that there abides with him a Creature like an Englishman's Dog,
which runs faster than he can, and gets his Prey for him. They add,
that there is no other of that Kind that ever they met withal;
and that they have no other way to avoid him, but by running up a Tree.
The Certainty of this I cannot affirm by my own Knowledge,
yet they all agree in this Story. As for Lions, I never saw any in America;
neither can I imagine, how they should come there.
{Rats.}
Of Rats we have two sorts; the House-Rat, as in Europe; and the Marsh-Rat,
which differs very much from the other, being more hairy,
and has several other Distinctions, too long here to name.
{Mice.}
Mice are the same here, as those in England, that belong to the House.
There is one sort that poisons a Cat, as soon as she eats of them,
which has sometimes happen'd. These Mice resort not to Houses.
{Dormouse.}
The Dormouse is the same as in England; and so is the Weasel,
which is very scarce.
{Rearmouse.}
The Bat or Rearmouse, the same as in England. The Indian Children
are much addicted to eat Dirt, and so are some of the Christians.
But roast a Bat on a Skewer, then pull the Skin off, and make the Child
that eats Dirt, eat the roasted Rearmouse; and he will never eat Dirt again.
This is held as an infallible Remedy. I have put this amongst the Beasts,
as partaking of both Natures; of the Bird, and Mouse-Kind.
Having mention'd all the sorts of terrestrial or Land-Animals,
which Carolina affords and are yet known to us, except the Tame
and Domestick Creatures (of which I shall give an Account hereafter,
when I come to treat of the Ways and Manners of Agriculture in that Province)
I shall now proceed to the known Insects of that Place.
Not that I pretend to give an ample Account of the whole Tribe,
which is too numerous, and contains too great a Diversity of Species,
many not yet discovered, and others that have slipt my Memory at present;
But those which I can remember, I here present my Readers withal.
