A Relation of the Small Creatures Called Sable-Mice, which Have Lately Come in Troops into Lapland, about Thorne, and Other Places Adjacent to the Mountains, in Innumerable Multitudes. Communicated from Sir Paul Rycaut, F. R. S. to Mr. Ellis, and from Him to the R. S.

Scolopendra Marina, &c. Described Numb. 225. of these Transactions. By Dr. Tho. Molyneux, F. R. S. VI. An Abstract of an Account of Five pair of Muscles, which serve for different Motions of the Head, on the First and Second Vertebra of the Neck: and of Two Ligaments, one of which fastens the Head to the First Vertebra, and the other fastens the First to the Second, with the History of an Uncommon Appearance of a Humane Skull. By Mons. Dupié, Surgeon in Paris. With Remarks by William Cowper. VII. An Anatomical Account of a Child's Head Born without a Brain in October last. 1698. By Mons. Bussiere. VIII. Part of a Letter from Mons. Geoffroy, F. R. S. to Dr. Sloane, giving an Account of the New Regulations of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Paris. IX. An Account of a Book. The Natural History of the Chalybeat and Purging Waters of England, with their particular Essays and Uses, &c. with Observations on the Bath Waters in Somersetshire. By B. Allen, Med. Bac. Printed for S. Smith and B. Walford, in St. Paul's Church-yard. I. A Relation of the small Creatures called Sable-Mice, which have lately come in Troops into Lapland, about Thorne, and other Places adjacent to the Mountains, in Innumerable Multitudes. Communicated from Sir Paul Rycaut, F. R. S. to Mr. Ellis, and from him to the R. S. In the Year 1697. these Sable-Mice were first observ'd, being near as big as a little Squirrel, their Skin streaked, and spotted black and light brown; they have Two Teeth Teeth above, and as many under, very sharp and pointed, their Feet like those of Squirrels; they are so fierce and angry, that if a Stick be held out at them, they will bite it, and hold it so fast, that they may be swung about in the Air; they are fat and thick, and without any Tail. In their March they keep a direct Line generally, from North-East to South-West, and are innumerable Thousands in each Troop, which for the most part is a Square, they march by Night, and in the Twilight, and lie still by Day. The Distance of the Lines they go in is of some Ells, all Parallel to each other, so that the places they have gone over, look like the Furrows in a Plowed Field. If they meet any thing that might stop them, they avoid it not, tho' it were a Fire, a deep Well, a Torrent, Lakes, or Morass, but without any Hesitation venture through, and by that means, many Thousands of them are destroyed and found dead in Waters, and otherwise. If they be met swimming over Lakes, and Attacked with Oars or Boat-hooks, they neither Retreat, nor offer to run up the Oars, &c. but hold on their Course, and if they be forced out of it, they presently return into it again; when they are met in Woods or Fields and stopt, they set themselves upon their hinder Feet like a Dog, and make a kind of barking or squeeking noise, leaping up as high as a Mans Knee, or near 8 Feet, defending their Line as long as they can; and if at last they be forced out of it, they creep into holes, and set up a cry sounding like biabb, biabb. They never come into any House, nor meddle with any thing that is Man's Meat; if a House happen to be in their Way, there they stop till they die; but through a Stack of Hay or Corn they will eat their Way; when they march through a Meadow, they endamage it much, by eating the Roots of Grass; but if they encamp there by day they quite spoil it, and make it look as if it were Burnt, or strewed with Ashes. The Roots of Grass, with rotten Wood, and the Insects in it, are their chief, if not only Food. 'Tis said these Creatures are very Fruitful, and bring forth eight or nine at a time, which is scarce to be believed; tho' it be certain that they breed, yet neither does that hinder their march; for some of them have been observed to carry one young One in their Mouth, and another upon their Back. It is reported, that some poor Laplanders, wanting other Food, have killed and eat several of these Creatures, and found their Flesh to taste like Squirrels: Dogs and Cats when they kill them eat only the Heads, and Birds of Prey only their Heart: During the Winter they lie under the Snow, and have their Breathing holes upon the top of it, as Hares and other Creatures use to have. The Common People are very glad of these Guests, fore-telling there will follow great Plenty of Game, as of Fowl, Squirrels, Lo-Cats, Foxes, &c. where of late years there has been great scarcity: Some old People say, these sort of Creatures were seen in Lapland, about 20 or 30 years ago, and that thereupon they had abundance of such Game. The Mice here mentioned, are the same with those called Mures Norwegici, and Described by Olaus Wormius, in a small Book wrote on this Subject, and Printed 1653. 4to. which Book is Reprinted Verbatim in his Museum. beginning p. 322. There being some Particulars in this Relation, not taken notice of therein, it was thought convenient it should be Printed.