THE HAMSTER. 447 



pieces with a stick. If he seizes a man's hand, he 

 must be killed before he will quit his hold. The mag- 

 nitude of the horse terrifies him as little as the ad- 

 dress of the Dog, which last is fond of hunting him. 

 When the Hamster perceives a Dog at a distance, 

 he begins by emptying his cheek-pouches, if they 

 happen to be filled with grain : he then blows them 

 up so prodigiously, that the size of the head and 

 neck greatly exceeds that of the rest of the body. 

 He raises himself on his hind legs, and thus darts 

 upon the enemy. If he catches hold, he never quits 

 it, but with the loss of his life. But the Dog ge- 

 nerally seizes him from behind, and strangles him. 

 This ferocious disposition prevents the Hamster from 

 being at peace with any animal whatever. He even 

 makes war against his own species, not excepting 

 the females. When two Hamsters meet, they never 

 fail to attack each other, and the stronger always 

 devours the weaker. A combat between a male and 

 female commonly lasts longer than that between two 

 males. They begin by pursuing and biting each 

 other ; then each of them retires aside, as if to 

 take breath. After a short interval they renew the 

 combat, and continue to fight till one uf them falls. 

 The vanquished uniformly serves for a repast to tlie 

 conqueror *. 



The females bring forth twice or thrice a-vcar • 

 each litter consisting of six or eight young : and 

 their increase in some years is so rapid, as almost to 

 occasion a dearth. In about three, weeks after their 



* Buff. Quad. vai. 194—197. 



