THE MOUSE, THE POUCHED RAT, AND THE MOLE RAT 



Pouched Rat. 



Common Mice. 



The Mouse is so well known, that a description of its size is useless. The Mouse is said to be greatly 

 susceptible of music. An anecdote is related of a gentleman, who was playing a violin, seeing a Mouse run 

 along on the floor and jump about as if distracted. He continued the strain, and after some time the Mouse, 

 apparently exhausted with its exertions, dropped dead on the floor. 



The Pouched-rat, though long since noted by various observers, is still but little known. It is rendered 

 peculiar in its appearance by the cheek-pouches exterior to the mouth, its short fore legs and long claws. 



The Mole-rat is a native of Asia Minor, Syria, Mesopotamia, and Southern Russia. The Russians term ir, 

 SJ^pez. or the blind. In the Mole-rat the eye is a minute black grain lying beneath the skin, which passes 

 over it. and is besides covered with the fur: it is evident that the sense of vision is denied to this creature: 

 but by way of amends, its internal organs of hearing are largely developed. The Mole-rat has much of 

 the manners of the common mole : it is gregarious, and its burrows are clustered together. Its burrows 

 consist of galleries at a little distance below the surface of the earth, which communicate with chambers 

 sunk to a greater depth. It burrows very expeditiously. In the morning it often quits its retreat and 

 oasks with its mate in the sun. At the least noise it raises its head to listen, and in a menacing attitude; 

 when attacked, it snorts and gnashes its teeth, and defends itself resolutely, inflicting severe wounds. There 

 is a superstition among the people of the Ukraine, that the hand which has suffocated one of these animals 

 is gifted with the virtue of curing scrofulous affections. 



Mole Rat 



Mice. 



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