84 LEMMINGS. JERBOAS.-.RAT.MOLES.-.CHINCHILLAS. 



Jirvicola rfrralis, (Mus Arvalis,) or little field-rat, is improperly 

 called Mulot in some provinces. It is of the size of the mouse, 

 and inhabits holes which it digs in the fields. Sometimes it is 

 excessively multiplied, and commits, as well as the Mulot, great 

 ravages. 



42. The Water Raf, Mus Amphibiiis, is also a species of 

 Jlri-icnla ; it is rather larger than the common rat, and inhabits 

 the banks of streams, but it neither swims nor dives well. 



43 The LEMMINGS, (*eorychns, (Mus Lemmus of Linnaeus,) 

 another species of fieldmouse which is found in Siberia, are 

 celebrated for the distant migrations they make every year in 

 numerous troops ; they are small Rodentia that inhabit the shores 

 of the Icy Ocean, and travel in numerous bands, laying waste 

 every thing that comes in their way. They are of the size of 

 the rat, and their colour varies from yellow to black. 



Tribe of Jerboas. 



44. This tribe consists of a small number of gnawers that con- 

 siderably resemble the rats. The tail is long and tufted at the 

 end : but they are most remarkable in their posterior extremities, 

 which, in comparison with the anterior, are of a most immoderate 

 length. (Plate 4, fig. 11.) They are met with from Barbary to 

 the shores of the Caspian Sea. 



Tribe of K at- Moles. 



45. The Rodentia included in this division (Sp'alax.) resem- 

 ble the Moles both in their habits and external form ; they are 

 essentially diggers, and live under ground ; they feed on roots 

 only. 



Tribe of Chinchillas. 



46. The Chinchillas are small Rodentia of South America, that 

 afford a most beautiful and much esteemed fur, which were 

 nevertheless, unknown to naturalists, until modern times. In 

 many respects they are intermediate between the Field mice and 

 Hares. Several species are known, The Chinchilla I^aniyera 

 is the only one whose fur is esteemed ; it inhabits the mountains 

 of Peru and Chile. [This animal is smaller than the rabbit, and 

 its head, which is ornamented with long mustaches, resembles 



42. What is the Water Rat ? 



43. What are Lemmings? What are their habits? 



44. What are Jerboas ? Where are they found ? 



45. Whut animals are included in the tribe of Rat-Moles ? 



46. What are Chinchillas' Where are they found? For what arc they 

 valued ? How are they taken ? Are they abundant ? 



