GNAWERS. 105 



generally fouuil on the borders of rivers, rivulets, and ponds; like 

 that creature, too, it seldom feeds but upon fish, or the spawn of 

 fish, though sometimes it eate frogs, water-insects, and even roots 

 and herbs. This animal is not web-footed; but though every toe 

 of its feet is separated, it swims with facility, keeps itself a long 

 time above water, and thence carries off its prey, in order to eat it 

 when got to land, either on the grass or in its hole. 



The Hamster Rat is a native of parts of Germany. It 

 is a terrible pest there, as it not only devours the corn, etc., in the 

 summer, but lays up a large store for the winter. It is a most 

 furious little animal, and will attack a man or a horse, and even a 

 wagon wheel if it approaches too near the spot which the Hamster 

 considers its own property. Rats, mice, lizards, birds, and even 

 its weaker brethren, are eaten by this ravenous little animal. It 

 lives in holes underground, and to escape attack has several pas- 

 sages from its chamber leading in different directions. The skin 

 is of some value, and the hunter who spears it usually opens its 

 granary for the sake of its store, which is far from being incon- 

 siderable, a hundredweight of beans having been found in one 

 granary. 



The Mole Rat. — By Linnaeus the mole rat is designated 

 mus typhlus. Above it is brown, below dusky. It is not alto- 

 gether blind, but its eyes are very minute, and placed under the 

 skin. Very little light is admitted, but at the same time as much 

 as the wants of the creature require, generally remaining under- 

 neath the surface of the earth. One celebrated traveller, Oliver, 

 observed the blind rat in Asia Minbr, Syria, Mesopotamia, and 

 Persia ; and another celebrated traveller, Pallas, found it in South- 

 ern Russia, between the Tanais and the Volga. As to its habits, 

 the following observations are worthy of notice. It is gregarious, 

 and lives underground like the mole Its numerous and winding 

 passages are not much below the surface of the earth, but con- 

 siderably deeper are those commodious recesses where it reposes 

 itself in complete security from the external elements. It is most 

 attached to fertile level grounds. It entirely subsists on roots, and 

 therefore seriously injures every green crop 'that comes in its way 



