232 T H E Z E M N I, O R 



V. 



The ZEMNI, or PODOLIAN MARMOT *. 



IN Poland and Ruffia there Is another animal 

 called ziemni or zernni, which is of the fame ge- 

 nus with the zifel^ but larger, ftronger, and 

 more mifchievous. The head is pretty thick, 

 the body flcnder, and the ears fliort and rounded. 

 It has four large cutting teeth, which projeft out 

 of the mouth, the two in the under jaw being 

 thrice as long as the two in the upper. The 

 feet are very lliort, covered with hair, divided 

 into five toes, and armed with crooked claws. 

 The hair is foft, fliort, and of a moufe-gray co- 

 lour. The tail is of a moderate fize. The eyes 

 are as fmall, and equally concealed as thofe of 

 the mole. Rzaczinfici gives it the denomination 

 of the little earth dog. This author feems to be 

 the only one who mentions the zemni, though 



it 



• * Podollan inarn\ot, with the cutting teeth of the lower jaw 

 half as long ag;im as thofe of the upper ; eyes very minute, 

 and as much hid in tlie iur as thofe of tiie mole ; four toes, 

 and a claw inllcad of the lifth, on the fore feet ; five on the 

 hind ; tail Ihnrt ; colour cinereous ; fize of a fquirrel ; Pennant's 

 Synopf. of quud. p. 277. 

 Zits-jan ; Le Brun, voyag. Mufcov. vol, 2. p. 402. 



