CRICETUS. MAMMALIA. 121 



grayish below ; tail not so long as the body. Body 18 inches long. 

 India Buff- Supp. vii. pi. 69. 



M. Cakirinus, Geoff. The Egyptian Rat. Fur ash gray, deeper 



,/> above than below,, composed of rough spiny hairs ; tail as long 



as the body. Four inches long. Egypt Geoff. Egyp. pi. 5. tig. 2. 



Gen. 99. CRICETUS, Lacep. Cuv. Mus, Lin. 



Incisors f , canines g-g, molars f-f = 16. Crown of the mo- 

 lars with blunt tubercles ; fore-feet with four toes and a ru- 

 dimentary thumb ; hind-feet pentadactyle, with strong nails ; 

 tail short and hairy ; cheek-pouches. 



C. vulgaris, Desm. (Mus cricetus, Lin.) The Common Hamster. 

 Fur reddish gray above, black below ; with three large yellowish 

 spots on each side ; a white spot on the throat and another under 

 the breast. Inhabits the northern and central parts of Europe 

 and Asia. Eight inches long. -Shaw, ii. pi. 137- 



The Hamster forms complicated burrows or excavations of a circular form from 

 one to five feet in diameter, communicating by horizontal passages. In one of these 

 is the retreat of the animal, furnished with dry herbs for its bed the others are 

 magazines for its winter provisions, which frequently contain many bushels of corn 

 or other grain. These burrows are frequently sought, both to destroy the animal 

 which robs the agriculturist of so much produce, and to appropriate their supplies. 

 In the environs of Gotha it is said that in a single year 80,000 hamsters have been 

 killed. The hamster is larger than the common rat ; is provided with cheek- 

 pouches ; brings forth frequently, and from six to twelve young. On the approach 

 of winter the entrances to their burrows are closed up, and they are supposed to 

 pass this season partly in a state of torpidity. 



C. migratorius, Desm. (Mus accedula, Pall.) Fur ashy gray above, 

 white on the muzzle, round the nostrils and feet ; ears notched ; 

 Length four inches. Siberia Pall. Glir. pi. 18, A. 



C. arenarius, Desm. (Musarenarius,Gme\.) Sand Hamster. Whit- 

 ish ash-coloured above, pure white beneath ; feet and tail white ; 

 ears round. Four inches long. Siberia. Pall. Glir. pi. 16, A. 



C. phceus, Desm. (Mus phceus, Gmel.) Fur brownish ash-coloured 

 above, whitish below ; ears oval and large. Inhabits Persia. 

 Pall Glir. pi. 15, A. 



C. songarus, Desm. (Mus songarus, Pall.) Fur ash-coloured on the 

 back, with a black dorsal line ; sides varied with white and brown. 

 Length three inches. Siberia Shaw, ii. pi. 139. 



C. furunculus, Desm. (Mu&furunculus, Pall.) Fur ashy above, with 

 a black dorsal line ; belly and feet white. Pall. Glir. tab. 15, B. 



C. bursarius, Desm. (Musbursarms, Lin. Trans.) Canada Hamster. 

 Fur gray ; fore-feet pentadactylous, with long digging nails ; 

 ears short. Length 11 inches. Canada. Shan, ii. pi. 138. 



C. laniger, Desm. (Mus. laniger, Gmel.) The Chinchilla. Fur gray 

 and white, the hair soft and downy j ears large and round ; tail 

 short, with long stiff hairs. 1 1 inches long. Chili. Griff, iii. 138. 



C. anomalus, Desm. Fur chestnut brown above, white below, some 



