in zoology: A genus of quadrupeds belonging to the order of Gliræ; 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 Sylva 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 beaded 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 murine 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 Castor, 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. Mures, 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 China. 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 250 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, beechnuts, 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 fever 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 fasten on the stick or hand of such as offer to strike them. This species is supposed to be the mus capricornis of Allan, which he says was nearly as large as the ichneumon, and made periodical visits fits in vast multitudes to the countries which border on the Caspian, swimming boldly over the rivers, holding by each other’s tails.

5. The ratus, 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 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, cloths, 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 subsistence 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 facilitate 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 five or seven drams.

6. The musculus, or common mouse, has a very long, fealy, and almost naked tail: the fore feet have each four toes; the hind feet five, the fifth or thumb being wanting. 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 everything, 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 so 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 a day 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 feed. 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 messorius, 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 straws 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 too 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

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-fifth 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 agrarius, 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 fig. 5. 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 whitening 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, Obi, 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, Mus. with a red tip; the ears are small, oval, plaited, brown, and brittle 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 Icchim 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 Sparman, inhabits the forests of Sitificamma near Ilanjen river, 200 hours journey from the Cape of Good Hope.

14. The taxatilis, 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 Mongul 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 seeds of the astragalus.

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 musk, 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 subterranean 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 subterranean 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 filberts, acorns, and the seeds of trees. In particular years they appear in numbers so immense, that they would destroy everything 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 too of them have been found in housetops. 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 several 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.

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 Hiucania.—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.

20. The economus, 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 murus economus, 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 Ochotska and Judoma, 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 Tschutski are not so much attached to this animal, and make use both of their winter furs 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 sitting up.

22. The lagarter, 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 five 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 salacious; 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 turfy soil. 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, five 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 reclined backwards; the fore-legs are very short, having four slender hairy toes. Mus.

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 ranunculus, 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 havock 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 stick, 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 Obi. 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 acrelula, or Siberian hamster, has large oblong oval furrowed ears; the upper parts of the body are of a yellowish and brown ash-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 Coffacks 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 ash-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, Sclavonia, 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, linseed, 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 reft 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 disturbed 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 shut up in a cage filled with earth and straw, and exposed in winter to a degree of cold insufficient to freeze the water, he never becomes torpid: but when the cage is sunk four or five feet underground, and well secured against the access of the air, at the end of eight or ten days he is equally torpid as if 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 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 revivification.

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 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 dares 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 ten to fifteen. Their growth is very rapid. At the age of fifteen 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 a 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 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 subterranean abodes; the entrance to which they shut up with great address. Here the animal repose, in the situation already described, upon a bed of straw, and in this state lie 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-hunting as they call it; the retreat is known by a small eminence of earth raised near the oblique palisade 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 places 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.

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 Irtish, 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.

4. The longarius, or longar 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 Irtish, 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.

5. The phæus, or rice-hamster, has the upper parts of the body of a hoary ash-colour, with long silky 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.

IV. MYOTALPE†, or Mole-rats. These have no external ears, very small eyes, and a very short tail or none. They live entirely underground like the moles.

1. The talpina, or Russian mole-rat, is of a dusky colour; has a very short tail, scarce appearing beyond the fur; and no external ears; the fore-teeth are long, extended from the mouth, and wedge-shaped; the eyes are very small, and hid in the fur; the feet have five toes; the fore feet are very strong, flat, and formed for digging. It is about four inches long, and in the general form resembles the water-rat. As to colour, the head, back, and sides are dusky, and the belly and limbs white. There is a variety (the nigra), which is entirely black.—This species inhabits the plains of Russia and Western Siberia, scarcely extending beyond the Irtish, and never beyond the Oby. It is fond of a turfly soil, avoiding sandy or muddy places; and digs holes like those of the hamster, which it lines with soft grass, and fills with bulbous roots, throwing up hillocks of earth all along the tracks; each individual has its separate burrow: It works only in the night, and seldom comes out except in the season of love. Its flight is very weak in the day-time. It feeds chiefly on the roots of tulips, tuberose lathyrus, and tuberose phlomis. It procreates about the beginning of April, at which time it smells strongly of musk; and the females produce three or four young at a litter.

2. The capensis, or Cape mole-rat, is of a dark brown colour tinged yellowish, with the fore-part of the face, orbits, and regions of the ears, white: It has a very short tail, and no external ears; and is about five inches and a half long. It inhabits the Cape of Good Hope, where it infests the gardens.

3. The maritima, or African mole-rat, is of a pale brownish ash-colour mixed with yellowish on the upper parts, the sides and under parts paler: the tail is very short; and there are no external ears. It inhabits the sand hills adjacent to the sea at the Cape of Good Hope; and resembles the former species, but is much larger, measuring 12 or 13 inches long, and the head is more lengthened. It forms burrows in the sand like those of rabbits; and digs with surprising celerity. It runs slowly; but is very fierce, and bites severely. It feeds chiefly on the roots of ixie, antholyzae, gladioli, and irides; and is reckoned good eating.

4. The apsalar, or Daurian mole-rat, is of a dirty yellow ash-colour on the upper parts, and whitish ash on the lower; has a very short tail, and no external ears; the eyes are very small, and deep-seated; the feet have each five toes, the claws of the fore feet being very long.—This species inhabits Dauria, and Siberia beyond the Irtish, between the Alei and Tscharysch rivers. It digs very long burrows in the black turfy soil or firm sand, throwing up numerous hillocks, which extend over a considerable surface; it works both with its feet and nose, and sometimes with its teeth. It feeds chiefly on the roots of bulbous plants. This species varies in size, those of Dauria being near nine inches long, while those farther east are scarcely six.

5. The typhus, or blind mole-rat, is of a reddish ash colour; and has no tail, external ears, or apparent eyes; the feet have each five toes; and the fore-teeth are broad. The body and head measure between seven and eight inches: the mouth is continually gaping, with short wrinkled fore-teeth above, and very long ones below, likewise furrowed or wrinkled, none of them being hid by the lips; the body is covered with short, soft, and close set fur, which is of a dusty colour at the bottom, with the ends of a rusty brown mixed with ash-colour; the legs are very short, having five toes on each foot armed with short claws, and slightly connected by a short membrane at their bases. This species inhabits the southern parts of Russia, from Poland to the Volga. Each individual forms burrows under the turfy soil of very considerable extent, with many lateral passages, and throws out the earth at different distances, in large hillocks sometimes two yards in circumference, and proportionally high. It works with its snout, feet, rump, and even with its teeth; and digs with great celerity, especially when frightened, in which case it digs directly downwards. When irritated, it snorts, gnashes its teeth, raises its head in a menacing posture, and bites with great severity. It feeds on roots, especially those of the bulbous chorophyllum. It is entirely blind, though it has the rudiments of very small eyes, which are covered over with a continuation of the skin; but it possesses the senses of touch and hearing in a very eminent degree, to make up for the loss of sight. It breeds in spring and summer; and the female, which has two teats, brings from two to four young ones at a birth.

The Marmot, Agouti, Guinea-pig, Cavy, Jerboa, Dormouse, &c., which were formerly comprehended under the present genus in the Linnaean arrangement, have, in consequence of more accurate investigation, been lately disjoined, and distributed under four new genera, Myoxus, Arctomys, Dipus, and Cavia*. But as we are past the alphabetical order in which the three last of those genera should have been introduced, we must still describe the above animals (excepting the first) in this place; observing, however, to distinguish them according to their new generic arrangement.

I. Myoxus, or Dormouse. See Myoxus, the Marmot.

II. Arctomys, the Marmot; the characters of which genus are: There are two wedge-like cutting teeth in each jaw; the grinders are five above, and four below, on each side; and there are perfect clavicles or collar-bones.

1. The marmota, or common marmot, has short round ears; gibbous cheeks; a short hairy tail; the upper parts of the body of a dusty brown colour, and the lower parts reddish. The body and head measure 16 inches, the tail six. This species inhabits the fum- that he is protected by his master, he attacks and bites dogs of the most formidable kind. Though not so large as a hare, he is stouter, and his strength is aided by a peculiar suppleness and dexterity. With his fore-teeth, which are pretty long, he bites most cruelly; he attacks not, however, either dogs or men unless previously irritated. If not prevented, he gnaws furniture and stuffs; and when confined, pierces even through wood. His voice resembles the murmuring of a young dog when caressed or in a sporting humour; but when irritated or frightened, he makes a whistling noise, so loud and piercing, that it hurts the ear. The marmots eat everything presented to them; as flesh, bread, fruit, roots, pot-herbs, may-bugs, grasshoppers, &c. but milk and butter they prefer to every other aliment. Though less inclined to theft than the cat, they endeavour to slip into the dairy, where they drink great quantities of milk, making, like the cat, a murmuring noise expressive of pleasure. Milk is also the only liquor that is agreeable to them; for they rarely drink water, and they refuse wine. They procreate but once a-year; and the female, after three or four weeks, produces two, three, or four young. The growth of their young is very quick; they live only nine or ten years; and the species is neither numerous nor much diffused. They are easily caught when on plain ground, but with difficulty in their holes, as they dig deeper when in danger of being taken, except in winter when torpid; at which time they are caught in great numbers. They are searched for partly on account of their flesh, which is tender and delicate; partly for their skins; and partly for their fat, which is esteemed medicinal by the inhabitants of the Alps: but they are chiefly taken by the Savoyards for the purpose of being exported as fowls through various parts of Europe. The marmot would make very good eating, if it had not always a disagreeable flavour, which cannot be concealed but by strong seasonings.

2. The monax, or American marmot, is about the size of a rabbit. It has short rounded ears; the nose and cheeks are bluish; the body is of a deep brown colour; the tail is longish, and very hairy. This species inhabits the warmer states of North America and the Bahamas. It forms holes in the clefts of rocks and under the roots of trees, in which it passes the winter in a torpid state; though it is uncertain if those of the Bahamas hibernate, as the climate of these islands is very mild. It feeds on vegetables; and its flesh is very good, resembling that of a pig.

3. The bobak, or Polish marmot, is of a greyish colour, mixed with long dusky hairs on the upper parts of the body, the under parts yellowish: It has small oval ears, small eyes, a hairy straight tail, and the fore feet have each a claw in place of the thumb or fifth toe. The head and body measure fifteen inches, the tail four and a half. This species inhabits the dry and sunny places of the mountains, from the Borithenes through the temperate climes of Asia as far as China and Kamtchatka. It forms very deep burrows, in which societies of 20 or more live together, each individual having a particular nest at the bottom of the common gallery, which is often three or four yards deep, and from which numerous galleries or passages branch off to the several apartments. They go about in search of food in the morning and middle of the day, placing a centinel to give warning of approaching danger. The bobak is a timid animal, and feeds only on vegetables, chiefly oleaceous plants. It fits up on the hams, and carries its food with the fore paws to its mouth, and defends itself in the same posture. It may be easily tamed even when old: it then eats cabbages or bread, and laps milk; but refuses to drink water. In summer it feeds voraciously; but remains torpid all winter, except when kept in very warm places: and even then it eats very little; and escapes if possible, that it may get to some place proper for hibernating; but returns to its master in spring. The flesh resembles that of a hare, though rank; the fat is used for dressing leather and fur; and the skins are employed for clothing by the Russians. The female has eight teats; and probably brings forth early, as by the month of June the young ones are half grown.

4. The citillus, or earless marmot, is of a variable colour, has a convex head, no external ears, and a short hairy tail. This species inhabits the southern parts of Russia as far as Kamtchatka, and the islands between Asia and America; is found in Persia and China; but is now rarely met with in the rest of Europe. They dwell in open, high, dry, and uncultivated places, preferring turfy and loamy soils, near the high roads, and never frequent bogs or woods. Each individual has its separate burrow, in which, for provision in the beginning and end of winter, it lays up magazines of grain, tender vegetables, and berries; sometimes though rarely, the carcases of mice and small birds are added. In the middle of winter these animals lie torpid during the greatest severity of the frosts. From the very beginning of spring, as soon as the weather becomes mild, they go out in the daytime in quest of food, which they eat fitting on their haunches, carrying it in their fore-paws to the mouth. The male is very easily tamed; but the female is fiercer, more given to bite, and is less easily made tame; she goes between three and four weeks with young, and brings forth from three to eight young ones about the beginning of May. The fur is very good in the spring, and the flesh is reckoned tolerable. They are preyed on by polecats, weasels, hawks, carrion crows, and cranes.

This animal varies considerably both in size and colour, being sometimes as large as the common marmot, and sometimes not larger than the water-rat. In general the colour is of a yellowish ash on the upper parts, and dirty white on the belly, (the size of Buffon); sometimes it is variegated either with waves or small spots of white, (the foulik of the same author.) Some are white on the upper parts, and waved with tawny or yellow, being pale yellow on the lower parts of the body, and having a longish tail, with shaggy hair like that of a squirrel: others are of a grey colour on the upper parts of the body, spotted with white; the under parts being of a yellowish white, with white orbits, and the face, between the eyes and the nose, of a brownish yellow, with a short tail.

5. The empetra, or Canadian marmot, is of a mixed grey colour on the upper parts of the body; the lower parts orange; having short rounded ears, and a hairy tail. It is rather larger than a rabbit; and the tail is about two inches and a half long; the head is round, with a blunt nose, and short rounded ears; the cheeks are... are full, and of a grey colour; the face is dusky, with a black nose; the hair on the back is grey at the roots, black in the middle, and whitish at the tips; the belly and legs are of an orange colour; the feet are black and naked, having four long, slender, divided toes, and the rudiments of a thumb on each fore foot, and five similar on each behind, all armed with pretty strong claws. This animal was described by Mr Pennant from a living specimen in possession of Mr Brooks, which was very tame, and made a hissing noise. It inhabits Canada, Hudson's Bay, and the other northern parts of America.

Five or six other species of arctomys, some of them suspected to be only varieties, are described by Kerr.

III. Dasyus, or Jerboa. There are two fore-teeth in each jaw: the tail is long, and tufted at the end: but the most striking characteristic of this genus is the enormous length of the hind feet and extreme shortness of the fore-paws. From this conformation, instead of walking or running on all fours, they leap or hop on the hind feet like birds, making prodigious bounds, and only use the fore paws for burrowing, or for carrying their food to the mouth like squirrels. From this peculiarity of conformation, the kangaroo, G. xix. fp. 15, and Philip's opossum, sp. 16, of the same genus (Mr Kerr observes), ought to have been arranged with this genus of the jerboa; but from a rigid adherence to artificial system, they are by Dr Gmelin ranked with the genus opossum, on account of the number and arrangement of their teeth. See the article Didelphis.

1. The jaculus, or common jerboa, has four toes on all the feet, and a claw in place of a thumb or fifth toe on each fore-foot. The body is somewhat more than seven inches long, and the hind legs and thighs are longer than the body. The upper parts are of a pale tawny colour, and the under parts white; the ears and feet are flesh coloured. The female has eight distantly placed teats. These animals inhabit Egypt, Arabia, Calmuck Tartary, and southern Siberia. They frequent firm hard ground, and fields covered with grass and herbs, where they form burrows of several yards long in a winding direction, leading to a large chamber about half a yard below the surface; and from this a second passage is dug to within a very little of the surface, by which they can escape when threatened with danger. When at rest, they sit with their hind legs bent under their belly, and keep the fore legs near the throat as hardly to be perceptible. They eat grain and herbage like the hare. Their dispositions are mild, and yet they can never be perfectly tamed. Two that were kept in a house in London burrowed almost through the brick-wall of the room where they were; they came out of their hole at night for food; and when caught were much fatter and sleeker than when confined to their box.

This animal is eaten by the Arabs, who call it the lamb of the children of Israel. It has been particularly noticed and described by Mr Bruce in his Abyssinian Travels*. He says it inhabits the smoothest places of the desert, especially those where the soil is fixed gravel. In this it burrows, and has its hole divided into many apartments. It seems, however, to be afraid of the ground falling in upon it, as it chooses always to dig under the roots of some bushy plant or shrub. It particularly delights in those places which are frequented by the cecilites or horned viper, though it would appear that the serpent sometimes preyed upon it; for Mr Bruce tells us that he once saw a jerboa taken out of the belly of a female viper big with young, and almost consumed by the digestive powers of the animal. It is a very cleanly creature, and keeps its hair always in excellent order. It jumps about with great agility, in which it is assisted by its long tail, which we should suppose would rather be a hinderance to it. The Arabs of the kingdom of Tripoli in Africa teach their greyhounds to hunt the Antelope, by learning them first to catch jerboas; and so agile are the latter, that Mr Bruce has often seen, in a large court-yard or inclosure, the greyhound employed a quarter of an hour before he could kill his diminutive adversary; and had he not been well trained, so that he made use of his feet as well as his teeth, he might have killed two antelopes in the time he could have killed one jerboa. This animal is very fat, and the flesh well coloured; the buttocks, thighs, and part of the back, are roasted and eaten by the Arabs, as already mentioned, and taste almost exactly like a young rabbit, but without the strong smell of the latter. It is said, that the flesh dried in the air is very nourishing, and prevents coliciveness; so that it seems to be endowed also with medicinal qualities. The animal is found in most parts of Arabia and Syria, and in all parts of the southern deserts of Africa; but nowhere in such plenty as in the Cyrenaicum or Pentapolis. In his journey thither, Mr Bruce employed several Arabs, together with his own servants, to kill these animals with sticks, that their skins might not be hurt with shot. Having got them dressed in Syria and Greece, and sewed together, making use of the tail, as in ermine, for the lining of a cloak, he found they had a very good effect, making a finer and glossier appearance the longer they were worn.

Bochart thinks this animal is the Saphon of holy writ, and displays a vast deal of learning on the subject. But this opinion is refuted by Mr Bruce, who observes, that the saphon is gregarious, and builds in rocks; being likewise distinguished for its feebleness, which it supplies by its wisdom; and none of these characters apply to the jerboa: "therefore (says Mr Bruce) though he chews the cud in common with some others, and was in great plenty in Judea, so as to be known to Solomon, yet he cannot be the saphon of Scripture." He supposes with great probability, that it is the creature termed the mouse, Ifa. lxvi. 17.; and says that in the Arabic version the word is expressly translated jerboa. See the article Saphon.

2. The fagitta, or Arabian jerboa, has three toes on the hind feet, and no thumb or fifth toe on the fore-paws. It is only about six inches long, and the tail rather shorter than the body; the soles of the hind-feet and bottom of the toes are covered with a very thick coat of hair; the head is more rounded than that of the preceding animal, and the ears are much longer than the head. It inhabits Arabia, and near the Irtilh in Siberia, where it frequents the sandy plains.

The two following are distinguished as different species by Mr Pennant, though Dr Gmelin seems not to have considered them as distinct from the preceding. A. The *Mus* or Egyptian Jerboa, has three toes only on the hind feet; and four toes, with a scarcely apparent thumb or fifth toe, furnished with a claw, on the fore-paws.

This animal Mr Pennant supposes to be the *mus bipes* of the ancients, *mus sagitta* of Pallas, *jerbo* of Buffon, and *daman Ifrael* of the Arabs. He says, that it inhabits Egypt, Barbary, Palestine, the deserts between Bafora and Aleppo, the sandy tracks between the Don and Volga, and the hills south of the Irtish.

B. The *fibricus*, or Siberian jerboa, with three toes on the hind feet, and two spurious toes some way up the legs; five toes on the fore feet, the thumb or fifth toe having no nail. Of this species Mr Pennant distinguishes four varieties, the major, medius, minor, and pumilio; differing in size, colour, &c. But they all (he says) agree in manners. They burrow in hard ground, clay, or indurated mud; not only in high and dry spots, but even in low and salt places. They dig their holes with great celerity, not only with their fore-paws but with their teeth, and flinging the earth back with their hind feet so as to form a heap at the entrance. The burrows are many yards long, but not above half a yard deep. These run obliquely; and end in a large space or cell, the receptacle of the finest herbs. They have usually but one entrance; yet by a wonderful sagacity they work from their cell another passage to within a very small space of the surface, which in case of necessity they can burst through, and so escape.

They sleep rolled up with their head between their thighs: At sunset they come out of their holes, clear them of the filth, and keep abroad till the sun has drawn up the dews from the earth. On approach of any danger, they immediately take to flight, with leaps of a fathom in height, and so swiftly that a man well mounted can hardly overtake them. They spring so nimbly, that it is impossible to see their feet touch the ground. They do not go straight forward, but turn here and there till they gain a burrow, whether it is their own or that of another. When surprized, they will sometimes go on all fours, but soon recover their attitude of standing on their hind legs like a bird: even when undisturbed, they use the former attitude; then rise erect, lift, and hop about like a crow. In digging or eating they drop on their fore legs; but in the last action will often sit up and eat like a squirrel. They are easily tamed; and seek always a warm corner. They foretel cold or bad weather by wrapping themselves close up in hay; and those which are at liberty stop up the mouths of their burrows. In a wild state they live much on oleaceous plants: the small stature of the pumilio is attributed to its feeding on saline plants. Those of the middle size, which live beyond the lake Baikal, feed on the bulbs of the *lilium pomponium*, and they gnaw the twigs of the *robinia caragana*. When confined, they will not refuse raw meat or the entrails of fowls.—They are the prey of all lesser rapacious beasts; and the Arabs, who are forbidden all other kinds of mice, esteem these the greatest delicacies. The Mongols have a notion that they suck the sheep: certain it is they are during night very frequent among the flocks, which they disturb by their leaps. These animals breed often in the summer; in the southern parts in the beginning of May; beyond Baikal not till June. They bring perhaps eight at a time, as they have so many teats. They sleep the whole winter without nutriment. About Astracan, they will sometimes appear in a warm day in February; but return to their holes on the return of cold.

3. The cafer, or Cape jerboa, has four toes on the hind-feet and five on the paws; the tail is very hairy, and tipped with black.—This species, which inhabits the Cape of Good Hope, is larger than any of the foregoing, being 14 inches long, the tail 15, the ears three. It is called *aerdmannetis*, or little earth man, and *springen baas*, or leaping hare, by the Dutch at the Cape. It has a grunting voice; is very strong, and leaps 20 or 30 feet at one bound. It burrows with its fore feet; and sleeps sitting on its hind legs, with the knees separated, the head between, and holding its ears with the fore-paws over its eyes. It is eaten by the natives; and is caught by pouring water into its hole, which forces it to come out.

4. The *meridiana*, Caspian jerboa, or long-legged mouse, has five toes behind and three before, with the rudiments of a thumb or inner toe. It is five inches long, and the tail three.—This species inhabits the sandy deserts between the Ural and Volga, near the Caspian.—It forms burrows, with three entrances, about a yard in depth; and feeds chiefly on the seeds of the *perococci* and *aftragaai*.

5. The *tamarcinus*, or marsh jerboa, has five toes behind and three before, with the rudiments of a fourth; the tail is obscurely annulated. The body and head measure about five inches and a half in length; the tail is about the same length.—This species inhabits the salt marshes near the Caspian sea; and is supposed to feed on the fruit of the *tamarix* and *nitrarium*, which grow in these marshes. Under the roots of these trees it forms very deep burrows, which have two entrances. It is a very elegant little animal. There are two or three other species of this genus.

IV. The *Cavia*, or *Cavy*; a genus which seems to hold a middle place between the murine and the leporine quadrupeds. The characters are: there are two wedge-like cutting teeth in each jaw, and eight grinders in both jaws: the fore-feet are furnished with four or five toes: the hind-feet with three, four, or five each: the tail is either very short or entirely wanting: there are no clavicles or collar-bones.

1. The paca, or spotted cavy, has five toes on all the feet; and the sides are marked with rows of grey or pale yellow spots. The body and head measure about two feet in length; the tail is like a small button, and so extremely short as to be hardly apparent; the mouth is very small, and the upper lip is divided; the nostrils are very large, and the muzzle is garnished with long whiskers; the ears are short and roundish; the eyes are large, prominent, and brownish; the two cutting teeth in each jaw are very long and of great strength; the hind legs are longer than the fore.—This species inhabits Brazil, Guiana, and probably all the warmer parts of America. It lives in fenny places near rivers, burrowing in the ground, and keeping its hole exceedingly clean, to which it has always three distinct outlets: It grows very fat, and is esteemed a great delicacy. The female has two teats situated between the hind-thighs, and has only a single young one at a litter.—It is difficult to take this animal alive. When surprized in its hole, which the hunters lay open both before and behind, it defends itself, and even bites fiercely.—It is, however, easily accustomed to a domestic life. Unless indifferently irritated, it is gentle and tractable, fond of adulation, and licks the hands of the person who caresses it. It knows those who take care of it, and readily distinguishes their voices. When gently stroked on the back, it stretches itself out, lies down on its belly, by a small cry expresses its acknowledgement, and seems to ask a continuance of the favour; but if seized in a rough manner, it makes very violent efforts to escape. When kept in a wooden cage or box, this animal remains perfectly tranquil during the day, especially when plentifully supplied with food. It seems even to have an affection for its retreat as long as the day lasts; for, after feeding, it retires spontaneously into it. But when night approaches, by perpetual restlessness and agitation, and by tearing the bars of its prison with its teeth, it discovers a violent desire of getting out. Nothing of this kind happens during the day, unless it has occasion for some natural evacuation; for it cannot endure the smallest degree of dirtiness in its little apartment; and when about to void its excrements, always retires to the most distant corner it can find. When its straw begins to smell, it often throws it out, as if it meant to demand fresh litter. This old straw it pushes out with its muzzle, and goes in quest of rags or paper to replace it. In a female cavy, the following extraordinary influence of cleanliness was observed. A large male rabbit being shut up with her when she was in season, she took an aversion to him the moment he voided his excrement in their common apartment. Before this she was very fond of him; licked his nose, ears, and body; and allowed him to take almost the whole food that was given her. But as soon as the rabbit had infected the cage with his ordure, she retired into the bottom of an old press, where she made a bed with paper and rags, and returned not to her old lodging till she saw it neat, and freed from the unclean guilt which had been presented to her.

2. The agouti, which is about the size of a rabbit, has a very short tail; four toes on the fore feet, and three on the hind ones; the upper parts of the body of a brownish colour mixed with red and black, the rump orange, and the belly yellowish. Of this species there are three varieties mentioned by authors, viz. the lesser cunicularis or long-nosed cavy, which is about the size of a rabbit; the leporina or larger rabbit, called the java hare, or javan cavy, which is as large as a hare; and the americana, which seems to be but little known. They all inhabit South America and the West India islands; dwelling in hollow trees, or burrowing in the ground. They search for their food, which is entirely vegetable, during the day, and carry it home with them to their dwellings; when feeding they fit on their hind legs, and carry their food with the fore-paws to the mouth. They grow very fat, and are very good eating, their flesh being white and savoury like that of a rabbit. They breed frequently in the same year, the female bringing three, four, or five young ones at a birth. They grunt like pigs, are very voracious, and when fat, their flesh is white like that of a rabbit, but dry. What food they cannot immediately consume they hoard in their retreats, and eat at their leisure. Their pace is hopping like that of a hare or rabbit; they beat the ground like them with their feet, when angry; they flop and listen to the sound of music; and they take shelter, when pursued, in their holes, or in hollow trees.—They are hunted with dogs. When one of them is forced among the cut sugar canes, he is soon taken; because these grounds being generally covered a foot thick with straw and leaves, at each leap he sinks in this litter, so that a man may overtake and fly him with a baton. He commonly runs very nimbly before the dogs; and when he gains his retreat, he lies squat, and remains obstinately in his concealment. The hunters are obliged to chase him out by filling his hole with smoke. The animal, half suffocated, utters mournful cries; but never issues forth unless when pushed to the last extremity. His cry, which he often repeats when disturbed or irritated, resembles that of a small hog. If taken young, he is easily tamed, and goes out and returns of his own accord.

3. The cobaya, or reftless cavy, has four toes on the fore and three on the hind-feet, with no tail: it is about seven inches in length; and the whole body is white, usually variegated with irregular orange and black blotches. This species inhabits Brazil; but its manners in a wild state are not mentioned by authors. In a domestic state, as they appear in Europe, they are very restless, and make a continual noise.—They feed on all kinds of herbs; but especially on parsley, which they prefer to grain or bread; and they are likewise fond of apples and other fruits. They eat precipitately like the rabbit, little at a time, but very often. Buffon says they never drink; but Gmelin, that they drink water. Their voice is commonly a kind of grunt like a young pig; when engaged in their amours, it resembles the chirp of a bird; and when hurt, they emit a sharp cry. They are of a tame and gentle, but stupid disposition. The female breeds at two months old, bringing from four or five to ten or twelve young ones at a birth, though she has only two teats; and breeds very often during the year, as she goes but three weeks with young, and takes the male 12 or 15 days after littering. As they breed so fast, their multitudes would be immense, if there were not so many enemies which destroy them. They cannot resist either cold or moisture; when cold, they assemble and crowd close together; in which case they often all perish together. They are also devoured in great numbers by cats, and many are killed by the males. Rats are said to avoid their haunts. They are called in England Guinea-pigs, from their being supposed to come from that country.

4. The magellanica, or Patagonian cavy, has hardly any tail; the sides of the nose are garnished with tufts of curly hair and long numerous whiskers. This species inhabits the country about Port Desire in Patagonia, and is of considerable size, sometimes weighing 26 pounds. It has the same manners with the rest of the genus; it sits on its hind legs, burrows in the ground, and feeds on vegetables. The flesh is very white, and has an excellent flavour. 5. The capybara, or thick-nosed tapir, has no tail; the hind feet have each three webbed toes. The length of the animal, when full grown, is above two feet and a half; the head and nose are very large and thick; having small, erect, rounded, naked ears, and large black eyes; and the nose is garnished with numerous black whiskers; in each jaw are two large strong fore-teeth, and eight grinders; the legs are short, having the toes connected by a web, and their extremities are guarded with a kind of hoofs instead of claws; the neck is short and thick; the hair is short, rough, and harsh, like bristles, being longest on the back, and most of them are yellowish in the middle and black at both ends.—This species inhabits the eastern side of South America, from the isthmus of Darien to Brazil and Paraguay; living in fenny woods near the large rivers, such as the Amazonas, Orinoco, and Plata. They swim and dive remarkably well, and keep for a long time under-water. They catch fish at night with great dexterity, and bring them on shore to eat them; which they do sitting on the hind legs, and holding the food in the fore-paws like the apes. They likewise live on fruits and vegetables, especially the sugar cane, and feed only in the night. They keep together in large herds, making a great noise like the braying of asses, and do vast mischief in gardens. They grow very fat; and the flesh is eaten, being tender, but has an oily and fishy flavour. In the breeding season, one male and one female live together, and the female only produces a single one at a birth. These animals are easily rendered tame, and become very familiar.

6. The acouchy, or olive cavy, has a short tail; the upper parts of the body are of an olive colour, the under parts whitish. This species inhabits Guiana, Cayenne, and Brazil.—It is about the size of an half-grown rabbit, is easily tamed, and is reckoned very delicate food. The female brings one, sometimes two, at a litter. This animal resembles the agouti, but is uniformly smaller, has a tail of some length, and is of a different colour. It inhabits the woods, living on fruits; abhors water; and sometimes, though rarely, makes a cry like that of the ratel's cavy.

There are five or six other species described by authors as belonging to the cavy genus. Two of them, however, have been lately marked by Dr Gmelin under a new genus, Hyrax; which, as there was not an opportunity of introducing it in the order of the alphabet, we shall here subjoin, together with the descriptions of the species as given by Mr Kerr.

V. Hyrax, or akokoko. There are two broad and dilated fore-teeth above; four contiguous, broad, flat, notched fore-teeth below; and four large grinders on each side in both jaws. The fore feet have four toes, the hind feet only three. There is no tail; and the clavicles are wanting.

1. The capensis, or cape akokoko, "has flat nails on all the toes, except one toe of each hind foot which is armed with a sharp pointed claw. It inhabits the Cape of Good Hope.—This animal is about the size of a rabbit, being about 15 inches long; the head is short, with the back part very thick, and the snout very short and blunt; the eyes are small; the ears are oval and open, brown, woolly, and half hid in the fur; the legs are very short, the upper joints of both being concealed beneath the skin; the hind legs are rather longer than the fore; the feet are large, black, and naked; the body is short, thick, and contracted, with a prominent belly, and is covered with a soft woolly fur of a yellowish brown or greyish colour, hoary at the roots; the sides are of a dirty whitish grey; and along the back is a brownish stripe; this fur is interpersed with longer and coarser, black hairs, and a few very coarse long bristles. The fore-feet have four short, scarce divided, thick toes, furnished with flat nails; the two outer toes of the hind-feet are similar, but the inner toe is longer, and has a sharp claw. This animal has a sharp voice, and acute sense of hearing; its gait is very wavering and unsteady, owing to the shortness of its thighs and unequal length of the hind and fore legs; notwithstanding of which it is very active, and moves by leaps; it is very cleanly, lives entirely on vegetable food, drinks little, is fond of heat, and burrows in the ground. In manners and general appearance, this animal resembles the marmot and cavy; in the conformation of its toes it has some analogy with the manacaouco; but from the circumstances of the teeth it cannot be ranked with the last; and the peculiarity of the feet has caused Dr Gmelin to separate it from both of the former."

2. The syriacus, or Syrian akokoko, (Bruce, Schreber), "has soft tender nails on all the toes. It inhabits Syria and Ethiopia.—The body of this is more lengthened than that of the former, and the snout more oblong. The fur is of a reddish grey colour like that of the wild rabbit, the throat, breast, and belly, being white; all over the body a number of long, strong, and polished hairs are scattered among the fur. The body and head of the individual described by Mr Bruce measured 17 inches. The ears are broad, open, and rounded; each side of the mouth is garnished with long whiskers. In walking, which is performed creeping low with the belly almost touching the ground, the hind feet are used as far as the heel. All the toes have short, broad, weak, flat nails, except the inner toe of the hind foot, which is provided with a flat crooked nail somewhat longer than the rest; the soles of the feet are formed of fleshy naked protuberances, divided by furrows. It lives mostly about the mouths of caves or crevices in rocks; is gregarious; feeds entirely on vegetables; is mild, feeble, timid, and easily tamed, and has no voice or cry. Mr Bruce is of opinion, that this animal is the gannim or Daman Israel of the Arabs, and the saphan of sacred scriptures, which has erroneously been translated the rabbit.—Its flesh is very white, but is not eaten by the Abyssinians or Mahometans. The same celebrated traveller is of opinion, that it ruminates or chews the cud."