The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1874-01-20

- SbhiOto AL IN 4NAIORAL Y,
The Lemming multiples SO rapidly
that in the course of ten or twelve seasons
food becomes scarce, and on the approach
OF some winter whom the food question
has become one of life or death, the over.
stocked marke. is relieved by an expedi.
ent unparalleled 10 its nature among
tourfooted animals. This singular little
creature is so local in its habits, that un.
less under the circumstances we are about
to narrate, it never leaves the mountain
regions to establish itself on the plains,
where food is more abundant. The in.
human suggestion of modern writer,
that our paupers should be packed into
rotten ships, which should be sent out to
sea and scutted, is something like the
method adopted by the Jennings them.
selves to avert the famine which threat.
ems to annihilate the entire species. When
the time for the settlement of the question
oil partial determination for the benefit oil
the race, or total determination by star.
vaiion can no longer be delayed, they
assemble in countless thousands in some
OF the mountain valleys leading into the
seltcs- and ,thr army nf marturs heino
straight line, living stream, often ex-
ceediug Il mile iu length and many yards
in breadth, devouring every green thing
in the line of march, the country over
which they have passed looking as if it
had been plowed or burned with fire.
They march principally by night and in
the morning, resting during the day, but
never seek to settle in any particular 10.
cality however abundant food may be in
it, for their final destination is the distant
sea, aud nothing animate or inanimate,
if it can be surmounted, retards the
straight onward tide Of their advance
When the reindeer gets envcloped in the
living strcam,thcy will not even 60 round
its limbs, but bte its legs until, in its
agony aud tcrror,it plunges madly about.
crushing them to lcath in hundreds, and
even killing them with its teeth. If a
man attempts to stem the living torrent,
they leap upon his legs; aud if no lays
about him with stick. they seize it with
their teeth, and hold on TO it with such
determined portinacity that he may swing
it rapidly round his head without com.
pell;ug them to loosen their hold. Ii a
corn or hay-rick be in the way, they cat
through it; and on arriving at the smooth
face OF a rock, they pass round Informing
up III cloe column again on the other side
Lakes, however broad, are boldly enter.
ed, and the passage attempted, and the
rivers, however deep and rapid, are ford
ed, impedimenls in the water being a:
boldly faced as those on shore. They
have been known 70 pass over boat anc
to climb on to the deck Of ship, passing
without stop or stay into the water on th'
further side, Their natural instincts aI'
not in allegiance during this migration
!, as females are frequently seen accompa
nicd by their young, aud carrying in the
teeth some one which had succumbed t
, the 'aiigues of the march, which nigh
not be stayed until the helpless one wa
= recruited. Foxes, lynxes, weascls, kites
owls, etc, hover on their line Of marc|
and destroy them IL hundreds. The fis
in the rivers aud lakes lay heavy tol
upon them and vast numbers are drowned
and die by other accidents in flood an
: fold :" but the survivors, impallei b
i some irresistible instinct, press onwar'
n with no thought Of stopping, until the
lose themselves 10 the sea, sinking in il
) depths, as they become exhausted in sue
= numbers that for miles their bodic
= thrown up by the tide, lie putrefyiug O
e the shore. Comparatively few ever n
d turn to their native haurts, but tlcre ca
be no doubt that some do SOFAS they ha,
l. been seen on the return, pursuing the
e backward journey in the same fearle
n aud determined manner as their advanc
d Temple Bar.