HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA. 



301 



cured by the Russians for the Chinese market, where 

 it sells for a high price. 



This animal haunts sea-washed rocks, and lives 

 mostly in the water, where it procures its food, which 

 consists of fish, and, as is indicated by the character 

 of the teeth, which are evidently formed for bruising 

 hard substances, shelled mollusks, and Crustacea. In 

 summer the Sea-Otter often ascends the rivers to the 

 inland lakes. The female produces on land a single 

 cub. The average length of this species is three feet, 

 exclusive of the tail, which measures about ten inches. 



There are several species of rats, mice, marmots, 

 and squirrels in California. Mr. Farnham informs us 

 that the Pouched Rat (Pecudostonia lursarium\ and 

 the small marmot (Arctomys Beecheyi), are found in 

 California, the latter being very plentiful in the plains 

 near San Francisco and Monterey, burrowing in the 

 ground and carrying in its capacious chest pouches, a 

 store of nuts, corn, and acorns. There are several 

 other varieties of the Arctomys, such as the Prairie 

 Marmot (Arctomys ludovicianus\ and the Woodchuck, 

 (Arctomys Monax^) the latter is found in the Atlantic 

 States. 



It does not inhabit the very cold places of America, 

 but rather the central and southern parts of the 

 United States, and perhaps places further to the south ; 

 for Catesby styles it "the Bahama rabbit." In the 

 United States it is called the ground hog, and various 

 other local names, none of which are very applicable. 

 Its color is rusty brown, rather darker on the flanks 

 than on the middle of the back ; a portion round the 

 muzzle is bluish gray, and the tail is black. 



Among the animals of the squirrel kind enumerated 

 26 



