148 



THE GNAWERS OR RODENTS. 



difficult, because in those rocky solitudes with- 

 out trees and without shrubs it is not easy to 

 find a cover under which to creep up and 

 surprise the object of pursuit, and unless the 

 marmot is killed at the first shot it escapes 

 at once to its hole. On the other hand, the 

 marmots are very easily dug out in winter if 

 their holes have previously been marked. 



The so-called Prairie-dog [Cynomys ludo- 

 vicianus), fig. 206, which owes its peculiar 

 name to its voice, which resembles the bark 

 of a dog, is properly speaking nothing but 

 a small marmot, which inhabits the prairies 

 of North America west of the Mississippi. 

 This pretty and amusing little creature is 

 distinguished from the other marmots by 



Fig. 206. — Prairie-dogs {Cynomys ludovUianus). 



the comparatively large size of its first 

 cheek-tooth, by its cheek-pouches, and by 

 the possession of a fully-developed thumb 

 armed with a claw. These prairie-dogs live 

 exactly like marmots, but it is a remarkable 

 fact that in their holes one may often find 

 rattlesnakes and large ground-owls, with 

 which they appear to live on good terms. 



THE DORMOUSE FAMILY 



(MYOXIDA). 



This small family is composed of animals, 

 the general habit of which is not unlike that 

 of the squirrels, but which are distinguished 

 from them by having only four cheek-teeth 

 above and below, the.se teeth being made up 

 of transverse bars of enamel, and always 



having roots. Apart from the structure of 

 the teeth and the form of the skull, which is 

 somewhat elongated like that of the rats, the 

 dormice agree more or less both with the 

 marmots and squirrels. Like the former 

 they pass the winter in sleep, while they 

 agree with the squirrels in their arboreal 

 habits. The fur is soft and woolly, the tail 

 long and thickly haired, except in the case of 

 a few African species. The ears are rounded 

 and have no tuft. The fore-paws have four 

 toes with sharp claws and a small rudimentary 

 thumb covered with a flat nail. On the hind- 

 feet there are likewise four toes. 



All dormice build nests for themselves like 

 squirrels. In these they sleep by day. By 

 night they go out in search of food, which 

 consists exclusively of vegetable substances, 



