+;$(.) 



VEKTEBRATA. 



t i « > 1 1 took place in Norway from the Circle of Umca to that of Lula, :ui<1 that the winter accord- 

 ingly was very severe in the former and mild in the latter, though this was farther to the north. 

 But it'tliis be bo, still the instincl only leads to destruction; tor even if they find a milder climate, 

 as we have shown, they only go to their ruin. An instinct which leads a whole tribe of animals 

 — millions in number, and at frequent intervals — through fatigue, wounds, privation, and anxiety, 

 to premature and violent death, 'Iocs not seem to be beneficent, and in its result, in this sense, is a 

 direct contradiction of its motive. Such arc not usually the ways of Providence. 



Pallas includes two other species of Lemming under the generic name of Myodes ; there are tin 

 .)/. lagurus of Central Asia, and the parts of Europe nearest to it, and the M. torquatus of North- 

 ern Russia Xilsson names a species which he calls Lemmus saititricolnr, in the same division. 



There are several species of Lemming in North America, descrihed hy some naturalists un- 

 der the generic name of (itori/c/ins. The Hudson's Bay Lemming, the Hare-tailed mouse of 

 Bearne and Mus Hudsonius of Pallas, the Arvicola Hudsonia of Richardson, is five and a quarter 

 inches long, the tail half an inch; color, reddish-brown in summer and white in winter. In sum- 

 mer it burrows in the ground, usually beneath stones and in dry ridges ; in winter it inhabits a 

 not of moss upon the ground, ami seldom ventures abroad. It is an inoffensive creature, and on 

 being captured becomes tame ami gentle and as fond of being caressed as a kitten. It is a 

 native of Sahara and the contiguous northern regions. 



THE TAWNY LEMMING. 



The T.wv.w Lemming, the Arvicola helvolus of Richardson, is smaller than the preceding, and 

 rubles the Lapland Lemming. It is found about latitude 50° in mountainous districts of tin 

 northwestern British territories. 



Lack's Lemming, Arvicola trimucronatus of Richardson, is five inches long, with a tail half an 

 inch; it is found near tin' Great Bear Lake. 



The Greenland Lemming, Mus Cframlandicus of Richardson, is about six inches long, and i* 

 found in the polar regions of North America. 



<i<inix ARVICOLA : Arvicola. — This word is derived from the Latin arvum, " a field," and colo, 

 ■'to inhabit," and embraces the numerous species of Field '-Aficr. It is equivalent to the term < 

 pagnol of Gervais ami other French authors. The word Vole is popularly applied to many ol the 

 species, a- "field- Vole" " Water- Vole" &c. These animals are of small size, have a short tail. 

 burrow in the earth, feci mi grain, hulhous roots, ami grasses, ami neither climb trees nor become 

 dormant in winter. They inhabil every quarter of the globe. About forty species arc knowi 

 one-half of which are natives of North America. 



The Common European Field-Mouse, or Short-tailed Field-Mouse; the Campagnol 

 Buffon — A. arvalis — the Mus arvalis of Linnaeus, is of the size of the common mouse ; ears lo 

 eves prominent, tail one-quarter the length of the body, color a yellowish-fawn mixed with pay.i 

 It is subject, however, to varieties of color, some being Mack and others white, and others still ■'' 



