NATURAL HISTORY. 263 



like the squirrel. It runs much swifter up a hill than 

 down ; it climhs trees, and runs up the clefts of rocks, 

 or the contiguous walls of houses, with great ease. 

 Indeed, it is ludicrously ohservcd of the Savoyards, 

 who are the general chimney-sweepers of Paris, that 

 they have learned their trade from the marmot. 



These animals eat whatever is given them, whether 

 it be flesh, bread, fruits, herbs, roots, pulse, or insects. 

 Of milk and butter, however, they are particularly 

 fond ; and though less inclined to petty thefts than the 

 cat, they are never better pleased than when they ob- 

 tain access to the dairy. 



There seems to be a combination of the bear and 

 the rat in the form of the marmot. Its nose, its lips, 

 and the form of its head, are like those of the hare ; 

 it has the hair and claws of the badger, the teeth of 

 the Leaver, the whiskers of the cat, the paws of the bear, 

 with a tufted tail, and short ears. The colour of its 

 hair on the back is reddish brown. On the belly it is 

 reddish, but softer and shorter. Its voice resembles 

 that of a little dog, when it is caressed ; but when it 

 is irritated or frightened, it raises a loud and shrill cry, 

 highly offensive to the ear. The marmot is a very 

 cleanly animal. In autumn particularly it is loaded 

 with fat, though all parts of the body are never equally 

 so. The marmot would be tolerable food, had it not 

 an offensive smell. 



This animal, which delights in the regions of ice and 

 snow, and is never found but on the highest mountains, 

 is, nevertheless, most liable to be benumbed by the 

 cold. From the end of September, or the beginning of 

 October, the marmot generally retires to its hole, and 

 does not return till about the beginning of April. The 

 place ofits retreatisformedwithprecaution, and furnish- 



