The next is their Fish, of which they have incredible store; _Zeiglerus_ saies their draughts are so great, that they are forced to transport some of them into other Countries. _Jovius_ speaks too of great plenty they reap from the Seas, because he is describing those _Laplanders_ which live near _Muscovy_: whereas the rest can have plenty enough out of the rivers. The best sort they have is Salmon, for which _Olaus Magnus_ saith there is not better fishing in any part of _Europe_, then in the Bothnic towards _Lapland_; whose mountains send down vast rivers of fresh water, against which the Salmons come in such shoales, and with such vigor, that the Fishermen find them at the head of the river on the top of the mountains. _Samuel Rheen_ too prefers these fish before all the rest, and saith that they swim up all rivers that they are able, and come down again about S^t _Matthews_ tide. And that is much worse when it returns, then when it went up, which seems to be, because tis wearied and spent in strugling against the stream, and engendring; which it alwaies does in those parts of the river which are most remote from the Sea: when he comes up the river they call him _Salm_, at his return _lax_.
The 2^d sort of fish are Pikes, _Olaus Magnus_ speaking of this saith, that in _Lapland_ there are marshes of fresh water, 400 _Italian_ miles in length, and 100 in bredth, in which there is such abundance of Pike and other fish, that they do not only supply 4 Kingdomes, but are dried and transported farther into _Germany_ to be sold: these fish alwaies use fresh water, and are every where known having long heads, the lower jaw hanging out, many sharp teeth, which the Germans call _Hecht_. They are found sometimes to exceed men in length. _Olaus_ affirms, that if they have fresh water and food enough, they will attain to 8 foot in length.
The 3^d sort are those which the _Swedes_ call _Syck_, not much differing from the Carp; only they have longer mouths, and not so broad, they are commonly not so big as carps, but in _Lapland_ they are found extraordinary, sometimes weighing 10 or 12 pounds.
The 4^{ th} sort is _Abbor_ which is with us a perch: this is very plentiful too, and frequently of an incredible bigness. There is to this day in a Chappel at _Luhlah_, kept one of their heads dried, which is from the top to the under jaw 2 spans thick. There are found water-weezels red and white, chiefly in the pools near the Sea. _Samuel Rheen_ speaks of 2 sorts which the _Swedes_ call _Ræding_, and _Ærlax_; whether they are any where else found I know not. _Rheen_ thus describes the first sort. _Ræding_, has its name from the red color on the lower part of its belly. The latter is very like a Salmon but not so big. Some take them for Salmons not come to their full growth, but this is an error, for these fishes are taken in pools, which are on every side parted from the Sea, and are known never to have any Salmons. I had rather refer them to the trout, or _Trutta_, because it scarce differs in shape, only the Trouts flesh is redder and softer. Besides these there are many other fish in _Lapland_, but not regarded, because they serve not for food, for which reason I pass them over: only _Olaus Petrus_ gives us this doubtful account of their names, _Salario, Cobitis, Barbatula, Rubellio, Borbocha ocutala, Prasinus, Cyprinus, Cobitis aculeata_. This Country breeds not many reptiles, no serpents: but this is meant of the upper Regions towards the _Norway_ Mountains, for in the low woody places they are found tho not many. There are but few insects; as for fleas they are quite unknown; but they receive much injury from gnats, which infest man and beast, especially the Rain-deers, which upon that account are driven away to the top of the highest Mountains. The men arm themselves against them by keeping a continual smoak in the house. If they sleep, they put a blanket over their body and head: when they go abroad they put on a garment made of hides, and on their heads cloth caps. I have bin told by the Natives, that many to defend themselves from this insect, dawb their faces all over, except their eies, with resine and pitch.