ARCTOMY.S HEMACHALANUS. 183 



They were fed on grain and fruit, and would chatter a good deal over 

 their meals, but in general were silent. They slept rolled up into a 

 ball, were tame and gentle usually, but sometimes bit and scratched 

 like rabbits, littering a similar cry. 



The marmot of the Alps and Pyrenees, Arctomys marmota, is the best 

 known of the group ; and there are others in Northern Asia, and many in 

 North America, of which the so-called Prairie dog, A. ludovicianus, is one 

 of the most remarkable. The genus Spermophihcs differs from Arctomys 

 in having a longer tail, and in possessing cheek-pouches. One species is 

 found in Europe, and others in Central Asia and North America. 



The next family comprises all the remaining rodents with tolerably 

 perfect clavicles and sub-quadrate lower jaw. They are usually divided 

 into several distinct families, but were all included, of late, by Water- 

 house* and others in one group, Muridce. Blyth classes them in the 

 families Myoxidce, Bipodidce, Muridce, Arvicolidce, and Bathyergidas ; 

 only two of which have representatives in India, viz., the Muridce and 

 Arvicolidce, which will be here considered as sub-families. 



Fam. MuRiD^. 



Incisors compressed or rounded ; molars 3 or 4 on each side ; fore- 

 feet usually with 4 toes ; hind-feet with 5. Tail very various. 



Two of the groups comprising this family are somewhat related to the 

 Squirrels, and may be said to form the transition between them and the 

 Rats, Such ai-e the Dormice, Myoxidce, Auct. These have 4 molars on 

 each side, the crown divided by closely-folded lines of enamel, and the 

 lower incisors pointed. They are pretty little animals with soft fur- 

 hairy and tufted tail, and live on trees. They are remarkable as being 

 the only rodents that do not possess a csecum. Blyth classed a peculiar 

 rodent from South India in this family, but this location has not been 

 upheld by late writers. 



The Jerboas, Dipodidce or Jerboidce, Auct., have teeth similar to the 

 true Murince, but with an occasional small tooth in front of the upper 

 molar. Their hind limbs are much lengthened, and the metatarsus of 

 the three middle toes is formed of a single bone. The fore-feet have each 

 5 toes. The tail is long and tufted. Some, in which the hind- feet have 



* Vide Sclater, South American Mammals, Quarterly Journal of Science. 



