604 



THE BOBAC. 



HOOD'S MARMOT. SpermophUua Hood II. 



barely one foot below the surface. The Leopard Marmot is rather a prolific animal, 

 producing about eight or ten young at a litter. It is said to be destructive to gardens 

 which may happen to be in the vicinity of its home, and is as capable of exercising its 

 teeth upon an antagonist as on its food. Its bite is remarkably severe for so small an 

 animal, and it is of such a sour disposition, that it is always ready to snap at those who 

 attempt to capture or handle it. 



BOBAC.A'rctomys Bobac. 



The BOBAC, or POLAND MARMOT, is one of the true Marmots, and is a native of parts 

 of Northern Europe and Asia. 



It is larger than the preceding animals, and appears to be of still greater dimensions, 

 owing to the full coat of thick hair with which it is profusely covered. The color of this 

 animal is a tolerably uniform gray-brown, slightly tinged with yellow, and having a 

 " watered " appearance along the back. The length of the Bobac is rather more than 

 twenty inches, the tail being about six inches long. The Bobac is a gregarious animal, 

 living in small bands of thirty or forty in number, and being always found to prefer dry 



