312 HISTORY OF 



master. Like the cat, it has an aiitipatliy to the dog ; and when 

 it becomes familiar to the family, and is sure of being supported 

 by its master, it attacks and bites even the largest mastiff. 

 From its squat muscular make, it has great strength, joined to 

 great agility. It has four large cutting teeth, like all those of the 

 hare kind, but it uses them to much more advantage, smce in this 

 animal they are very formidable weapons of defence. However, 

 it is in general a very inoffensive animal ; and, except its enmity 

 to dogs, seems to live in friendship with every creature, unless 

 when provoked. If not prevented, it is very apt to gnaw the 

 furniture of a house, and even to make holes through wooden 

 partitions •, from whence, perhaps, it has been compared to the 

 rat. As its legs are very short, and made somewhat like those 

 of a bear, it is often seen sitting up, and even walking on its 

 hind.legs in like manner •, but with the fore-paws, as was said, it 

 uses to feed itself in the manner of a squirrel. Like all of the hare 

 kind, it runs much swifter up hill than down ; it climbs trees 

 with great ease, and runs up the clefts of rocks or the contiguous 

 walls of houses with great facility. It is ludicrously said that the 

 Savoyards, who are the only chimney-sweepers of Paris, have learn- 

 ed this art from the marmout, which is bred in the same country. 

 These animals eat indiscriminately of whatever is presented to 

 them ; flesh, bread, fruits, herbs, roots, pulse, and insects. But 

 they are particularly fond of milk, and butter. Although less 

 inclined to petty thefts than the cat, yet they always try to steal 

 into the dairy, where they lap up the milk like a cat, purring all 

 the while like that animal, as an expression of their being pleased. 

 As to the rest, milk is the only liquor they like. They seldom 

 drink water and refuse wine. When pleased or caressed, they 

 often yelp like puppies ; but when irritated or frighted, they have 

 a piercing note that hurts the ear. They are very cleanly 

 animals, and like the cat retire upon necessary occasions ; but 

 their bodies have a disagreeable scent, particularly in the heat of 

 summer. This tinctures their flesh, which being very fat and 

 firm, would be very good, were not this flavour always found to 

 predominate. 



We have hitherto been describing affections in this animal 

 which it has in common with many others ; but we now come to 

 one which particularly distinguishes it from all others of this 

 kind, and indeed, from every other quadruped, except the bat and 



