308 



RODENTIA. 



In the winter when the snow comes the Marmots retire 

 to their burrows and hibernate. According to some author- 

 ities the Russian Marmots lay in a supply of food before 

 the winter begins, but others claim that they are not knoAvn 

 to lay in any store of food before their retirement, and 

 that their sleep is probably unbroken from the time they 

 begin to hibernate in October until they come out in the 

 spring. If either of these statements are accepted as true, 

 the Russian Marmot differs in this respect from the Ameri- 

 can Woodchuck, which causes so much trouble by coming 

 out of its hole on Candlemas Day to look for its shadow, 

 no matter how much snow there may be on the ground. 



Marmots are all terrestial and fossorial, and some of the 

 habits that the Russian jMarmot is said to have in common 

 with the North American Prairie Dog are sitting on its 

 haunches, whistling, etc. The Russian ]\larmot is about 

 the size of a rabbit and has a greyish yellow fur that 

 is browner on the head than on the body, and darker at 

 the roots than at the tips. It feeds on roots, leaves and 

 insects, and is very prolific, often producing nine young in a 

 litter. It can be domesticated, and taught to feed on 

 carrots, cabbages and other vegetables. 



EussiAN Marmot 



The skins are used for a great variety of purposes, either 

 in their natural state or dyed, but they are principally 

 consumed in the manufacture of linings for coats; when 

 they are dj'^ed brown and striped they are sometimes 

 called "Florida Mink" and "Mink Marmot"; and they 

 are also marked so as to make a good imitation of the 

 leopard. 



