MAMMALIA— LEMMING... DORMOUSE. 235 



Five or six young ones are produced at each litter, and the female brings 

 forth several times in the course of a year. They sometimes litter while 

 emigrating, and they have been seen carrying some of their offspring in 

 their mouths, and others on their backs. 



As for the rest, the male is generally larger and more beautifully spotted 

 than the female ; they go in droves into the water ; but no sooner does a 

 storm of wind arise, than they are all drowned. The flesh of the lemmings 

 is horrid food, and their skin, although covered with a very beautiful fur, is 

 of too little consistence to be serviceable. 



HUDSON'S BAY LEMMING.^ 



This curious animal was first described by Foster, and afterwards more 

 fully by Pallas. It inhabits Labrador, Hudson's Straits, and the coast from 

 Churchill to the extremity of Melville peninsula, as well as the islands of 

 the Polar sea, visited by Captain Parry. Its habits are still imperfectly 

 known. In summer, according to Hearne, it burrows tmder stones, in dry 

 ridges ; and Captain Sabine informs us, that in winter it resides in a nest of 

 moss, on the surface of the ground, rarely going abroad. The former author 

 also acquaints us that it is so easily tamed, that if taken even when full 

 grown, it will in a day or two be perfectly reconciled, very fond of being 

 handled, and will creep, of its own accord, into its master's neck or 

 bosom. There are three other different species of the lemming, belonging 

 to America. 



THE FAT SQUIRREL, OR DORMOUSE. 2 



Of this kind of animal, we know three species, which, like the marmot, 

 sleep during the winter ; namely, the fat squirrel, the garden squirrel, and 

 the common dormouse. Many authors have confounded these species 

 together, though they are all three very different, and of consequence easily 

 known and distinguished. 



The fat squirrel is nearly of the size of the common European squirrel ; 

 and, like it, its tail is covered with long hair. It is of a pale ash color on 

 the vipper parts of the body, and whitish on the under. It is without pro- 

 priety, that the term sleep has been applied to the state of these animals 



1 Lemmus Hudsonius, Desm. 



2 Alijoxits fflis, Lin. The genus Myoxus has two upper and two lower incisors ; ei^ht 

 upper and eight lower molars. Molars simple, with transverse projecting lines; fore 

 feet with four toes, and the rudiment of a thumb; tail very long, round, with hair tufted 

 or depressed. 



