40 A. L. V. Manniche. 



fers especially. Probably the lemming is fond of grass. At any 

 rate I found the animals in great numbers during the summer time 

 in localities, where tufts of grass were growing luxuriantly, as for 

 instance at the old Eskimo graves, near singly lying, large stones, 

 in boggy hollows of the ground and the like places. As a rule the 

 lemmings had then nibbled off the tufts of grass, often to the very 

 bottom. It was on such good lemming places that the snowy owls 

 and skuas had their look-out stations, from which they were faith- 

 fully keeping watch over the holes which had been dug up recently. 



The crusty snow which appears so frequently in the first 

 months of spring, gives the lemming great trouble during its at- 

 tempts of finding some food, after having left the passages under the 

 snow, partly or for good and all. In March and April I frequently 

 found on the snoAV lemmings which had been starved or perhaps 

 more likely frozen to death. It was evident that in several places 

 the animals had tried in vain to break through the glazing of the 

 snow crust. The lemmings which were found dead under such 

 circumstances were always lying rolled up tightly or crouched 

 together. 



On April 2P' 1908 I thus found a young male in winter dress. 

 Marks left by the animal's claws were to be seen all over the crust 

 of ice in the neighbourhood. At a distance of 20 meters was a 

 perfectly snowless spot, rich in vegetation, where evidently the ani- 

 mal had been seeking its food. The temperature was -^ 25°. 



How the lemming is able to brave hunger and cold during its 

 long walks across the ice seems a mystery to me. 



By nature the lemming is timid, suspicious not without reason, 

 and as a consequence extremely cautious. This is the case especi- 

 ally when the animal is out in the light of day. The extraordina- 

 rily sensitive, much persecuted little creature, of which it has been 

 said justly that its life hangs upon a thread, is the most nervous 

 animal I know. 



Like a flash of lightening the lemming hurries from one hole 

 to another. Wherever it goes, death is following on the heels of it, 

 even when it has retired to its subterranean dwelling. The fox 

 quickly makes its way to the secret passages of the defenceless ani- 

 mal, and the ermine personally pays its bloody visits there. 



The lemming is chiefly a nocturnal animal. In the summer I 

 mostly found it strolling about at the time of day when the sun 

 stood lowest. Nevertheless the animal is often seen above the ground 

 in the middle of the day as well, especially in the summer time. 



The hair change takes place in the end of May, probably a 

 little earlier in the case of some specimens. 



