282 EXPLORATION OF THE CANONS OF THE COLORADO. 



A brief description of the species, under the name of the Hamster 

 'of Georgia, was published in the New York Medical Kepository in 1802, 

 and afterward in an appendix to the American edition of Bewick's Quadru- 

 peds. On this description was founded the name Mus tuza, cited in the list 

 of American mammals published by Ord in 1815,* a name which antedates 

 that of Rafinesque by about two years, and which has been adopted by Dr. 

 Coues. 



Notwithstanding their great abundance, it is extremely difficult to obtain 

 specimens of the salamanders. Their acute sense of smell gives them an 

 early warning of the approach of danger, and they easily make their escape 

 in the maze of tunnels. Should one even be driven into a blind passage, it 

 would find little difficulty in baffling its pursuer, for it can burrow faster than 

 a man can follow with a spade ; and, since it obliterates its track by throwing 

 the soil behind, it leaves scarcely more trace of its passage in the loose sand 

 than a fish swimming through the water. It is thought quite impossible to 

 dig them out. Occasionally, they are shot, when they come to the surface to 

 throw out sand; but they remain in sight only an instant, and the marksman, 

 to be successful, must have his gun bearing upon the opening at which the 

 animal is expected to appear, with finger on the trigger, and be ready to pull 

 the moment the head is sighted. 



By the patient use of steel-traps, while in Florida this spring, I obtained 

 a number of specimens, some of which I succeeded in keeping for several 

 weeks, thus having an excellent opportunity of studying their habits.f They 

 may easily be confined in a wooden box, with sides eight or ten inches high, 

 having dry sand two or three inches deep on the bottom. No cover is 

 necessary ; I have never seen one look up from the earth, and have rarely 

 known them to attempt to escape. They require no water, and no food 

 except sweet-potatoes. A single potato of moderate size will feed a sala- 

 mander for three days. 



The senses of sight and hearing seem in them to be very dull. 

 An object may be held within a short distance of their eyes without attract- 



* Guthrie's Geography, '2d American editioD, ii, 1815, p. 292. 



tTwo of them, -which I sent to the Zoological Society of Philadelphia, may he seen in the garden 

 at Fairmount Park. 



