138 THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 
THE BaAnpIcootT. 
A very mischievous class of rats is 
represented by the various species of 
Banpicoot. They are found throughout 
Southern Asia as far as Ceylon, and in 
Kashmir and Turkestan. The Banpi- 
CooT-RAT of India is a large and de- 
structive species which is sometimes 
brought to the London docks in ships, 
but has not spread into the country. 
OTHER Murine Ropents. 
Among the numerous other rodents 
allied to the rat group are the Mote- 
RATS, with short mole-like bodies. The 
largest is the GreaT MoLe-rat, found in 
Southeastern Europe, Southwestern Asia, 
and Northeastern Africa. It is a sub- 
terranean creature, burrowing for food like a mole. 
external ears, and a short tail partly covered with hair. 
PORCUPINE 
This photograph shows the arrangement of the porcupine’s defense of 
spines; but when frightened it erects these, so as to form a complete protection 
to the body 
The BamBoo-raTs have minute eyes, small 
In Somaliland a small, almost naked 
SAND-RAT is found, which burrows in the sand of the desert, throwing up little. heaps like 
mole-hills. 
THe GOPHERS. 
In North and Central America the PocKkET-GOPHERS form a curious group of small rodents 
with cheek-pouches opening on the outside. 
and are said to use their incisor teeth as picks to open the hard earth in their tunnels. 
push the loosened soil out by pressing it with their chests and fore feet. 
They spend their entire existence underground, 
They 
When a gopher has 
eaten enough to satisfy the immediate calls of hunger, it stores all spare food away in the large 
cheek-pouches. 
When gophers desire to empty the pouches, they pass their feet along their 
cheeks from behind, and press the food forwards on to the ground. 
THE JERBOAS, SPRINGHAAS, AND JUMPING-MICE. 
The hopping rodents have an immense range, from Southern Europe, through Africa, 
“Big hie TE ? 
Photo by W. P. Dando) [Regent's Park 
VISCACHA 
The Viscacha forms colonies like those of the prairie-dogs. It is 
found on the pampas south of the La Plata 
Arabia, India, and Ceylon, and even in the New 
World, where the AMERICAN JUMPING-MOUSE is 
found throughout the northern part of the con- 
tinent. The latter is only 3 inches long. The 
true JERBOAS are mainly found in Africa. All 
these, when excited, move like kangaroos. Their 
main home is the Central Asian steppe region, 
but they are found in Egypt, India, Syria, and 
Arabia. The hind legs are much elongated, the 
fore legs very small, and the body usually of a 
sandy colour. The American jumping-mouse, 
though a very small creature, can cover from 3 to 
5 feet at each leap. It inhabits the beech and 
hard-wood forests. In winter it makes a globular 
nest about 6 inches under the surface of the ground. 
The Care JUMPING-HARE forms a family by 
itself, with no near allies. It is of a tawny brown 
