108 SKETCH OP THE HISTORY OF MAMMALIA. 



they express pleasure, is a low soft kind of grunting. 

 They scarcely ever quarrel except for food — as when 

 one piece of fruit is given between both ; in that case 

 one seizes and runs away with it, until the other is able 

 to take it from him. They sometimes play for a long 

 time together, holding themselves upright in the manner 

 of kangaroos, firmly supported upon the broad soles of 

 their hind-feet and the base of the tail, and striking each 

 other with their paws, until one of them, finding a 

 wall or some other body against which to support him- 

 self, acquires an additional power, and gains an advan- 

 tage ; but they never bite each other. Towards other 

 animals they manifest the greatest indifference, paying 

 no attention even to cats. They are fond of being ca- 

 ressed, and particularly of being scratched under the chin. 

 They do not bite, but slightly press with the incisor 

 teeth the skin of those who caress them. They do not 

 ordinarily drink, but occasionally suck up water as squir- 

 rels do. Their food consists of vegetables exclusively, 

 such as cabbage, succory, grapes, nuts, bread, apples, &c. 

 They are not very difficult in the choice of their food, 

 but still have a particular fondness for strong-flavoured 

 herbs and aromatic plants, as wormwood, rosemary, ge- 

 raniums, pimpernel, celery, &c. Grapes pleased them 

 much, to obtain which they would instantly climb up a 

 long ])ole, at the top of which the fruit was placed. 

 They are also fond of bread steeped in aniseed or even 

 wine. These animals are plantigrade : their movements 

 are slow, and their hinder parts are embarrassed when 

 they walk, as is observable in the bear. They leap oc- 

 casionally, turning suddenly round from head to tail like 

 the field-mouse. When they climb, which they do with 

 the greatest ease, they assist themselves with the base of 

 their tail as a support, and the same in descending. In 

 certain positions, on a stick for example, the tail serves 

 as a balance to preserve their equilibrium. They often 

 raise themselves to a listening attitude, sitting erect, 

 with the paws hanging down, like rabbits and hares. 

 In eating they employ sometimes only one, sometimes 

 both their fore-paws ; the former is the case when the 



