How Animals Work. 



the Alpine Marmots live together during the warm 

 summer months ; then with the * approach of winter 

 they descend to lower ground, where they dig out their 

 winter quarters, which are generally more spacious 

 than their summer residence; indeed, the living-room 

 is said sometimes to accommodate a family of fifteen. 

 Quantities of dry grass are brought in and stowed away 

 so as to form not only a food supply, but a deep, soft 

 carpet ; and is also used, mixed together with earth and 

 stones, for blocking up the entrances to the chamber, a 

 solidly constructed door being built at a distance of one 

 or two feet from the outer opening. And so through 

 the long, cold winter the Marmots lie snug and warm 

 within their subterranean chambers. 



The Hamster, which frequents the cornfields of 

 the temperate regions of Europe, Asia, and America, 

 is, according to the writings of Brehm, the celebrated 

 German naturalist, a very skilful miner. It is a rela- 

 tion of the rats and mice, but much larger, measuring 

 some ten inches in length exclusive of its short tail, 

 which only adds about a couple more inches to its total 

 length. Although of rather prepossessing appearance, 

 the Hamster is not a jolly, amiable little creature like 

 the marmot, but is said to be sullen and ill-tempered. 

 With its strong claws it excavates a nearly perpendicular 

 tunnel which at some distance below the surface alters 

 its course, turning aside and becoming either sloping 

 or horizontal before opening into the fairly spacious 

 living-room. This chamber is excavated at a depth 

 of three to six feet below the surface, and furnished 

 with a deep, soft bed of very fine straw. Besides the 

 entrance tunnel, it generally has two others opening 



