MUS, in zoology: A genus of quadrupeds belonging to the order of Glires; the characters of which are these: The upper foreteeth are wedge-shaped; there are three grinders, sometimes (though rarely) only two, on each side of the jaws; and the clavicles or collar-bones are complete. In the new edition of the Systema Naturæ, by Dr. Gmelin, the numerous species of this genus have been distributed into different groups or divisions, distinguished by some particular character common to the individuals of each.—The first division consists of,
I. MYOCASTORES, or Beaver-rats, the individuals of which have the tail flattened laterally at the end.
1. The coypus, or webbed beaver-rat, has a thick hairy tail of a moderate length, and the hind-feet webbed. It is an inhabitant of Chili, where it frequents the water. It has a strong resemblance, both in colour and shape, to the otter; but is allied to the murrine tribe by the number and arrangement of its teeth.
2. The zibethicus, or musquash, with a long sharp-pointed tail, and the feet not webbed. This has been already described under the article Castoræ, of which it was ranked as a species in the former editions of Linnaeus. In fact, it does resemble the beaver in the form of the body and flat scaly tail, as well as in its manners and economy. In size, however, and length of tail, it comes nearer to the brown rat; but in its general appearance, and in the short hairy ears, it resembles the water-rat.
II. MUS, or Rats and Mice; having round tails, some naked and some hairy.
1. The piloris, or musk cavy, with a naked tail blunt at the end, and covered with scales. There are two varieties: one with the body of an uniform whitish colour; the other with the upper parts tawny, and the under parts white. The former inhabits Ceylon, and the latter the West Indies. They are nearly of the size of a rabbit: they both burrow in the ground; sometimes infest houses like the rat; and have a strong flavour of musk.
2. The caraco has a naked tail, long, scaly, and somewhat blunt; the body is of a brown grey colour, and the hind feet are very slightly webbed. It inhabits the eastern parts of Siberia, and probably Chinese Tartary and the northern provinces of China; burrowing like the rabbit, near the banks of rivers.—It swims remarkably well, and even infests houses.—The body and head are six inches in length, and the tail four and a half.
3. The americanus, or American rat, has a long, naked, and scaly tail; the head is long-shaped, with a narrow-pointed nose, the upper jaw being much longer than the lower; the ears are large and naked. It is larger than the black, and smaller than the brown rat; its colour is of a deep brown, inclining to ash on the belly, and the fur is coarse and harsh. It is probably this species which is said (Kalm's Trav. ii. 48.) to live among the stones and clefts of rocks, in the blue mountains of Virginia, at a distance from the peopled part of the country, which comes out only at night, and makes a terrible noise.
4. The decumanus, or brown rat, has a long, naked, scaly tail; the upper parts of the body are of a light brown, mixed with tawny and ash colour, the lower parts dirty white. The head and body measure about nine inches; and the length of the tail, which consists of 200 rings, is seven and a half. The whiskers are larger than the head; and the eyes are large, black, and prominent. The fore-feet have four toes, with a small claw in place of the fifth or thumb. It inhabits India and Persia, and has only been known in Europe in the present century. They dwell in burrows which they dig in the banks of rivers; and frequent towns, aqueducts, drains, necessaries, stables, barns, gardens, fields, and houses. They swim and dive with great dexterity; feed on vegetables, grain, fruits, and even destroy poultry; and are hunted eagerly by cats, dogs, and ferrets. They lay up stores of acorns, beech-mast, and other provisions, in their holes; in which the males remain during winter, except in fine weather, without hibernating; but the females and their young live mostly in barns and out-houses in that season. They often emigrate from one place to another in great companies. The female produces three times in the year, having 12 or 15, even 18 or 19, at a litter. The bite of this creature is not only severe but dangerous, the wound being immediately attended with great swelling, and is a long time in healing. These animals are so bold as to turn upon those who pursue them, and fall on the flick or hand of such as offer to strike them. This species is supposed to be the mus caspius of elian†, which he says was nearly as large as the ichneumon, and made periodical visits in vast multitudes to the countries which border on the Caspian, swimming boldly over the rivers, holding by each others tails.
5. The rattus, black or common rat, has an almost naked scaly tail, which is very small, has 250 distinct rings, and is eight inches long. The head and body measure seven inches in length; the upper parts are deep black grey, and the under parts ash coloured. There are four toes, and a small claw in place of the fifth, on each fore foot, and five on the hind feet. This species inhabits India, Persia, and Europe except its most northern parts; from hence it has been carried
Mus. to Africa and America; and is frequent in Otaheite, though less common in the other islands of the southern ocean. Of late years it has greatly diminished in Europe, and is even in many places extirpated, in consequence of the introduction of the brown species, which destroy the black rats; though little is gained by the exchange, the brown having the same dispositions, with greater strength and abilities for doing mischief. It is the most pernicious of any of our smaller quadrupeds. Meat, corn, paper, cloaths, furniture, in short every convenience of life, is a prey to this destructive creature. Nor are its devastations confined to these: for it will make equal havoc among poultry, rabbits, or young game; nay, it has been known to gnaw the extremities of infants when asleep. It is a domestic animal, residing very frequently in houses, barns, or granaries; and it is furnished with fore teeth of such strength as enable it to force its way through the hardest wood or the oldest mortar. It makes a lodge either for its days residence, or a nest for its young, near a chimney; and improves the warmth of it, by forming there a magazine of wool, bits of cloth, hay, or straw. It lodges also in ceilings, and in the void spaces between the wall and the wainscoting. From these lurking places the rats issue in quest of food, and transport thither every substance they can drag, forming considerable magazines, especially when they have young to provide for. The female has ten teats, and brings forth several times in a year, but always in the summer season. The litter generally consists of five or six; and in spite of poison, traps, and cats, they thus multiply to such a degree as sometimes to do a great deal of damage. In old country-houses where grain is kept, and where the vicinity of barns and magazines facilitates their retreats, they often increase so prodigiously, that the possessors are obliged to remove and desert their habitations, unless the rats happen to destroy each other; an event which frequently takes place, for these creatures when pinched for food devour each other. When a famine happens by reason of too many being crowded into one place, the strong kill the weak, open their heads, and first eat the brain and then the rest of the body. Next day the war is renewed, and continues in the same manner till most of them are destroyed; which is the reason why these animals, after being extremely troublesome for some time, disappear all of a sudden, and do not return for a long time. Rats are extremely lascivious; they squeak during their amours, and cry when they fight. They soon learn their young to eat; and when they begin to issue from the hole, their mother watches, defends, and even fights with the cats, in order to save them. A large rat is more mischievous than a young cat, and nearly as strong: the rat uses her fore-teeth; and the cat makes most use of her claws: so that the latter requires both to be vigorous, and accustomed to fight, in order to destroy her adversary. The weasel, though smaller, is a much more dangerous and formidable enemy to the rat, because he can follow it into its retreat. Their strength being nearly equal, the combat often continues for a long time, but the method of using their arms is very different. The rat wounds only by reiterated strokes with his fore-teeth, which are better formed for gnawing than biting; and being situated at the extremity
of the lever or jaw, they have not much force. But the weasel bites cruelly with the whole jaw; and instead of letting go its hold, sucks the blood from the wounded part, so that the rat is always killed.—The rat was first introduced into America by the Europeans in 1544, and is now the pest of all that continent. In the neighbourhood of the lower parts of the river Volga, there is a small variety of this species found in the deserts, which does not weigh above six or seven drams.
Mus. 6. The musculus, or common mouse, has a very long, scaly, and almost naked tail: the fore feet have each four toes; the hind feet five, the fifth or thumb having no claw: the head and body measure three inches and a half in length; the upper parts are tawny, and the lower parts whitish or ash-coloured. This little animal, which inhabits all parts of the world, lives almost entirely in houses, and follows mankind for the sake of their provisions. It feeds on almost every thing, such as grain, bread, cheese, butter, oil, and every kind of food used by mankind, and drinks little: it is of mild and gentle manners, exceedingly timid, and very quick in all its motions. The mouse never issues from his hole but in quest of food, and runs in again upon the least alarm. It goes not, like the rat, from house to house, unless forced, and is not near so destructive. It is also capable of being tamed to a certain degree, though not to perfectly as other animals. It has many enemies, from whom it can escape only by its agility and minuteness. Owls, birds of prey, cats, weasels, hedge-hogs, and even rats, make war upon the mice, so that they are destroyed by millions; yet the species still subsists by its amazing fecundity. They bring forth at all seasons, and several times in the year: the litter generally consists of five or six; and in less than 14 days the young disperse, and are able to provide for themselves. Aristotle tells us, that having shut up a pregnant mouse in a vessel, along with plenty of grain, he found in a short time after 120 mice, all sprung from the same mother.
Several varieties of mice as to colour are found, some being altogether black, some yellowish, some spotted with white, some of a white colour with ash-coloured spots, and the most beautiful of all, and the least common, are entirely white, with red eyes: but as these agree in every other circumstance, it is unnecessary to describe them more at large.
7. The sylvaticus, or long-tailed field-mouse, is larger than the common mouse, measuring from the end of the nose to the setting on of the tail four inches and an half, the tail four inches; the upper parts of the body are of a yellowish brown; the breast is yellow, and the belly white; the tail is covered with short hair. The fore feet have four toes each; the hind feet five. These animals are found in fields, gardens, and shrubberies. In some places they are called bean mice, from the havoc they make among beans when first sown. They feed also on nuts, acorns, and grain, of which they amass quantities, not proportioned to their wants, but to the capacity of the place where it is deposited, inasmuch that a single animal will collect more than a bushel. Thus they provide for other animals as well as themselves: the hog comes in for a share; and the great damage done
to the fields by these creatures, in rooting up the ground, is chiefly owing to their search after the concealed hoards of the field-mice. M. Buffon informs us, that he has often seen great damage done to the plantations by the field-mice. They carry off the new sown acorns; by following the furrow of the plough, they dig up one after another, not leaving a single seed. This happens chiefly in those seasons when the acorns are scarce: not finding a sufficient quantity in the woods, they come in quest of them in the cultivated fields, and often carry off such quantities that they corrupt in their magazines. These creatures, according to the same author, do more mischief in a nursery of trees than all the birds and other animals put together. The only way to prevent this damage is to lay traps at ten paces asunder, through the extent of the sown field. No other apparatus is necessary than a roasted walnut placed under a flat stone, supported by a stick. The animals come to eat the walnut, which they prefer to acorns; and as it is fixed to the stick, whenever they touch it, the stone falls down and crushes them to death. The same expedient M. Buffon also made use of with success against the short-tailed field-mouse, which also destroys acorns. In this way he found that upwards of 100 were taken each day, from a piece of ground consisting only of about 40 French arpents. From the 15th of November to the 8th of December, above 2000 were caught in this manner. Their numbers gradually diminished till the frost became severe, which is the time they retire into their holes to feed on their magazines. In autumn they are most numerous; for if provisions fail during the winter they devour one another. The long-tailed mice eat also the short-tailed species, and even thrushes, blackbirds, &c. which they find entangled in snares. They first eat the brain, and then the rest of the body. M. Buffon once kept a dozen of these mice in a cage, and furnished them with food every morning at eight o'clock. One day they were neglected for about a quarter of an hour, when one of their number was eaten up by the rest; next day another suffered the same fate; and in a few days only one remained: all the others had been killed, and partly devoured; and even the survivor himself had his feet and tail mutilated. These animals are very prolific, producing more than once a-year, and bringing nine or ten at a birth. They generally make the nest for their young very near the surface, and often in a thick tuft of grass. During winter they frequent barns, stables, and out-houses.
8. The mesomys, harvest mouse, or less long-tailed field mouse, is a very small species, or perhaps rather a variety of the former; and inhabits Hampshire, where it is very numerous, particularly during harvest. They form their nest above the ground, between the stalks of the standing corn, and sometimes in thistles: it is of a round shape, and composed of the blades of corn. They bring about eight young ones at a time. These never enter houses; but are often carried, in the sheaves of corn, into ricks; and 100 of them have frequently been found in a single rick on pulling it down to be housed. Those that are not thus carried away in the sheaves, shelter themselves during winter under ground, and burrow deep, forming a warm bed for themselves of dead grass. They are
No 232.
the smallest of the British quadrupeds: the length from nose to tail is only two inches and a half; their tail two inches, and the weight one-sixth of an ounce. They are more slender than the other long-tailed field-mouse; and their back of a fuller red, inclining to the colour of a dormouse.
9. The agarius, or rustic mouse, is about three inches long, and scarcely weighs half an ounce; the tail is only about half the length of the body and head; the upper part of the body is of a yellowish colour, with a dark line along the back; the belly and the legs are white; the head is oblong, with a sharp nose, and small ears lined with fur; the hind legs have each a dusky circle just above the foot. It inhabits Russia, and is found in Silesia, rarely in Germany. This species is migratory; and wanders about often in vast multitudes, doing immense injury to the corn: It burrows in the ground, forming a long gallery just below the surface, and a little elevated, leading to a larger chamber, in which considerable quantities of grain and seeds are stored up for winter provision.
10. The minutus, or minute mouse, has the upper parts of the body of a deep tawny or ferruginous colour, and the under parts whitish. It is about half the size of the common mouse, the tail being scarcely two inches long; the female is smaller than the male, and less elegant in her colours: the nose is somewhat sharp; the face is dusky, with some whiteness at the corners of the mouth; the ears are small, and almost hid in the fur; the feet are grey. This species inhabits Russia; where it is found in the corn-fields and in barns, and is plentiful in birch woods: it seems to wander about without any fixed places for its nest; and much greater numbers of males are found than of females.
11. The vagus, or wandering mouse, is between two and three inches long: the colour of the upper parts of the body is a pale ash, waved with black, and having a black line along the middle of the back; the ears are large, oval, naked, and plaited. The legs are very slender, and the feet whitish, having four toes and a conical excrescence before, and five behind, all armed with long claws; the tail is longer than the body, very slender, prehensile at the end, of an ash colour above and whitish below; the head is oblong, with a blunt nose reddish at the tip, having yellow fore-teeth, and only two grinders on each side in the upper jaw. The female has eight teats.—This species inhabits the deserts of Tartary and Siberia, as high as the Ural, Irtysh, Oby, and Jenisei. Is frequent in the birch woods, and lives in fissures of rocks, under stones, and in hollows of trees; feeding chiefly on seeds, and likewise on small animals of the same genus. It wanders about in great flocks, migrating from one place to another in the night; hibernates during winter, and is of a very chilly nature, so as even to become torpid and fall asleep, in a round form, in the cold nights of the month of June. It has carnivorous inclinations.
12. The betulinus, or beech-mouse, has a considerable resemblance to the wandering mouse, but is somewhat smaller. The upper parts of the body are tawny, with a black line along the back, the under parts whitish or pale ash-colour; the nose is sharp, with
Mus. with a red tip; the ears are small, oval, plaited, brown, and bristly at the ends; the limbs are very slender, with long and very separable toes; the tail is slender and much longer than the body. This species inhabits the birch woods in the desert plains of Ischim and Baraba, and between the Oby and Jenisei. It lives solitary, frequenting the hollows of decayed trees. It runs up trees readily, and fastens on their branches with its tail; and by means of its slender fingers or toes, it can fasten even to a very smooth surface. It is a very tender animal, soon growing torpid in cold weather; and its voice is very weak.
13. The pumilio, or dwarf mouse, is of a brownish ash colour, with the fore-head and nape of the neck black, and having four black lines along the back meeting at the tail. It is scarcely two inches long, the tail is about two-thirds of the length of the body, and the whole animal, even when steeped many months in spirits, hardly weighs four scruples. The body is somewhat flattened; the regions of the eyes, the ears, and the nose, are of a paler colour than the rest of the body; all the feet have five toes, the thumb or inner toe of the fore feet being very small, but distinctly furnished with a claw; the legs and feet are strongly made; the tail is almost naked, and of a pale ash-colour. This species, which was first described by Dr Sparrman, inhabits the forests of Siticamma near Ilangen river, 200 hours journey from the Cape of Good Hope.
14. The faxatilis, or rock mouse, is about four inches long, and weighs nearly nine drams; the tail is hairy, an inch and a half in length, of a brown colour above, and white beneath; the head is oblong, with a longish nose, and oval downy ears, brown at the edges; the limbs are strong; and the tail is thinly covered with hair; the upper parts of the body are of a brown colour, slightly mixed with yellowish or grey; the sides are rather inclined to the latter colour; the belly is of a light ash or whitish; the feet and legs are blackish; the snout is dusky, and surrounded with a slender white ring. This species is an inhabitant of the eastern parts of Siberia beyond lake Baikal, and of the deserts of Mongol Tartary. It burrows in the fissures of rocks, forming a winding oblique passage, which afterwards branches out into several others pointing downwards, and ending in a chamber, in which is a bed or nest of soft herbs. It feeds chiefly on the feeds of the atragalus.
15. The amphibious, or water-rat, with a long tail; the upper parts of the body being covered with black hair mixed with yellowish, and the under parts ash-coloured; the ears scarcely appear above the fur; the feet have three toes on each, and the rudiments of a fourth. This species, of which there are several varieties, differing in the toes and in the colour, inhabits the whole of Europe, the northern parts of Asia as far as the icy sea, and North America. They dwell chiefly near waters, forming burrows in their steep banks; about ponds and wet ditches; likewise in marshy places, meadows, and gardens; feeding on roots, herbs, and shrubs; and on frogs, craw-fish, insects, small fish, and the fry of larger ones. They swim and dive with great facility, and live much in the water. They are very fierce, and bite bitterly. The flesh of these animals is reckoned very delicate by
some of the more savage inhabitants of the Russian empire; and is eaten by the French along with that of the otter during lent. The female is smaller than the male, and has a greater yellowness of colour; she has eight teats, four of which are placed on the breast and four on the belly. They procreate about the end of winter, at which time they smell strongly of milk, and produce as far as eight young ones in the month of April.
16. The allarius, or garlic mouse, has a short tail; the ears rather large, and somewhat hairy; the body ash coloured on its upper parts, and whitish underneath. The head and body measure somewhat more than four inches, the tail scarcely an inch and a half. This species inhabits Siberia, about the rivers Jenisei, Kan, Lena, and Angara; and feeds on the roots of garlic, of which it lays up large stores in subterraneous burrows.
17. The rutilus, or red mouse, has a short tail; the ears are longer than the fur, which is tawny red on the back, light grey and yellow on the sides, and whitish on the belly. The head and body measure about four inches, and the tail one. This species inhabits Siberia, from the Oby as far as Kamtschatka, and within the Arctic circle. It lives in holes and in hollows of trees; feeding on grain, and sometimes on animals of the same genus. It comes often into houses and barns, eating almost of every thing which comes in its way, but is particularly fond of flesh. It is very lively, and runs about even on the snow the whole winter.
18. The arvalis, or meadow-mouse, is from three to six inches long, the female being much longer than the male, and the tail is little more than an inch: the head is large, with a blunt nose, short ears almost hid in the fur, and prominent eyes; the upper parts of the body are of a mixed ferruginous and black colour; the belly is deep ash, and the legs and feet dusky; the tail is terminated by a small tuft of hair. There is a variety which is almost black. This species inhabits all Europe, Siberia, Hircania, and Newfoundland; dwelling in bushy places, corn-fields, meadows, and gardens, chiefly near waters; living on grain, nuts, acorns, and walnuts, which it collects into subterraneous burrows: but it appears to prefer corn to every other food. When the grain is ripe, they assemble from all quarters, and often do great damage by cutting the stalks of corn in order to come at the ears. They follow the reapers, and eat up all the fallen and neglected grain. When the gleanings are devoured, they flock to the new-sown fields, and destroy the crop of the ensuing year. In winter most of them retire into the woods, where they feed upon silberts, acorns, and the feeds of trees. In particular years they appear in numbers so immense, that they would destroy every thing if they continued long: but they always kill and eat one another during a scarcity of provisions. They besides are devoured by the long-tailed field-mice, by foxes, wild-cats, and weasels. These creatures are often carried home in the sheaves of corn, and 100 of them have been found in housing a rick. In such cases it has been observed, that the dogs devoured all the mice of this sort they could find, rejecting the common kind; and, on the contrary, the cats would touch none but the last. The female produces
Mus. several times a year, and brings from eight to twelve young at a birth: it has a strong affection for them; one that was seduced into a wire-trap by placing its brood in it, was so intent on fostering them, that it appeared quite regardless of its captivity. In Newfoundland, these mice are very destructive to gardens; but seldom do much damage in this way in Britain.
Plate CCXIX.
Fig. 13. 19. The socialis, or social mouse, with a very short slender tail, and naked, rounded, and very short ears; the fore feet have each three toes and the rudiments of a fourth; the upper parts of the body are light-grey; the sides, shoulders, and belly, are white. The head and body are somewhat more than three inches long, the tail half an inch. This species inhabits the sandy deserts between the Volga and Ural, near the Caspian sea, and in the mountains of Hircania.—They live in pairs, or in families, consisting of a male and a female with their young ones; and of these families vast numbers live together, the whole country being covered with little hills of earth thrown out of their burrows. They feed mostly on tulip roots; and are preyed on by weasels, polecats, crows, and otters. They swarm chiefly in spring, and rarely appear in autumn, at which season it is supposed they migrate, or take shelter among the bushes.
Fig. 22. 20. The œconomus, or economic mouse, in its general form, resembles the meadow-mouse; but the body is rather longer and the belly larger. The ears are naked and hid in the fur; the colour is tawny; and the fore-feet have each three toes with the rudiments of a fourth. The head and body measure four inches and a quarter, the tail somewhat more than an inch. This species inhabits Siberia, from the river Irtysh eastwards, in Kamtschatka, and under the Arctic circle. They are called by Dr Pallas mus mus œconomus, from their curious way of living. They dwell mostly in damp soils, forming burrows, with many chambers and numerous entrances, immediately under the turf. In these they lay up magazines of various vegetable food, chiefly bulbous roots; which they spread out in sunny days to dry, and never touch them but in winter, living all summer on berries and other vegetables. The Kamtschatkans hold these animals in great regard, and never destroy their hoards; they take away only part, and leave some caviare or other substance to support them in its stead. This species sometimes emigrates in vast multitudes, keeping a straight course, like the lemmus, even over rivers; and are much infested on their march by birds, fish, wild hogs, foxes, and other wild beasts. They begin their march from about the river Pengin in spring, and about the middle of July reach Ochotka and Judsona, at a vast distance; and return in October. The Kamtschatkans are much alarmed at their migrations, which portend rainy weather and a bad chase; and when they find them lying weak and spent with fatigue after crossing a river, give them every assistance in their power. The Pechutski are not so much attached to this animal, and make use both of their winter stores and of their carcasses as food.
21. The gregalis, or gregarious mouse, has a short tail; the ears are longer than the fur; the fore-feet have each three toes and the rudiments of a fourth; the fur is dark ash-coloured on the upper parts, and
whitish below. This species is less than the economic mouse, and longer than the social; the female being five inches long and the male four. It inhabits the eastern parts of Siberia, where it dwells in arid places, forming burrows with numerous openings directly under the sod; these lead to chambers in which it lays up large stores of roots, especially those of the lilium pomponii and garlic: it eats fitting up.
22. The laniger, or woolly mouse, with woolly fur of an ash-colour, inhabits Peru and the north parts of Chili. It burrows in the earth, is very docile and cleanly, and is easily tamed; it lives on bulbous roots, especially onions; the female breeds twice a year, and brings five or six young ones at each litter. It is about six inches long, with a short nose, and small sharp-pointed ears; the fur is very long and exceedingly fine, almost like the threads of a spider's web, and was formerly employed as the very finest species of wool by the Peruvians.
23. The lagurus or rambling mouse, has hardly any tail; the ears are shorter than the fur; the fore-feet have each three toes, and the rudiments of a fourth; the upper parts of the body are ash-coloured mixed with dusky, and having a black line along the back. The head is long, with rough and swelling lips; the limbs are short and slender; and the length of the body and head is between three and four inches. This species inhabits the deserts near the rivers Ural, Irtysh, and Jenisei.—Each individual forms a round nest of dried grass in a burrow, having an oblique and a perpendicular entrance. They feed chiefly on the dwarf iris; but eat all kinds of grain, and devour other species of this genus, as well as one another. They sleep very much, in a rolled-up form, and are very slow in their motions, like the marmot; but do not become torpid in winter. This species is very falacious; the males fight together for the females, and the conqueror generally devours the vanquished. The female smells of musk when in season, produces several times in the year, and brings five or six young ones at a birth. They migrate in great troops; whence the name of rambling mice, which is given them by the Tartars.
24. The torquatus, collared or ringed mouse, has a very short tail, with a tuft of hard bristles at the end, which is blunt: the ears are shorter than the fur; the feet have each five toes; the fur is ferruginous, varied with grey, yellow, and dusky, having a whitish collar round the neck, and a dark line along the back. The head and body are somewhat more than three inches long, the tail scarcely one inch. It inhabits the northern parts of the Uralian mountains, and the marshes near the frozen ocean; feeding chiefly on the lichen rangiferinus, lichen nivalis, and polygonus viviparus; these articles of food are stored up in burrows having numerous passages, which it digs under the turf. This species is migratory, and resembles the lemmus in its manners.
25. The lemmus, or lemming, has a very short tail: the head is pointed, having very long whiskers, six of the hairs on each side being longer and stronger than the rest; the mouth is small, having two very long fore-teeth in each jaw, and the upper lip is divided; the eyes are small and black; the ears are shorter than the fur, rounded, and inclined backwards; the fore-legs are very short, having four slender hairy toes.
toes on each, and a long sharp claw like a cock's spur in place of the fifth or thumb; the hind-feet have five toes; the skin is very thin, and the upper parts of the body are black and tawny, disposed in irregular blotches; the belly is white tinged with yellow. The length from nose to tail is about five inches; of the tail, half an inch. This singular animal inhabits the mountains of Norway and Lapland. They feed on grass, the catkins of the dwarf birch, the lichen rangiferinus, or rein-deer liverwort, and other such vegetable productions: in summer they form shallow burrows under the turf, and in winter they make similar long passages under the snow in quest of food; for as they do not lay up magazines, and do not hibernate, they are obliged to search for provisions in the rigorous winter of these northern climes. When they foresee, by some wonderful instinct of nature, the approach of a very severe winter, they leave their northern haunts in autumn, and emigrate in immense multitudes into the lower parts of Norway and Sweden, keeping a straight line in spite of every obstacle, moving mostly in the night-time, and making prodigious havoc of every vegetable they are able to reach. In this journey, which takes place at uncertain intervals, though generally about every ten years, they are destroyed by eagles, hawks, foxes, and other animals of prey, and numbers are drowned in passing rivers or lakes, which never interrupt their course, even proceeding on into the sea: from all these concurring causes very few live to return to their native mountains, and thus a check is put to their ravages, as it takes years to repair their numbers sufficiently for another invasion. They are bold and fierce, so as even to attack men and animals, if they meet them in their course; and bite so hard as to allow themselves to be carried a considerable way, hanging by their teeth to a flick, before they will quit their hold. The female breeds several times in the year, producing five or six young at a birth: sometimes they bring forth during their migration, when they carry their young in their mouth or on their back.
There is a variety, the Sibiricus, or Siberian lemming, of a smaller size, and more uniform tawny colour, than the above. It inhabits the northern parts of the Uralian chain of mountains, and on the river Oby. It differs greatly in manners from the former: for it lays up in its burrows large stores of provisions to serve during winter; whence it is probable that it does not migrate like the Norwegian kind.
There are nine or ten other species belonging to this division.
III. CRICETI, or Hamsters; having pouches on the cheeks, and short hairy tails.
1. The acredula, or Siberian hamster, has large oblong oval furrowed ears: the upper parts of the body are of a yellowish and brown ashy-colour, the under parts hoary. The head and body measure four inches, and the tail near one. This species inhabits the district of Orenburgh in Siberia, near the Yaik or Ural. It lives in burrows, which it quits only in the night to seek for food: The Cossacks say that it migrates out of the deserts in vast multitudes; but Dr Pallas suspects this to be a mistake.
2. The M. cricetus Germanicus, or German hamster, is the most destructive of the whole rat-tribe.
The males are about ten inches long, and the tail about three, but the females are scarcely more than half so large: the former weigh from 12 to 16 ounces, while the latter seldom exceed from four to six ounces: The head is thick, with a blunt nose, and numerous whiskers, large full black eyes, and large rounded open ears; usually the head and back are of a reddish brown colour, with red cheeks; the sides are paler, with three white spots; the breast, upper part of the fore-legs, and belly, are black; the feet are large and white, having four toes, and a claw instead of a fifth toe on the fore-feet, and five toes on each hind foot: The colour varies; sometimes, though rarely, they are found entirely white or yellowish, or white with black spots on the back; sometimes the snout is white, and the forehead ashy-coloured, or the lower jaw of a white colour.—There is a variety (the black German hamster) which is entirely black, excepting the tip of the nose, edges of the ears, and the feet, which are white. This species inhabits Siberia, the south of Russia, Poland, Selavonia, Hungary, Silesia, Bohemia, and Germany beyond the Rhine, especially in Thuringia.—Each individual forms a subterraneous burrow, consisting of several chambers, with two holes or entrances leading from the surface; one of these is perpendicular, and the other, in which the excrements are lodged, is oblique; the holes of the females have several perpendicular openings, and each young one of her family is lodged in a separate chamber: The chambers which are set apart for the lodging of themselves and young are lined with straw or grass; the rest are larger, and are appropriated for containing magazines of grain, beans, peas, lintseed, vetches, and other such feeds, each in a separate cell. The chambers of the older animals are dug several feet deep, while those of the younger ones seldom exceed a foot under the surface. The hamster sleeps during the winter like the marmots; when in a torpid state, neither respiration nor any kind of feeling can be perceived. The heart, however, beats 15 times in a minute, which has been discovered by opening the chest. The blood continues to be fluid, but the intestines are not irritable; even an electrical shock does not awake him; but in the open air he never becomes torpid. When dug up in his state of torpidity, the hamster is found with his head bent under his belly between the two fore-legs, and those behind rest upon his muzzle. The eyes are shut; and when the eye-lids are forced open, they instantly close again. The members are stiff, like those of a dead animal, and the whole body feels as cold as ice. When dissected during this state, he seems to feel very little; sometimes indeed he opens his mouth as if he wanted to respire; but his lethargy is too strong to admit of his awakening entirely. This lethargy hath been ascribed solely to a certain degree of cold; which indeed may be true with regard to dormice, bats, &c. But experience shows, that, in order to render the hamster torpid, he must also be excluded from all communication with the external air: for when he is put up in a cage filled with earth and straw, and exposed in winter to a degree of cold sufficient to freeze the water, he never becomes torpid; but when the cage is sunk four or five feet under ground, and well secured against the access of the air, at the end of eight or ten days he is equally torpid as
if he had been in his own burrow. If the cage is brought up to the surface, the hamster will awake in a few hours, and resume his torpid state when put below the earth. The experiment may be repeated with the same success as long as the frost continues. We have a farther proof that the absence of the air is one of the causes of torpidity in the hamster; for when brought up from his hole in the coldest weather, and exposed to the air, he infallibly awakes in a few hours. This experiment succeeds as well in the night as in the day; which shows that light has no share in producing the effect. It is curious to observe the hamster passing from a torpid to an active state. He first loses the rigidity of his members, and then makes a profound respiration, but at long intervals. His legs begin to move, he opens his mouth, and utters disagreeable and rattling sounds. After continuing these operations for some time, he opens his eyes, and endeavours to raise himself on his legs. But all these movements are still reeling and unsteady, like those of a man intoxicated with liquor. He, however, reiterates his efforts till he is enabled to stand on his legs. In this attitude he remains fixed, as if he meant to reconnoitre and repose himself after his fatigue; but he gradually begins to walk, eat, and act in his usual manner. This passage from a torpid to an active state requires more or less time, according to the temperature of the air. When exposed to a cold air, he sometimes requires more than two hours to awake; and in a more temperate air he accomplishes his purpose in less than one hour. It is probable that, when the hamster is in his hole, this change is performed imperceptibly, and that he feels none of the inconveniences which arise from a sudden and forced reviviscence.
The hamster is a very mischievous animal; and so exceedingly fierce, that he seems to have no other passion but rage. In consequence of this, he attacks every other animal that comes in his way, without regarding the superior size or strength of his antagonist; nay, as if he was ignorant of the method of saving himself by flight, he allows himself to be beat to pieces with a stick rather than yield. If he seizes a man's hand, he must be killed before he quits his hold. When the hamster perceives a dog at a distance, he begins with emptying his cheek-pouches if they happen to be filled with grain, and which are so capacious as to hold a quarter of a pint English. He then blows them up so prodigiously, that the size of the head and neck greatly exceeds that of the body. Lastly, he raises himself on his hind-legs, and in this attitude dashes on his enemy. If he catches hold, he never quits it but with the loss of life. But the dog generally seizes him behind, and strangles him. This ferocious temper prevents the hamster from being at peace with any other animal. He even makes war against his own species, not excepting the females. When two hamsters encounter, they never fail to attack each other, and the stronger always devours the weaker. A combat between a male and a female lasts longer than between two males. They begin by pursuing and biting each other; then each of them retires to a side as if to take breath; a little after, they renew the combat, and continue to fly and fight till one of them falls. The vanquished uniformly serves for a repast to the conqueror.
The hamsters copulate about the end of April; when the males enter the apartments of the females, where they remain only a few days. If two males happen to meet in the same hole, a furious combat ensues, which generally terminates in the death of the weakest. The conqueror takes possession of the female; and both, though at every other period they persecute and kill each other, lay aside their natural ferocity during the few days their amours continue. They even mutually defend each other against aggressors; and if a hole is opened about this time, the female defends her husband with the utmost fury. The females bring forth twice or thrice every year. Their litter is never fewer than six, and more frequently from 16 to 18. Their growth is very rapid. At the age of 15 days they begin to dig the earth; and soon after, the mother banishes them from her habitation; so that at the age of about three weeks they are abandoned to their own management. The mother in general discovers little affection for her offspring; and when her hole is opened, flies in the most dastardly manner, leaving her young ones to perish. Her only solicitude at that time is to provide for her own defence. With this view she digs deeper into the earth, which she performs with amazing quickness. The young would willingly follow her; but she is deaf to their cries, and even shuts the hole which she has made.
The hamsters feed upon all kinds of herbs, roots, and grains, which the different seasons produce, and even eat the flesh of such animals as they can conquer. They are particularly fond of places where liquorice grows, and feed much on its seeds. Their pace is very slow, and they do not climb; but they dig with vast quickness, and will gnaw through a piece of wood an inch and a half thick in a very short time. As they are not adapted for long journeys, their magazines are first stocked with the provisions which are nearest their abode. This is the reason why some of the chambers are frequently filled with one kind of grain only. When the harvest is reaped, they go to a greater distance in quest of provisions, and carry every article they can find, without distinction, to their granary. To facilitate the transportation of their food, nature has furnished them with two pouches in the inside of each cheek. On the outside, these pouches are membranous, smooth, and shining; and in the inside there are a great many glands, which secrete a certain fluid, to preserve the flexibility of the parts, and to enable them to resist any accidents which may be occasioned by the roughness or sharpness of particular grains. Each of these receptacles is capable of containing an ounce and an half of grain, which, on his return to his lodgings, the animal empties, by pressing his two fore-feet against his cheeks. When we meet a hamster having his cheeks filled with provisions, it is easy to seize him with the hand, without the risk of being bitten; because in this condition he has not the free motion of his jaws. But if he is allowed a little time, he soon empties his pouches, and stands upon his defence. The quantity of provisions found in the holes depends on the age and sex of the inhabitant. The old hamsters frequently amass 100 pounds of grain; but the young and the females content themselves with a quantity much smaller. Their object
Mus. object in laying up provisions, is not to nourish them during winter, which they pass in sleep, and without eating; but to support them after they awake in the spring, and previous to their falling into a torpid state, which resembles a profound sleep. At the approach of winter, the hamsters retire into their subterraneous abodes; the entrance to which they shut up with great address. Here the animal reposes, in the situation already described, upon a bed of straw, and in this state he is commonly dug up. They are preyed on by polecats, weasels, cats, dogs, foxes, and birds of prey; and are proscribed by man, on account of their devastations. In winter the peasants generally go a hamster-nesting as they call it; the retreat is known by a small eminence of earth raised near the oblique passage formerly described. The peasants dig down till they discover the hoard, and are generally well paid for their trouble; as they often find two bushels of corn, besides the skins of the animals, which are valuable furs: and it is remarkable, that the hair sticks so fast to the skin, that it cannot be plucked off without the utmost difficulty. In some seasons the hamsters are so numerous, that they occasion a dearth of corn. In one year about 11,000 skins, in a second 54,000, and in a third year 80,000, were brought to the town-house of Gotha, to receive a reward for their destruction. They are likewise destroyed by means of a paste formed of honey and flour boiled up with arsenic or powdered hellebore.
Plate CCCXIX.
Fig. 11. 3. The arenarius, or sand-hamster, has the upper parts of the body hoary; the sides, belly, limbs, and tail, pure white. It inhabits the sandy deserts of Baraba, on the river Irtysh, in Siberia. The head is large, with a longish snout and a sharp nose, having very long whiskers, very large pouches, and great oval brownish ears; the body is short and thick, being about four inches long, and the tail rather more than one; the fur is very soft; the fore feet have only four toes each, the hind feet five, all the claws being white. This animal is very fierce and untameable: it forms burrows, like the preceding species; is chiefly active at night, and feeds mostly upon leguminous plants.
Fig. 7. 4. The songarus, or songar hamster, has the upper parts of the body of a grey ash-colour, marked with a black line along the back; the sides of the head and body are varied with large white and dark brown spots; the feet and belly are white. It is about three inches long, with a very short, thick, blunt, and hairy tail, little more than one-third of an inch in length. It inhabits the desert of Baraba, near the Irtysh, in Siberia; where, like its congeners, it digs chambers for the reception of provisions. It is not, however, so fierce as some other species of the hamsters; but may be tamed when caught young, and grows very familiar.
There are two or three other species belonging to this division.
Fig. 18. 5. The phonus, or rice-hamster, has the upper parts of the body of a hoary ash-colour, with long dusky hairs along the back; the sides whitish; the circumference of the mouth, breast, belly, and extremities of the limbs, pure, white. It is about three inches and a half long, and the tail scarcely one inch.—This species inhabits about Zarizyn in the deserts of Siberia, and in the mountains of the north of Persia; where
it does vast mischief in the rice fields. It is often caught in traps during winter, near stables and other out-houses, and never becomes torpid.
6. The furunculus, or Baraba hamster, has the upper parts of the body of a cinereous yellow, with a black streak on the back; the under parts dirty white. It is about three inches long, and the tail near one. This species inhabits Dauria, Siberia in the desert of Baraba, towards the Ob, between the Onon and Argum, and in the Chinese empire near lake Dalai; living chiefly on the seeds of the astragalus and atriplex: but its manners are unknown.