2 28 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. 



the size of the common rat; it has a long and slender 

 nose; no external ears; and very small eyes; the tail is 

 compressed sideways, and its hind feet are webbed; it is of 

 a dusky colour; the belly is of a light ash. It is a native of 

 Lapland and Russia, in the former of which countries it is 

 called the Desman; it frequents the banks of rivers, and feeds 

 on small fish. The Hudson's Bay lemming is covered by 

 very fine soft and long hair of an ash colour. In winter it is 

 white. The limbs are quite short and the fore feet being 

 formed for burrowing, are very strong. The Lapland lemming 

 resembles the preceding and is remarkable for its extensive 

 migrations. When a severe winter is approaching, the lem- 

 mings migrate southward, and move in a straightforward 

 direction with such inflexible regularity, that, sooner than 

 deviate from it, they will perish in attempting to pass over 

 any obstacle which they may find in their way. The pouched 

 rat belongs to America and is found in Florida, Georgia, and 

 Missouri. It is brown in colour and lives in burrows under 

 ground. The cheek pouches are external and are said to 

 be used for the purpose of carrying food and also of removing 

 sand loosened in the process of burrowing. 



The The hamster is a curious little rat-like animal 



Hamster, of the thrifty kind, that lays up store in the 



summer for winter use. It lives in burrows which it connects 



with various apartments, used as storehouses for food. On 



the approach of the cold weather it closes the entrance to 



its burrow, and makes a nest of straw in which it sleeps, 



becoming torpid in extreme cold. 



Swarms of The rapidity with which rats multiply, makes 



Rats. them troublesome and unpleasant neighbours. In 



the vicinity of the horse slaughter-houses at Montfaucon, 



near Paris, some years ago, they had become so niunerous 



that the proposal to remove the slaughter houses was 



opposed on the ground of the danger that would accrue to 



the inhabitants from the rats being deprived of iheir means 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



