1 5 6 Major-Gtneral D A v I e s 'i Account of 



having ft rayed too far from the fkirts of the wood, allowed myfelfv 

 with the afliftance of three other gentlemen, to furround it, and 

 after an hour's hard chafe to get it unhurt, though not before it 

 was thoroughly fatigued, which might in a great meafure accele- 

 rate its death. During the time the animal remained in its ufual 

 vigour, its agility was incredible for fo fmall a creature. It always 

 took progreftive leaps of from three to four, and fometiraes of five 

 yards, although icldom above 12 or 14 inches from the furface of 

 the grafs; but I have frequently obferved others in ihrubby places 

 and in the woods, amongft plants, where they chiefly refide,. leap 

 confiderably higher. When found in fuch places, it is Impoflible to 

 take them, from their wonderful agility, and their evading all 

 purfuit by bounding into the thickeft cover they can find. 



With refpecl; to the figure given of it in its dormant ftate, I have 

 to obferve, that fpecimen was found by fome workmen, in digging 

 the foundation for a fummer-houfe, in a gentleman's garden about 

 two miles from Quebec, in the latter end of May 1787. It was 

 difcovered enclofed in a ball of clay, about the fize of a cricket-ball, 

 nearly an inch in thicknefs, perfectly fmooth within, and about 

 20 inches under ground. The man who firft difcovered it,, not 

 knowing what it was, ftruck the ball with his fpade, by which 

 means it was broken to pieces, or the ball al fo would have been 

 prefented to me. The drawing will perfectly {hew how the animal 

 is laid during its dormant ftate. How long it had been under 

 ground it is impoflible to fay ; but as I never could obferve thefe 

 animals in any parts of the country after the beginning of Septem- 

 ber, I conceive they lay themfelves up fome time in that month, or 

 beginning of October, when the froft becomes (harp ; nor did I 

 ever fee them again before the laft week in May, or beginning of 

 June. From their being enveloped in balls of clay, without any 



appear- 



