[359] The Martin. Under this name are doubtless confounded the Marten (Mustela Americana) and the Fisher (M. Pennanti). The size, however, even in case the Fisher alone were referred to, is greatly overstated.
[360] The Racowne is the common well-known Raccoon (Procyon lotor).
[361] Josselyn says of the Raccoon: “their grease is soveraign for wounds with bruises, aches, streins, bruises; and to anoint after broken bones and dislocations.” (Two Voyages, p. 85.) A little further on (p. 92) he notes: “One Mr. Purchase cured himself of the Sciatica with Bears-greese, keeping some of it continually in his groine.”
[362] The Redd Fox is our common Red Fox (Vulpes vulgaris, var. Pennsylvanicus). The Gray Fox is doubtless the Virginian or Gray Fox (Urocyon cinereoargentatus) of the South and West, an animal formerly occurring in New England but long since nearly extirpated. This is inferred from Josselyn’s account of the Jaccal (New England’s Rarities, p. 22), rather than from any clew given in Morton’s text. The absence of strong scent referred to relates to the Gray Fox, a character mentioned by Josselyn in his brief but sufficiently explicit description of his Jaccal.
[363] “The Indians say they have black foxes, which they have often seen, but never could take any of them. They say they are Manittóoes, that is Gods, spirits, or divine powers, as they say of every thing which they cannot comprehend.” (Williams’s Key, ch. xvii.) The black fox-skin, Josselyn says (Rarities, p. 21), “heretofore was wont to be valued at fifty and sixty pound, but now you may have them for twenty shillings; indeed there is not any in New England that are perfectly black, but silver hair’d, that is sprinkled with gray hairs.” The black wolf’s skin, he says (ib. p. 16), “is worth a Beaver Skin among the Indians, being highly esteemed for helping old Aches in old people, worn as a Coat.” Of the foxes Wood remarks: “Some of these be blacke; their furre is of much esteeme.” (Prospect, p. 19.) Elsewhere he says that the fur of a black wolf was “worth five or sixe pounds Sterling.” (Ib. 20.)
See, also, supra, [205], note 2.
[364] The Wolf is the large Gray Wolf (Canis lupus), formerly abundant throughout New England, and well known to vary in color as mentioned by Morton.
[365] “They be made much like a Mungrell, being big boned, lanke paunched, deepe breasted, having a thicke necke and head, pricke eares, and long snoute, with dangerous teeth, long staring haire, and a great bush taile.... It is observed that they have no joynts from their head to the taile, which prevents them from leaping or sudden turning.” (New England’s Prospect, p. 20.) See Josselyn’s Rarities, p. 14, and Two Voyages, p. 83. He says: “They commonly go in routs, a rout of Wolves is 12 or more, sometimes by couples.” Of the Virginia species, Clayton says: “Wolves there are great store; you may hear a Company Hunting in an Evening, and yelping like a pack of Beagles; but they are very cowardly, and dare scarce venture on anything that faces them; yet if hungry will pull down a good large Sheep that flies from them. I never heard that any of them adventured to set on Man or Child.” (III. Force’s Tracts, No. 12, p. 37.) According to Strachey, these Virginia wolves were “not much bigger then English foxes.” (Historie, p. 125.) Wood, however, says that the Massachusetts wolves cared “no more for an ordinary Mastiffe, than an ordinary Mastiffe cares for a Curre; many good dogges have been spoyled by them.” Shortly after the landing from the Mayflower at Plymouth, John Goodman, one evening in January, “went abroad to use his lame feet, that were pitifully ill with the cold he had got, having a little spaniel with him. A little way from the plantation two great wolves ran after the dog; the dog ran to him and betwixt his legs for succour. He had nothing in his hand, but took up a stick and threw at one of them and hit him, and they presently ran both away, but came again. He got a pale-board in his hand; and they set both on their tails grinning at him a good while; and went their way and left him.” (Young’s Chron. of Pilg., p. 178.)
[366] Supra, [205], note 2, and [207], note 4.
[367] The common Black Bear (Ursus Americanus).