150 



NATURAL HISTORY. 



inhabiting the northern and mountainous parts of Asia, and one of these is also found in Europe, 

 about the southern part of the Volga. In Asia species have been found as far south as the 

 Himalayas and Nepaul. In North America a single species (Layomys princeps) inhabits the 

 Rocky Mountains, where it was first discovered by Sir John Richardson. 



The ALPINE PIKA (Layomys alpinus), which inhabits Siberia from the Irtish eastwards 

 into Kamtchatka, is a little animal from nine to nine and a half inches long, of a greyish- 

 brown colour above, yellowish- 

 grey beneath ; the feet ai-e pale, 

 and the ears dirty yellowish- 

 white within, becoming dusky to- 

 wards the margin, which is white. 

 This animal occurs in considerable 

 numbers in the Alpine and sub- 

 Alpine parts of Siberia, where it 

 either burrows in the ground, or 

 shelters itself in crevices of rocks 

 ~~sf\ or among loose stones. The Pikas 

 generally come out only at night, 

 although they sometimes venture 

 forth on a cloudy day. Their food 

 consists of the scanty herbage to 

 be found in their elevated abode, 

 and as this would be impossible 

 to procure during the winter Avhen 

 the ground is thickly covered with 

 snow, the Pikas take care in the 

 autumn to collect a large supply 

 of dried grasses and other herbage, 

 which they pile up near their habi- 

 tations like little haystacks. They 

 are, however, sometimes deprived 

 of the fruits of their labour by the 

 Sable-hunters, who plunder the Pikas' stacks to feed their Horses. The female produces about six 

 naked young early in the summer. 



The ROCKY MOUNTAIN PIKA (Lagomys princeps) is a small species from six inches to seven 

 and a half inches long, of a greyish-brown colour above, yellowish-brown on the sides, and greyish 

 below. It received its specific name from its discoverer, Sir J. Richardson, in allusion to the name 

 of " Little Chief Hare " given to it by the Indians. It inhabits the summits of the Rocky 

 Mountains from Colorado northwards far within British America, and also occurs in the moun- 

 tains of Utah, California, and Oregon. Mr. Allen describes its habits as follows : " The animals 

 are everywhere found in communities, living among the loose rocks from a little below timber- 

 line nearly up to the snow-line. They appear to rarely wander many yards from their homes; 

 are timid, yet easily become familiar. Though retreating to their homes when first alarmed, they 

 soon come cautiously out one after another, till one may hear their sharp little cries in every 

 direction. Their colour so nearly resembles that of the rocks they live among, that they are not 

 easily seen, and their cry is of such a character as easily to mislead one in respect to the point 

 from which it proceeds, seeming to be far away when only a few feet distant. They sit erect, 

 like little Marmots. . . . They carry into fissures of the rocks large quantities of grass, which 

 they lay up for winter consumption." 



ALPINE PIKA. 



