38 ZOOLOGY. 



nor, on the other hand, too light and incoherent. The 

 rabbit is injurious in the same way as the hare, but 

 the damage is more obvious (see above); and as a 

 result of its burrowing habits it does infinitely more 

 damage. Both in sand-hills and in alluvial sandy 

 soil rabbit-burrows lead to the blowing away of 

 material only held together by sand-plants. Kept 

 down by shooting, netting, and ferreting (p. 27). 



Family : Iluridee {Mouse Family). 



The mouse-like animals (the larger species of the 

 family are called "rats") closely resemble the repre- 

 sentatives of the following family, but are distin- 

 guished from these (the " voles ") by their slender 

 body, longer legs, a more pointed head with longer 



Fig. 21.— The Hamster (.Cricettis Jrimentarius). 



always clearly visible ears, and usually, with the 

 exception of the hamster, by a tail equafin length to 

 the body. The hind legs are longer than the fore 

 legs, hence the hopping mode of progression. Three 

 back teeth on each side of each jaw, possessing a 

 tuberculated crown completely covered with enamel. 



