140 RODENTIA. 



twenty-five inches. It is said to be found from Canada to the 

 Gulf of Mexico, though its range is not well determined. 



L. cuniculus, (Lat. a little rabbit.) The RABBIT resembles the 

 Gray Squirrel in size and shape ; but when domesticated varies 

 in these respects. It is native to the warmer parts of the Eastern 

 Continent; is well known as a burrowing animal, and every- 

 where domesticated. The most common kind of the Albinos 

 are the white with red eyes. The flesh of the Rabbit is insipid 

 and its skin of no value, but its fur is made into gloves, stockings 

 and hats. It has a litter of five or six young ones every month, 

 and its great fecundity is in some places nothing short of a ca- 

 lamity. 



L. silvalicus, (Lat. woody, wild,) is the AMERICAN GRAY RAB- 

 BIT, in its wild state, having a color similar to that of_the Euro- 

 pean burrowing Rabbit, but it does not change to the different 

 colors which the European Rabbit shows when domesticated. 

 L. cattails, (Gr. xafog, kalos, beautiful ; ov$ f ous, an ear.) 

 The BLACK-TAILED HARE, of Mexico and adjacent parts, mottled 

 with gray and yellowish brown above, and white beneath ; it has 

 very long ears and long and slender legs and body, fitting it for 

 long and rapid leaps. This is a very interesting species, and on 

 account of the length of its ears, called in Texas, the Jackass 

 Rabbit. 



Lagomys, (Gr. Aa/w?, lagds, a hare ; fivg, mus, a mouse.) 

 This is a genus of the Rodents which is separated from the 

 Hares proper, and includes four species ; " one, the Pika, in the 

 northern mountains of the Old World, one in Mongolian Tartary, 

 one in the south-eastern parts of Russia, and one, (L. princeps, 

 the Little Chief Hare,) in the Rocky Mountains of North Amer- 

 ica." (Audubon.) They lay up winter stores, which is never 

 done by the true Hares. 



QUESTIONS UPON THE RODENTIA. 



Give the derivation of Rodentia. How may the animals of this order be 

 easily known ? What family are an exception to this ? Give some further 

 account of the teeth of this order. How is the wear of the enamel and 

 other part of the teeth counteracted ? What is the result if one tooth be 

 lost? How many species does the order include? How many in North 

 America ? Which of these is the smallest ? Which the largest ? On what 

 do the Rodents feed ? How are they kept from overrunning the earth ? 

 Which are valuable in commerce ? Give the remark of the Pictorial Mu- 

 seum. Into how many families is the order divided ? Give their names. 



How many species does the Squirrel Family include ? Into what two 

 groups is the* family divided ? Describe the family. Give the derivation 

 of the generic name. Describe the Common Red S. What is one of the 

 most common American species? How many varieties of this? What 



