106 * MAMMALIA. 



wheel running with all his might, and the next he is seated on a 

 shelf at the opposite end of the cage, the wheel whirling behind 

 him .... Though usually very quiet they are not always 

 displeased with noise, if it be a lively one ; for instance, they drop 

 a nut in the wheel and then as it rattles when the wheel moves 

 they are highly delighted, sometimes more so than some of the 

 other listeners. Once when a butternut thus became quite a trouble 

 to me I removed it, but no sooner had I left the cage than they put 

 it back and set it rattling louder than ever, leaping over it as it came 

 near them and jumping about as if performing a war dance, and this 

 they repeated over and over again till, finally, the nut was removed 

 from the caee. Xovv and then the freak takes one or the other to 

 leave the wheel altogether for several days, and in the meantime 

 they relieve their over-buoyant feelings by executing a brilliant 

 series of somersets with an agility and daring that would excite the 

 envy of the most skilful acrobat. They always turn backward, going 

 completely over and alighting almost exactly upon the spot from 

 which they started. Now they run a few steps before going over 

 and now stop and turn around as if a spit ran through the centre of 

 the body on which it turned. These gyrations are often extremely 

 ludicrous, especially, when turning side by side, they seem to be 

 racing .... They are exceedingly inquisitive, prying into 

 everything that comes in their way ; and, if watched and fearful lest 

 they are to be interrupted, they assume a most impudent and reck- 

 less air, glancing out of one eye, and shaking their heads and sniffing 

 every now and then for an instant, and then returning to their in- 

 vestigations with renewed energy, pulling away desperately at any- 

 thing that can be laid hold of, and if anyone starts toward them to 

 drive them away, they wait till the very last minute, when, with a 

 twinkle of the eye, a toss of the head, and a jerk, of the tail, they are 

 off and across the room in a trice, perhaps stopping to chatter their 

 disapproval of the whole proceeding as soon as safely out of reach 

 When the actions of an animal are so suddenlv varied, so 



