138 THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 



Phits hy A. S. RudUnd it Sim 



PORCUPINE 



This photograph shows the arrangement of the porcupine 's defense of 

 spines ; but when frightened it erects these, so as to form a complete protection 

 to the body 



The Bandicoot. 

 A very mischievous class of rats is 

 represented by the various species of 

 Bandicoot. They are found throughout 

 Southern Asia as far as Ceylon, and in 

 Kashmir and Turkestan. The Bandi- 

 coot-rat of India is a large and de- 

 structive species which is sometimes 

 brought to the London docks in ships, 

 but has not spread into the country. 



Other Murine Rodents. 

 Among the numerous other rodents 

 allied to the rat group are the Mole- 

 rats, with short mole-like bodies. The 

 largest is the Great Mole-rat, found in 

 Southeastern Europe, Southwestern Asia, 

 and Northeastern Africa. It is a sub- 

 terranean creature, burrowing for food like a mole. The Bamboo-rats have minute eyes, small 

 external ears, and a short tail partly covered with hair. In Somaliland a small, almost naked 

 Sand-rat is found, which burrows in the sand of the desert, throwing up little heaps like 

 mole-hills. 



The Gophers. 



In North and Central America the Pocket-gophers form a curious group of small rodents 

 with cheek-pouches opening on the outside. They spend their entire existence underground, 

 and are said to use their incisor teeth as picks to open the hard earth in their tunnels. They 

 push the loosened soil out by pressing it with their chests and fore feet. When a gopher has 

 eaten enough to satisfy the immediate calls of hunger, it stores all spare food away in the large 

 cheek-pouches. When gophers desire to empty the pouches, they pass their feet along their 

 cheeks from behind, and press the food forwards on to the ground. 



The Jerboas, Springhaas, and Jumping-mice. 

 The hopping rodents have an immense range, from Southern Europe, through Africa, 



Arabia, India, and Ceylon, and even in the New 

 World, where the American Jumping-molse is 

 found throughout the northern part of the con- 

 tinent. The latter is only 3 inches long. The 

 true Jerboas are mainly found in Africa. All 

 these, when excited, move like kangaroos. Their 

 main home is the Central Asian steppe region, 

 but they are found in Egypt, India, Syria, and 

 Arabia. The hind legs are much elongated, the 

 fore legs very small, and the bod} - usually of a 

 sandy colour. The American jumping-mouse, 

 though a very small creature, can cover from 3 to 

 5 feet at each leap. It inhabits the beech and 

 hard-wood forests. In winter it makes a globular 

 nest about 6 inches under the surface of the ground. 

 The Cape Jumping-hare forms a family by 

 itself, with no near allies. It is of a tawny brown 



Phttt, by W. P. Dandc] 



VISCACH A 



[Rtgrnt*s Pari 



The Viscacba forms colonies like those of the prairie-dogs. 

 . found on the pampas south of the La Plata 



It is 



