in a few hours, and he resumes his torpid state when put below the earth again.

eyes, and

: When the animal is passing from a state of torpi dity, his actions are very singular: he first loses the rigidity of his members, and then makes profound respirations, 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 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, how ever, reiterates his efforts, till he is at length enar bled 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, to eat, and to 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.

: The life of a Hamster is divided between eating and fighting. He seems to have no other passion than that of rage, which induces him to attack every animal that comes in his way, without in the least attending to the superior strength of the enemy. Ignorant of the art of saving himself by flight, rather than yield, he will allow himself to be beaten to pieces with a stick. If he seizes a man's hand, he anust be killed before he quits his hold. The mag

nitude of the horse terrifies him as little as the address of the dog, which last is fond of hunting him. When the Hamster perceives a Dog at a distance, he begins by emptying his cheek-pouches, if they happen to be filled with grain: he then blows them up so prodigiously, that the size of the head and neck greatly exceeds that of the rest of the body: he raises himself on his hind legs, and thus darts upon the enemy. If he catches hold, he never quits it, but with the loss of his life. But the Dog generally seizes him behind, and strangles him. This ferocious disposition prevents the Hamster from being at peace with any animal whatever. He even makes war against his own species, not excepting the females. When two Hamsters meet, they never fail to attack each other, and the stronger always devours the weaker. A combat between a male and a female commonly lasts longer than that 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 to fight, till one of them falls. The vanquished uniformly serves for a repast to the conqueror.*

The females bring forth twice or thrice a year; each litter consisting of six or eight young; and their increase in some years is so rapid, as almost to be sufficient to occasion a dearth. In about three weeks after their birth, the young are so strong as to be able to seek their own provisions, which the dam

Buff. Quad. viii. 194-197.

obliges them to do; and, in fifteen or sixteen days, they begin to dig the earth.

THE MARMOT TRIBE.

THE Marmots have two wedge-shaped front teeth in each jaw, and five grinders on each side in the upper, and four in the lower jaw. They have also collar bones in the skeleton.*

This genus, of which only eight species are yet known, does not differ in many particulars from that of the Rats. The animals have thick cylindrical bodies, and large, roundish heads. The fore-feet have four claws, and a very small thumb; and the hind feet five claws. They reside in subterraneous holes, and pass the winter in sleep.

THE ALPINE MARMOT.†

The Alpine Marmot frequents the highest summits of the Alps and Pyrenean Mountains, and is also found in some parts of Asia. It is about sixteen inches in length, has a short tail, and bears some resemblance both to the Rat and the Bear. The colour is brownish above, and bright tawny on the under parts. The head is rather large and flat

* Linn. Ginel. i, 141.

+ SYNONYMS. Arctomys Marmota. Linn. Gmel.-Mus Marmota. Linn. Syst. Nat. Ed. xii-Common Marmot. Kerr.-Marmotte. Buffon. -Alpine Marmot, Penn.--Shaw's Gen. Zool. pl. 143.—Bew. Quad. 366.

tish; the ears short and hid in the fur; and the tail thick and bushy. These singular quadrupeds delight in the regions of frost and of snow, and are seldom to be found but on the tops of the highest mountains. They remain in a torpid state during winter. About the end of September, or the beginning of October, they retire into their holes, and never come abroad again till the beginning of April. Their retreats are formed with much art and precaution. They do not make a single hole, or a straight or winding tube, but a kind of gallery in the form of a Y, each branch of which has an aperture, and both terminate in a capacious apartment, where several of the animals lodge together. As the whole operation is performed on the declivity of a mountain, the inner→ most aperture is alone horizontal. Both branches of the Y are inclined, one of them descends under the apartment, and follows the declivity of the mountain. This is a kind of aqueduct, and also receives and carries off all the filth that is produced within and the other, which rises above the principal apartment, is used for coming in and going out at. The place of their abode is well lined with moss and hay, of which they lay up great store during the summer.

It is affirmed, that this labour is carried on jointly; that some of the animals cut the finest herbage, which is collected by others, and that they alternately serve as vehicles for transporting it to their dens, One, it is said, lies down on his back, allows himself to be loaded with hay, extends his limbs, and others trail

him, thus loaded, by the tail; taking care not to overset him. "I have often (says M. Beauplau) seen them practise this, and have had the curiosity to watch them at the work for whole days together." The repeated frictions arising from this work are assigned as the reason why the hair is generally rubbed off from their backs. But it is more probable that this effect is produced by their frequent digging of the earth, which alone is sufficient to peel off the hair. However this may be, it is certain that they dwell together, and work in common in their habitations, where they pass three fourths of their lives. Thither they retire during rain, or upon the approach of danger, and never go out but in fine weather, and even then to no great distance.

One of them stands centinel upon a rock, while the others gambol upon the grass, or are employed in cutting it in order to make hay. If the centinel perceives a Man, an Eagle, a Dog, or other dangerous animal, he instantly alarms his companions by a loud whistle, and is himself the last that enters the hole.*

As they continue torpid during the winter, and, as if they foresaw that they would then have no occasion for food, they lay up no provisions in their apartments. But, when they feel the first approaches of the sleeping season, they shut up both the pas

Beauplau's description of Ukraine.-This writer seems either to have mistaken the Marmot for the following species, or to have con. founded the two. The animals he describes, he calls Bobaques.