THE HERMIT WOOD RAT 51 



mother stayed closely at home. The little 

 creatures kept themselves attached to the 

 nipples of the mother, and, when disturbed, 

 they still maintained their hold and allowed her 

 to drag them about as she ran — always a 

 funny and interesting sight. Mr. A. H. Alver- 

 son of San Bernardino, California, quoted by 

 Stephens in his "Mammals of California," 

 speaking of a family of neotomas he had in cap- 

 tivity, says he noticed that sometimes, when 

 the mother desired to move and free herself 

 from her babies, "she would turn round and 

 round and seem to twist them loose in a pile 

 where they would lie quietly until they felt her 

 return; then they would at once attach to the 

 teats." Speaking further of the young after 

 three weeks, he says: "They were very playful, 

 running about most of the time, but when too 

 venturesome the mother takes them in her 

 mouth and lifts them bodily back to the nest 

 in the corner. Sometimes she lifts them by the 

 neck, but mostly by the middle of the side. 

 After playing and eating, the mother and young 

 make their toilet, the mother doing most of it 

 for them, but the young try to learn; then the 

 young attach to the mammae and all sleep." 



