October the 22d. Upon trial it has been found that the following animals and birds, which are wild in the woods of North America, can be made nearly as tractable as domestic animals.
The wild Cows and Oxen, of which several people of distinction have got young calves from these wild cows, which are to be met with in Carolina, and other provinces to the south of Pensylvania, and brought them up among the tame cattle; when grown up, they were perfectly tame, but at the same time very unruly, so that there was no enclosure strong enough to resist them, if they had a mind to break through it; for as they possess a great strength in their neck, it was easy for them to overthrow the pales with their horns, and to get into the corn-fields; and as soon as they had made a road, all the tame cattle followed them; they likewise copulated with the latter, and by that means generated as it were a new breed. This American species of oxen is Linnæus’s Bos Bison, β.
American Deer, can likewise be tamed; and I have seen them tame myself in different places. A farmer in New Jersey had one in his possession, which he had caught when it was very young; and at present it was so tame, that in the day time it [[208]]run into the wood for its food, and towards night it returned home, and frequently brought a wild deer out of the wood, giving its master an opportunity to shoot it. Several people have therefore tamed young deer, and make use of them for hunting wild deer, or for decoying them home, especially in the time of their rutting.
Beavers have been so tamed that they have gone on fishing, and brought home what they had caught to their masters. This often is the case with Otters, of which I have seen some, which were as tame as dogs, and followed their masters wherever they went; if he went out in a boat, the otter went with him, jumped into the water, and after a while came up with a fish. The Opossum, can likewise be tamed, so as to follow people like a dog.
The Raccoon which we (Swedes) call Siupp, can in time be made so tame as to run about the streets like a domestic animal; but it is impossible to make it leave off its habit of stealing. In the dark it creeps to the poultry, and kills in one night a whole flock. Sugar and other sweet things must be carefully hidden from it, for if the chests and boxes are not always locked up, it gets into them, eats the sugar, and licks up the treacle with its paws: the ladies therefore [[209]]have every day some complaint against it, and for this reason many people rather forbear the diversion which this ape-like animal affords.
The grey and flying Squirrels are so tamed by the boys, that they sit on their shoulders, and follow them every where.
The Turkey Cocks and Hens run about in the woods of this country, and differ in nothing from our tame ones, except in their superior size, and redder, though more palatable flesh. When their eggs are found in the wood, and put under tame Turkey hens, the young ones become tame; however when they grow up, it sometimes happens that they fly away; their wings are therefore commonly clipped, especially when young. But the tamed turkeys are commonly much more irascible, than those which are naturally tame. The Indians likewise employ themselves in taming them and keeping them near their huts.
Wild Geese have likewise been tamed in the following manner. When the wild geese first come hither in spring, and stop a little while (for they do not breed in Pensylvania) the people try to shoot them in the wing, which however is generally mere chance. They then row to the place where [[210]]the wild goose fell, catch it, and keep it for some time at home, by this means many of them have been made so tame, that when they were let out in the morning, they returned in the evening, but to be more sure of them, their wings are commonly clipped. I have seen wild geese of this kind, which the owner assured me, that he had kept for more than twelve years; but though he kept eight of them, yet he never had the pleasure to see them copulate with the tame ones, or lay eggs.
Partridges, which are here in abundance, may likewise be so far tamed, as to run about all day with the poultry, and to come along with them to be fed when they are called. In the same manner I have seen wild Pigeons, which were made so tame as to fly out and return again. In some winters there are immense quantities of wild pigeons in Pensylvania.
October the 24th. Of all the rare birds of North America, the Humming bird is the most admirable, or at least most worthy of peculiar attention. Several reasons induce me to believe that few parts of the world can produce its equal. Dr. Linnæus calls it Trochilus Colubris. The Swedes and some Englishmen call it the King’s bird, but the name of Humming bird is more common. [[211]]Catesby in his Natural History of Carolina, Vol. i. page 65, tab. 65. has drawn it, in its natural size, with its proper colours, and added a description of it.[34] In size it is not much bigger than a large humble bee, and is therefore the least of all birds,[35] or it is much if there is a lesser species in the world. Its plumage is most beautifully coloured, most of its feathers being green, some grey, and others forming a shining red ring round its neck; the tail glows with fine feathers, changing from green into a brass colour. These birds come here in spring about the time when it begins to grow very warm, and make their nests in summer, but towards autumn they retreat again into the more southern countries of America. They subsist barely upon the nectar, or sweet juice of flowers contained in that part, which botanists call the nectarium, and which they suck up with their long bills. Of all the flowers, they like those most, which have a long tube, and I [[212]]have observed that they have fluttered chiefly about the Impatiens Noli tangere, and the Monarda with crimson flowers. An inhabitant of the country is sure to have a number of these beautiful and agreeable little birds before his window all the summer long, if he takes care to plant a bed with all sorts of fine flowers under them. It is indeed a diverting spectacle to see these little active creatures flying about the flowers like bees, and sucking their juices with their long and narrow bills. The flowers of the above-mentioned Monarda grow verticillated, that is, at different distances they surround the stalk, as the flowers of our mint (Mentha) bastard hemp (Galeopsis) mother-wort (Leonurus) and dead nettle (Lamium). It is therefore diverting to see them putting their bills into every flower in the circle. As soon as they have sucked the juice of one flower, they flutter to the next. One that has not seen them would hardly believe in how short a space of time they have had their tongues in all the flowers of a plant, which when large and with a long tube, the little bird by putting its head into them, looks as if it crept with half its body into them.