RODENTS 



21 



squirrel and The European squirrel inhabits the Siberian forest zone from the 



chipmunk. Ural in the west to the Pacific in the east : this eastern representa- 

 tive of the species being light grey in colour. In the same area lives the sniped 

 Siberian ground-squirrel or chipmunk (Tamias asiaticus), which extends as far 

 west as the Dwina in Russia, and as far east as Amurland. In North America 

 it is represented by a number of allied species. 



susliks and Mar- Susliks also are represented in northern Asia, the long-tailed 



mots. species (Spermophilus eversmanni) being the most abundant in the 

 north-east. The bobac marmot (Arctomys bobac), ranging from Galicia and 

 southern Poland to the Amur countries and Kamchatka, is also abundant. This 

 species inhabits plains or low hills, where it digs its many-chambered burrows, each 

 large enough to contain a numerous family. Early in the morning the marmots 

 appear at the entrance of their burrows, after the manner of their kind, to feed on 

 roots, herbs, and grass. They use hay to line their burrows, and spend the whole 

 winter in deep sleep ; the young, which are born in spring, and half-grown by the 

 middle of summer, are not so numerous as in the Alpine species, there being 

 frequently only one at a birth. The 'bobac is a smaller animal than its cousin of 

 the Alps, measuring only some 15 inches from the nose to the root of the tail. 

 In colour it is uniformly grey and rusty yellow, and its front teeth are white 

 instead of orange. It is believed to be the animal in which bubonic plague 

 originates. 



The lovely Siberian flying-squirrel or polatouche (Sciuropter"< 

 volans), which is a rare animal in museums, is one of the smallest of 

 its tribe, being only about 6 inches in length. In colour it is brown above and 

 white below, the tail being grey superiorly and chestnut underneath. With its 

 large expressive eyes this little creature is one of the prettiest of all rodents. It 

 inhabits Siberia as far east as the Lena, and is also found in Lapland and northern 

 Russia; ranging as far north as the boundary of forest-growth, and to the south- 

 west occurring in Lithuania and the Russian Baltic provinces. In the European 

 parts of its area, however, especially in the west, it is becoming rare. The haunts 

 of this species are the forests, sometimes of fir, but more often those of birch, in 

 the latter of which it is almost invisible in winter owing to its white winter coat 

 so exactly matching the silvery bark. Although not hibernating during the cold 

 season, it ventures out of its retreat only in mild weather. Its food, which it eats 

 in squirrel-fashion, consists of the buds and bark of the birch, and all kinds of seeds 

 and fruits. As this rodent is not entirely nocturnal, it may often be observed in 

 the day-time, but becomes most lively towards dusk. Dwelling entirely in trees, 

 in the branches and holes of which it makes its nest, in its flying leaps it often 

 covers a distance of 100 feet from stem to stem ; its flying apparatus acting, 

 of course, as a parachute, and not as wings. 



One of the European dormice, the tree-dormouse, is also found, in 



other Kodents. g iberi& The ] ar g es t northern rodent, the beaver, occurs in many 

 places on the Obi, but seems to have disappeared from eastern Siberia. The 

 hamster also ranges into Siberia, but not farther east than the Obi. The water- 

 rat, however, ranges over the whole area ; and on the lower Yenesei, its fur is 

 used for clothing purposes and forms an important article of trade. 



