122 NATURAL HISTORY. 



dry grass and mosses, and the other fork serving as a store- 

 house for food, as a provision against the winter months, when 

 it retires to its hole, closes the entrance, and becomes torpid 

 until the commencement of spring. When it first retires for 

 the winter, it is very fat, and is then killed and eaten in great 

 numbers. The skin is also of some service. 



Many may be seen in England, carried about by the Savoy- 

 ard boys, who catch them when young, and tame them. "When 

 domesticated they are mild and inoffensive, but no instruction 

 entirely overcomes their abhorrence of a dog. 



When feeding in its native country, it is very suspicious, and 

 always stations one marmot as a sentinel, arid on his giving the 

 alarm, the remainder instantly seek the protection of their holes, 

 closely followed by the faithful sentinel. 



THE OX. 



THE Ruminantia, or animals that chew the cud, include the 

 oxen, sheep and goats, deer, giraffe, and camels. They have a 

 peculiar construction of stomach, which receives the fresh- 

 gathered food, retains it for some hours, and then passes it back 

 into the mouth to be re-ma.sticated. 



The Ox is spread widely over the earth, scarcely any 

 country being without its peculiar breed. In this country, 

 where it is our most useful domesticated animal, there are 

 nearly as many breeds as counties, generally distinguished by 

 the length or shape of their horns. There is the " long-horned 

 breed" from Lancashire, the " short-horned" from Durham, the 

 "middle-horned" from Devonshire, and the "polled," or horn- 

 less, breed. Each of these breeds has its particular value : some 

 fatten easily, and are kept especially for the butcher ; others 

 give milk, and are valuable for the dairy. The best dairy cow 

 is the Alderney, a small, short-horned animal, furnishing ex- 

 ceedingly rich milk. 



In some parts of England, oxen are used to draw waggons, 

 or to drag the plough. They are not so strong as horses, arid 

 their movements are much slower. 



Formerly, the cruel sport of bull-baiting was much practised 



