RODENT1A. 83 



Marmots, that is remarkable for living in large troops in immense burrows, 

 which have even been styled villages. It is called the Prairie Dog or Harking' 

 Squirrel, the latter appellation arising from its voice, which resembles the bark 

 of a small dog. It is the Arct. ludovicianus of Say Jour, to the Rocky 

 Mountains, I. 451. 



MYOXUS, Gmeliri*. 



The Dormice have pointed lower incisors, and four grinders, the crown of 

 each of which is divided by enamelled lines. 



They are pretty little animals, with soft fur, a hairy and even tufted tail, 

 and a h'vely eye, which live on trees like squirrels, and feed on fruit. They 

 become torpid in winter like the marmots, and pass through it in the most 

 profound lethargy. 



M. glis, Lin. (The Fat Dormouse.) Size of a rat; ashy grey-brown above, 

 whitish underneath ; of a deeper brown around the eyes ; tail very hairy the 

 whole of its length, and disposed somewhat like that of a squirrel, and fre- 

 quently a little forked at the extremity. It inhabits the south of Europe, and 

 nestles in the hollows of trees and fissures of rocks. It sometimes attacks 

 small birds. This is probably the rat fattened by the ancients, among whom 

 it was considered a delicacy of the very highest description. There are two 

 other well-known species. The GARDEN DORMOUSE (M. nitella), common in the 

 gardens of Europe, where they shelter themselves in holes about the walls, and 

 domuch injury to trees. The COMMON DORMOUSE (M. avellunarius., Lin.), 

 constructs its nest of grass in the hollows of trees, where it remains during 

 the winter. 



We should place near the Dormice, the 



ECHIMYS, Geoffroy\. 



Four grinders also, but formed in a peculiar way ; the upper ones consisting 

 of two blades, bent into the shape of a V, and the under ones of one blade only 

 that is bent, and of another that is simple. The fur of several species is harsh 

 and intermixed with flattened spines or prickles, like sword blades. From 

 America. One of them is 



Ech. chrysuros, Schreb. (The Golden-tailed Echimys.) More than twice 

 the size of the brown rat ; it is a beautiful animal, of a chestnut brown colour ; 

 white belly ; an elongated crest of hairs, and a white longitudinal band on the 

 head ; the tail is long and black ; the posterior half yellow. From Guiana. 



Others, again, have merely the ordinary kind of hair, more or less rough. 

 The most remarkable is the 



Ech. dactylicus, Geoff. (The Long-toed Echimys.) Which is still larger 

 than the Chrysuros, and has the two middle toes of the fore feet double the 

 length of the lateral ones. Its scaly tail is longer than the body ; its fur is a 

 yellowish grey, and the hairs on its nose form a crest directed in front. 



* Myoxus, Rat with a pointed nose. t Echimys, or Spiny Rat. Ed. 



G 2 



