M4 MAMMALIA. GL1RES. Hamfters. 



Tvholc: The chambers of the older animals are dug feveral feet deep, while thofe of the younger ones 

 feldom exceed one foot under the furface. During fummer the Hamfters live on herbs, fruits, and 

 roots, and, in autumn, are very deftructive to grain; for, befides eating large quantities, they carry it 

 cffto their magazine in their cheek-pouches, which are fo fluffed that they feem ready to burft, each 

 being able to contain about an ounce and a half at once ; they are particularly fond of places where 

 liquorice grows, and feed much on its feeds ; they feldom eat flefli or devour other animals. Except 

 during the time of courtfhip, the males and females have no intercourfe ; but at that feafon the fe- 

 male defends the male with great fury, though fhe fhows very little affection for her yountr ; when 

 two males meet about one female, they fight bitterly, and the female forms a ihort connection with 

 the conqueror; at all other times they reject fociety with each other, and even fight, kill, and devour 

 their own fpecies. Their pace is very flow, and they do not climb; but they dig with vaft quicknefs, 

 and will gnaw through a piece of wood, an inch and a half thick, in a very ihort time. They are 

 preyed on by polecats, weafels, cats, dogs, foxes, and birds of prey, and are profcribed by man, on ac- 

 count of their devaluations; in one year, about eleven thoufand £kins, in a fecond, fifty-four thoufand, 

 and in a third year, eighty thoufand, were brought to the town-houfe of Gotha, to receive a reward 

 for their deftruction ; the peafants even fearch for their ftores, on account of the provifions they con- 

 tain, and their fkins form an article of trade ; they are likewife deftroyed by means of a pafte formed 

 of honey and flour boiled up with arfenic, or powdered hellebore. At the approach of winter, they 

 retire into their burrows, fhutting up the entry with great care, and feed on their collected provifions, 

 till the weather grows fevere, when they become torpid. The firft commerce between the males and 

 females is about the end of April ; but they breed two or three times a year, the females, which have 

 eight teats, go about a month with young, and produce, when young, three or four, afterwards from 

 fix to nine, and even fixteen or eighteen, at a litter. 



The males are about ten inches long, and the tail about three, but the females are fcarcely more 

 than half fo large ; the former weigh from twelve to fixteen ounces, while the latter feldom exceed 

 from four to fix ounces : The head is thick, with a blunt nofe, and numerous whifkers, large full 

 black eyes, and large, rounded, open ears ; ufually the head and back are of a reddifh brown colour, 

 with red cheeks ; the fides are paler, with three white fpots ; the breaft, upper part of the fore legs, 

 and belly are black ; the feet are large and white, having four toes, and a claw inftead of a fifth toe, 

 on the fore feet, and five toes on each hind foot : The colour varies ; fometimes, though rarely, they 

 are found entirely white, or yellowifh, or white with black fpots on the back ; fometimes the fnciut is 

 white, and the fore-head afh coloured, or the lower jaw of a white colour. 



■ 



c I2 3. Sand Hamfter. — 34. M. Cricetus arenarius. 34. 



The upper parts of the body are hoary; the fides, belly, limbs, and tail, are pure white. 

 Pallas, Glir. 36. n. 24. and p. 265. t. xvi. A. and It. ii. 704. n. 7. Schreber, iv. 707. t. cxcix. 



Sand Rat. Penn. hift. of quad. n. 328. 



Inhabits the fandy deferts of Baraba, on the river Irtifli,. in Siberia. — The head is large, with a 

 longifli fnout, and a fharp nofe,. having very long whifkers, very large pouches, and great oval brown- 

 iih ears ; the body is fhort and thick, being about four inches long, and the tail rather more than 

 one ; the fur is very foft ; the fore feet have only four toes each, the hind feet five, all the claws be- 

 ing white. This animal is very fierce and untameable, it forms burrows, like the preceding fpecies, 



lining 



