e of the Upper
Lena, fifteen degrees farther south, are worth a king's ransom. Many
species assume a white coat in winter, whereby they are difficult
to be distinguished from the surrounding snows. Amongst these are
the polar hare and fox, the ermine, the campagnol, often even the
wolf and reindeer, besides the owl, yellow-hammer, and some other
birds. Those which retain their brown or black colour are mostly
such as do not show themselves in winter. The fur of the squirrels
also varies with the surrounding foliage, those of the pine forests
being ruddy, those of the cedar, _taiga_, and firs inclining to
brown, and all varying in intensity of colour with that of the
vegetation.

Other species besides the peltry-bearing animals have diminished
in numbers since the arrival of the Russian hunters. The reindeer,
which frequented the South Siberian highlands, and whose domain
encroached on that of the camel, is now found only in the domestic
state amongst the Soyotes of the Upper Yenisei and is met with
in the wild state only in the dwarf forests and _tundras_ of the
far north. The argali has withdrawn to Mongolia from the Siberian
mountains and plains, where he was still very common at the end of
the last century. On the other hand, cold and want of food yearly
drive great numbers of antelopes and wild horses from the Gobi
Steppes towards the Siberian lowlands, tigers, wolves and other
beasts of prey following in their track, and returning with them in
the early spring. Several new species of animals have been introduced
by man and modified by crossings in the domestic state. In the
north, the Samoyeds, Chukchis, and Kamchadales have the reindeer
and dog, while the horse and ox are everywhere the companions of
man in the peopled regions of Siberia. The yak has been tamed by the
Soyotes of the Upper Yenisei, and the camel, typical of a distinctly
Eastern civilization, follows the nomads of the Kirghiz and Mongolian
Steppes. All these domesticated animals seem to have acquired special
qualities and habits from the various indigenous or Russian peoples
of Siberia.

_THE RUSSIAN RACES_

_W. R. MORFILL_

The vast Empire of Russia, as may be readily imagined, is peopled
by many different races. These may ethnologically be catalogued
as follows:

I. Sclavonic races, the most important in numbers and culture. Under
this head may be classified:--

(1) The Great Russians, or Russians properly so called, especially
oc