THE HAMSTER. 



71 



ated one on each side of the spine, at a short distance in 

 front of the thighs, which, instead of having the usual 

 fur, are covered with short, brown, stiff hairs. These 

 patches, which are about an inch long, are not always 

 directly perceptible, being obscured by the surrounding 

 long fur, which must be blown aside to show them. The 

 adult male measures from nine to twelve inches, exclusive 

 of the tail, which is about three inches long. The 

 weight is sometimes more than a pound. The female is 

 smaller by one-fourth. (Fig. 41.) 



41.— Hamster. 



The hamster is nocturnal in its habits : during the day 

 it lies rolled up in its burrow ; at night it issues forth to 

 ramble in quest of food ; after midnight it returns to its 

 burrow and rests till about an hour before sunrise, when 

 it takes a second ramble till the morning fairly dawns. 

 Its movements are slow and creeping : it often utters 

 short growling tones, but when irritated its voice is a 

 shrill yelling cry. In collecting food, as beans, peas, 

 wheat, &c., it uses its paws to press the grain backwards 

 to the bottom of the pouches, in order to make room for 

 the entrance of more. When these are well filled, it 

 returns to its burrow to unload them, in which act it 

 again uses its paws. In summer it feeds upon green 

 fodder and the leaves of many plants ; but the hamster 



