518 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Manners of the jerboa in confinement. 



of cold, as to foretcl bad weather, by wrapping 

 themselves close up in their cage before its com- 

 mencement; and those that are abroad, always, 

 on these occasions, stop up the mouths of their 

 burrows. They generally come out of their re- 

 treats at sun-set, and remain abroad tUl the morn- 

 ing sun has drawn up the dews from the earth. 



M. Sonnini informs u* that, while he was in 

 Egypt, he kept six of these animals, in a large 

 cage of iron wire. The very first night they 

 gnawed asunder the upright and cross sticks of 

 their prison ; and he was under the necessity of 

 having the inside of the cage lined with tin. 

 They seemed fond of basking in the sun; and 

 the moment they were put in the shade, they 

 clung to each other, as if suffering from the pri- 

 vation of warmth. They had not much agility 

 in their movements ; but gentleness and tranquil- 

 lity seemed to form their character. They suf- 

 fered themselves to be stroked with great com- 

 posure ; and never made a noise nor quarrelled, 

 even when food was scattered among them. No 

 distinguishing symptoms of joy, fear, or gratitude 

 were discoverable ; and even their gentleness ap- 

 peared the effect of a cold indifference, approach- 

 ing to stupidity. Three of them died before our 

 author left Alexandria ; two died on a rough pas- 

 sage to the island of Rhodes ; and the last was 

 lost, and, he supposed, devoured by cats. 



It is very difficult to transport these tender 

 animals into other climates; but as an indispea- 



