nd thought it had a very sweet and delicate flavour; but
never had an opportunity of seeing one alive. I must, therefore, refer the
reader for a particular description of this beautiful animal, (for such it
is said to be,) to the Memoirs of the Academy of Petersburg, tom. iv. tab.
xiii.

I have already observed, that the dogs of this country are, in shape and
mien, exceedingly like the Pomeranian, with this difference, that they are
a great deal larger, and the hair somewhat coarser. They are of a variety
of colours; but the most general is a light dun, or dirty cream-colour.
Toward the end of May they are all turned loose, and left to provide for
themselves through the summer, being sure to return to their respective
homes when the snow begins to fall. Their food, in the winter, consists
entirely of the head, entrails, and back-bones of salmon; which are put
aside, and dried for that purpose; and with this diet they are fed but
sparingly. The number of dogs must needs be very great, since five are
yoked to a sledge, and a sledge carries but one person; so that on our
journey to Bolcheretsk, we required no fewer than an hundred and thirty-
nine, at the two stages of Karatchin and Natcheekin. It is also to be
remarked, that they never make use of bitches for the draft, nor dogs, but
those that are cut. The whelps are trained to this business, by being tied
to stakes with light leathern thongs, which, are made to stretch, and
having their victuals placed at a proper distance out of their reach; so
that by constantly pulling and labouring, in order to come at their food,
they acquire both the strength of limbs, and the habit of drawing, that are
necessary for their future destination.

The coasts and bays of this country are frequented by almost every kind of
northern sea-fowl; and amongst the rest are the sea-eagles, but not, as at
Oonalashka, in great numbers. The rivers inland (if I may judge from what I
saw in our journey to Bolcheretsk) are stored with numerous flocks of wild-
ducks of various species; one kind of which, in particular, has a most
beautiful plumage, and is called by the natives _a-an-gitche_; a word
intended to express its cry, which is not less singular than agreeable,
consisting of three distinct notes, rising, at equal intervals, above each
other.[68]

There is another species, called the mountain-duck,[69] which, Steller
says, is peculiar to Kamtschatka. The drake is covered with plumage of
extr