They have broad, branching horns, a short tail, a shaggy neck, variable hair, according to the difference of the season, wide and long ears, prominent lips, small teeth, a thick hide, which cannot be easily pierced. The females separate from the males, when they have shed their horns. Both can be easily tamed. When hunted they spew hot water out on the the dogs. They possess great strength of hoof, so as to strike a wolf dead at a blow. Their flesh, either fresh or salted, is very nutritious ; the hoofs cure the falling sickness. But no game ifici is moreabundant here than deer, which browze

every where in large herds. When flying before wolves or hunters they oft times head towards streams, betake themselves to the water, where they are taken in great numbers, for whilst swimming across they get frightened by the echo from the mountains raised by the hunters on the opposite bank ; they dare not, consequently, approach land : meanwhile the hunters

» Remarkable elks.

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120 DESCRIPTION OF NEW NETHERLAND.

tie branches together, by which the deer, after being chased, are Sometimes dragged down. New \Vetherland also produces many muskeats, especially in marshy ground. The animals are partieularly beautiful; the skin by its black spots has a handsome appearance ; the mouth is full of sharp teeth, the tails trail far

behind. Many learned men dispute respecting the Civets whence civet, namely, whether it be the seed of the civet ; cat: Cardanus so maintains, but he is thoroughly refuted on this point by Julius Scaliger Matthiolus, whose opinions many embrace ; he affirms the civet to be the sweat of the cat, inasmuch asit was gathered most plentifully whenever these animals, wearied by excitement, pant for breath. But whilst the sweat dropt from the whole body, yet as it did not impregnate the whole with musk, it cannot be musk.