Popular SBtctionarg of &mmatrtr Mature. 411 



M ARGINELL A. A genus of Molluscous 

 animals, inhabiting an oval, smooth, shining 

 shell, often handsomely coloured ; the spire 

 exceedingly short ; the right lip having a 

 thick margin ; plaits nearly equal in size ; 

 and no operculum. The head of the animal 

 is very distinct, with a small proboscis, and 

 two tentacula having eyes at the base. It 

 covers the greater part of the shell with the 

 mantle, and by continually depositing vi- 

 treous matter gives it a bright polish, which, 

 together with the delicately neat arrange- 

 ment of colours in most species, renders 

 them very beautiful. 



MARIKINA. An appellation given 

 ey, furnished 



to a 



Brazilian species of Monkey, furnished with 

 a mane, and having a tuft of hair at the end 

 of its tail. It is the Jacchus Rosalia of na- 

 turalists. 



MARMOT. (Arciomys.-) A genus of 

 Rodent animals of which there are several 

 species. The Marmots in their dentition are 

 nearly allied to the squirrels, though in their 

 general form they are very dissimilar to 

 those active little quadrupeds, and have 

 been generally classed with the rats. They 

 have five molar teeth on each side of the 

 lower jaw ; short legs ; a rather short tail ; 

 heavy body ; and a short flat head : four 

 toes on the fore feet, and flve on the hinder. 

 They live in communities ; have extensive 

 burrows on the sides of high and cold moun- 

 tains ; and pass the winter in a dormant 

 state. 



The ALPINE MARMOT (Arctamys Alpinus) 

 is about the size of a rabbit ; of a grayish 

 yellow colour, approaching to brown to- 

 wards the head ; and has a short tail. This 



species inhabits the mountains of Europe 

 (particularly those of the Alps and Pyre- 

 nees), just below the region of perpetual 

 snow ; and feeds on insects, roots, and vege- 

 tables. They live in large societies ; and 

 when they are eating, they post a sentinel, 

 who on the approach of any danger gives a 

 shrill whistle, when they all retire into their 

 burrows, which are contrived with great art, 

 and are well lined with moss and hay. In 

 these retreats they remain in a torpid state 

 from the autumn till April. In fine weather 

 tney are seen sporting about the neighbour- 

 hood of their burrows ; they delight in bask- 

 ing in the sunshine, and frequently assume 

 an upright posture, sitting on their hind 

 feet. Before they retire to their winter 

 quarters they are observed to grow exces- 



sively fat ; and, on the contrary, appear 

 greatly emaciated on first emerging from 

 them. In a domestic state the Marmot will 

 eat almost any kind of animal or vegetable 

 food. 



There are many Marmots inhabiting North 

 America which have been considered as be- 

 longing to the sub-genus Spermophilus. The 

 most celebrated of these is the PRAIRIE DOG. 

 (Arctomys ludovicianits.) The name of 

 Prairie Dog has been given to it from a sup- 

 posed similarity between its warning cry 

 and the barking of a small dog. They live 

 in large communities ; their villages, as they 

 are termed by the hunters, sometimes being 

 many miles in extent. The entrance to 

 each burrow is at the summit of the mound 

 of earth thrown up during the progress of 

 the excavation below. The hole descends 

 vertically to the depth of one or two feet, 

 after which it continues in an oblique direc- 

 tion. This Marmot, like the rest of the spe- 

 cies, becomes torpid during the winter, and, 

 to protect itself against the rigour of the 

 season, stops the month of its hole, and con- 

 structs a neat globular cell at the bottom of 

 it, of fine dry grass, so compactly put to- 

 gether as almost to form a solid mass. In 

 the "Travels in North America" by the 

 Hon. C. A. Murray, we find an account of 

 this animal. Speaking of an extensive and 

 desolate prairie through which he was pass- 

 ing, is the following description of the 

 "Prairie Dog." "In this waste there was 

 not either bird or beast to be seen, except 

 Prairie Dogs. I do not know how these 

 little animals obtained this absurd appella- 

 tion, as they do not bear the slightest re- 

 semblance to the canine species, either in 

 formation or habits. In size they vary ex- 

 tremely, but in general they are not larger 

 than a squirrel, and not unlike one in ap- 

 pearance, except that they want his bushy 

 tail ; the head is also somewhat rounder. 

 They burrow under the light soil, and throw 

 it up round the entrance to their dwelling 

 like the English rabbit : on this little mound 

 they generally sit, chirping and chattering 

 to one another, like two neighbour gossips 

 in a village. Their number is incredible, 

 and their cities (for they deserve no less a 

 name) full of activity and bustle. I do not 

 know what their occupations are ; but I 

 have seen them constantly running from 

 one hole to another, although they do not 

 ever pay any distant visits. They seem on 

 the approach of danger always to retire 

 to their own homes : but their great delight 

 apparently consists in braving it, with the 

 usual insolence of cowardice when secure 

 from punishment ; for, as you approach, 

 they wag their little tails, elevate then- 

 heads, and chatter at you like a monkey, 

 louder and louder the nearer you come : but 

 no sooner is the hand raised to any missile, 

 whether gun, arrow, stick, or stone, than 

 they pop into the hole with a rapidity only 

 equalled by that sudden disappearance of 

 Punch, with which, when a child, I have 

 been so much delighted in the streets and 

 squares of London." Their holes seem to 

 be tenanted also by a species of owls (Strix 

 cunicularia) ; and this apparently discrepant 



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