156 Major-General Davies's Account of 
having ftrayed too far from the fkirts of the wood, allowed myfelf, 
with the affiftance 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 {mall a creature. It always 
took progreflive leaps of from three to four, and fometimes of five 
yards, although feldom above 12 or 14 inches from the furface of 
the grafs; but I have frequently obferved others in fhrubby places 
and in the woods, amongft plants, where they chiefly refide, leap 
confiderably higher. When found in fuch places, it is impoffible to 
take them, from their wonderful agility, and their evading alk 
purfuit by bounding into the thickeft cover they can find. A, 
\ 
With refpeét to the figure given of it in its dormant ftate, I have 
to obferve, that iperieten” 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 alfo would have been 
prefented tome. The drawing will perfectly fhew how the animal 
is laid during its dormant ftate. How long it had been under 
ground it is impoffible 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 Oétober, when the froft becomes fharp; nor did I 
ever fee them again before the laft week im May, or beginning of 
June. From their being enveloped in balls of clay, without any 
appear- 
