RATS AND MICE 217 



including the tail, the latter attaining a length of from five and a 

 half to eight and a half inches. It is distinctly Rat-like in general 

 appearance, and has coarse fur and a sparsely-haired tail. 



It is characterized by possessing three deep grooves on each of its 

 broad red upper incisor teeth ; these grooves giving the name to the 

 genus of which this animal is the only representative. The fur is 

 brown for the most part, the throat dirty-yellow, chin and upper lip 

 whitish, and pale brownish-yellow below. 



The Cane Rat is widely distributed throughout Africa, and two 

 native names for it are those of "Ivondue" and "Yumba." The 

 food seems to consist of ground-nuts and roots, and it not only 

 burrows for these, but also makes an underground home, excepting 

 in South-Eastern Africa, where, according to Mr. W. H. Drum- 

 mond, this rodent does not excavate a burrow on its own account, 

 but takes advantage of a hole, or crevice among rocks or stones, or 

 the uninhabited burrow of an Ant-Eater or Porcupine. 



DORMOUSE. — -This elegant-looking, but disappointing animal 

 when kept as a pet (Fig. 170) has for long been a favourite of mine, 

 and before giving a description of it the following notes from my 

 Nature Diary may perhaps afford interesting reading — 



" It was Winter-time ; the land all round was in the ice-firm grip 

 of King Frost. At such season the thoughts of those who love and 

 care for the wild animals naturally turn to the inhabitants of the 

 woods, fields and hedgerows, for hard weather means hard hunting 

 for both man and beast. 



"Wild creatures, it should be noted in passing, do not suffer so 

 much from cold as from hunger, but some tiny folk — wiser perchance 

 in their time and generation than their brethren — make up their 

 minds, so soon as the chill of Autumn is in the air, to retire to 

 some secluded nook and there pass the Winter. 



"There has been a keen hoar-frost overnight; let us put on our 

 thick clothes and take a little journey into the country. At almost 

 the first step we are wandering in Wonderland, for see how the trees, 

 hedgerows and grasses by the wayside are literally festooned with 

 ice-crystals which sparkle in the Winter sunshine like jewels in a 

 King's crown. 



"People often complain of the dulness and monotony of the 

 country, but if they took intelligent interest in the wild tenants of 

 the countryside, they would find themselves in a wonderland of 

 beauty at all seasons of the year. 



"The air is decidedly nippy, but the ground is clean and hard. 



