CRICETUS VULGARIS. 105 



the back, beginning behind the shoulders; between this 

 stripe and the flanks on each side is a long streak of light 

 grey. The body beneath is yellowish white. 



The dimensions are not given. 



This species, the only one of its genus as yet known, was 

 discovered in the Crimea by Nordmann before the year 

 1840. Said by Professor Blasius, in his ' Wirbelth. Deutsch- 

 lands,' to occur, but not commonly, in Hungary, Finland, 

 Sweden, and Eussia. 



Genus CRICETUS. 



Teeth. — Incisors, |; molars, g~g =16; molars with 

 smooth tubercles, the anterior molar being the largest. The 

 cheeks furnished with pouches for carrying their food ; the 

 body compact ; legs rather short ; head thick ; ears oval or 

 round ; fore-feet with four toes, and a tubercle as thumb ; 

 hind-feet with five toes, all armed with strong claws ; tail 

 moderate or short. Burrows in the ground, and feeds on 

 roots and seeds. 



Cricetus vulgaris. 



Cricetus vulgaris, Desm. Mamm. Sp. 499. 

 Cricetus frumentarius, Pallas, Zoog. Koss. As. 

 The Common Hamster. 



Description. — Greyish red (or tawny red mixed with grey) 

 above ; lower parts of the legs and belly black, on each 

 side three large yellowish spots ; feet white ; a white mark 

 below the throat, and another on the breast. The hairs on 

 the upper parts are generally dull tawny, inclining to ash 

 for the greater part of their length, then with a ring of 

 tawny and tipped with blackish, some hairs being entirely 

 of this last colour ; below the eyes and on the temporal 

 region, the sides of the neck, the lower part of the sides of 



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