The Mouse and Rat Tribe. 295 



THE MURIDAE. 



The largest family of Rodents is the Muridae, which 

 includes many species of different genera in all parts of 

 the world. Because of varying external characteristics 

 they have been divided by some scientists into ten sub- 

 families, but nearly all the representatives of this group 

 have two incisors above and three below, rooted in some, 

 and rootless in others; and either tuberculate or flat 

 crowned, with angular enamel folds. 



The Hamster is a stout little animal of the sub-family 

 Cricetinae of the Muridae, that is found in parts 

 of Europe and Asia. It is about ten inches long, has a 

 short sparsely haired tail, and the cheek pouches which 

 distinguish all the Cricetinae. It is very prolific and breeds 

 readily in confinement, but the fur, although beautifully 

 marked in orange, black and white colorings, is too short 

 and coarse to warrant its being used for any other purpose 

 than coat and cloak linings, and it is not very desirable 

 even for this purpose as the pelt is too light to wear well. 

 The Hamster burrows deeply in the ground, stores its 

 galleries with grain in the fall and summer, and hibernates 

 during the winter, waking up occasionally to feed from its 

 stores. 



Hamsters are most numerous in Germany and Austria, 

 where they cause great damage to the crops by the amount 

 of grain they consume. The 'cheek pouches in which thej' 

 convey their winter supplies to the burrows will hold 

 about two ounces each. Like other Rodents, the Hamster 

 has the power of raising itself on its hind feet. The 

 ears are short and nearly bare, and the incisor teeth, 

 especially those of the lower jaw, are long. The belly and 

 legs are black, but the feet and the small claws are white, 

 and there are white patches on the cheeks and throat and 

 also on the fore-legs. 



The European Lemmings (Myodes-lemmus) is very much 

 like the Hamster in general color, being brownish grey on 

 the upper parts and lighter underneath ; it is, however, much 

 smaller, only measuring from four to five inches in length. 

 Its habitat is in Norway and Sweden, where at certain 



