THE LEMMING. 355 



multitudes are found lying dead on the ground, and the air 

 for miles around is so infected by their carcases, that malignant 

 diseases often ensue in consequence. 



The female lemming produces several litters during the year, 

 and has from four to six young at a time. 



The Laplanders being very fond of flesh, feed greedily on 

 these animals, and therefore rejoice at a visit from them, though 

 the Swedes and Norwegians regard them as terrible invaders. 



THE TAIL-LESS LEMMING. 

 (Georychus Hudsonius, Illig.j Mus Hudsonius, Gmel.) 



This North American species is of the size of a common rat. 

 Its fur is of a light pearly ash colour ; it has no tail 5 the two 

 middle toes of the fore-feet of the male seem to have double 

 nails, because the skin of the end of the toes is hard, and 

 projects under the point of the nail a structure only met with 

 in this animal. 



In its habits it is chiefly subterranean. 



THE COMMON JERBOA.* 

 (Dipus sagitta, Gmel.; Mus sagitta, Linn.) 



This animal inhabits most parts of Arabia and Syria, every 

 part of the southern deserts of Africa, but no where so generally, 



* The American jerboa, or long-tailed jumping mouse, is the Dipus Cana- 

 densis of Shaw, the Meriones Canadensis of Frederic Cuvier. Hasselequist 



2 A 2 



