132 RODENTIA. 



Helamys, (Gr. Allo^at,, allomai, to leap; fivg, mm, mouse;) or 

 Pedestes, (Illiger,) (Lat. Pes, a foot; sto, to stand.) 



The animals of this genus have eight molar teeth beneath ; the 

 front legs are quite short; the hind ones very long, and both armed 

 with exceeding long claws ; the tail is Long and very bushy. This 

 includes the P.Capensis, of the Cape of Good Hope, the largest of 

 the Jerboas; (length from nose to tail, about fourteen inches; of 

 the tail, nearly fifteen inches;) which leaps from twenty to thirty 

 feet at a bound, and sleeps in a sitting posture, placing the head 

 between the legs, and holding its ears over its eyes, with its fore 

 legs. It is a very strong and rapidly burrowing animal. (Plate 

 V. fig. 1.) 



Myoxus, (Gr. /LIVO$OS, muoxos, a Dormouse.) 



The DORMOUSE is intermediate between the Squirrels and 

 Mice ; is found in temperate and warm countries, and lives en 

 tirely on vegetable food. It has the two cutting teeth of the fam 

 ily, in each jaw, and the grinders simple, with divided roots; four 

 toes before, and five behind, (the reverse of the preceding genus;) 

 and naked ears. When in its winter retreat, this animal rolls 

 itself up, and becomes torpid, occasionally rousing itself and par 

 taking of its stores of food. Of this genus there are several spe 

 cies. M. aveUanarius, (Lat. avellana, a filbert,) is the Common 

 Dormouse, about as large as a common Mouse, but more plump, 

 with a less sharp nose, and large black eyes ; its color is a tawny 

 red ; the fur remafkably soft. 



Chinchilla. This genus is regarded as a connecting link be 

 tween the Hares and Jerboas. C. lanigera, (wool-bearing,) is 

 found in the valleys along the line of the Andes ; inhabiting re 

 gions where the temperature is below a moderate degree. It 

 lives in companies, making burrows in the earth. Its food is en 

 tirely vegetable, and principally consists of bulbous roots. The 

 Chinchilla has an exquisitely fine downy fur. The Creator has 

 thus protected it against severe frosts. The length of the fur well 

 adapts it for spinning ; and the ancient Peruvians manufactured 

 it into stuffs as articles of clothing. Numbers of these animals 

 are annually destroyed for the sake of their skins. In size and 

 appearance, they are like young rabbits; but the tail, like that 

 of the squirrel, is usually held turned up over the back, and the 

 ears, though long, are naked, broad, round and open. The color 

 of the fur varies in depth, in different individuals; is of a dark, 

 clear gray, lighter beneath. The Chinchilla is mild and inoffen 

 sive, but does not, in captivity, exhibit mucfi sprightliness, or in 

 telligence. Its length is about nine inches, exclusive of the tail, 

 which measures about five. (Plate V. fig. 6.) 



