LECTURE III. 107 



after several languid movements and profound in- 

 spirations, it opens its eyes, and endeavours to 

 walk, but reels about for some time, as if in a 

 state of intoxication, till at length it perfectly 

 recovers all its powers. 



Another singular species of Rat, furnished 

 with pouches on each side ihe mouth for the 

 temporary reception of food, is described in the 

 fifth volume of the Transactions of the Linn^an 

 Society, under the name of the Canada Rat ; its 

 size and colours nearly resemble those of the 

 brown or Norway Rat, but it is somewhat paler, 

 and of a yellower cast. Its way of life is sup- 

 posed to be similar to that of the Hamster. 



The genus Dipus or Jerboa is remarkable for 

 the peculiar structure of the legs, of which the 

 fore-pair are extremely short, and the hind-pair 

 extremely long, giving the animal the appearance 

 of a Kangaroo in miniature : the teeth resemble 

 those of the rest of the Glires, and tliere is no 

 ventral pouch as in the Kangaroo : otherwise 

 these animals and the Kangaroos might almost 

 admit of being placed in the same assortment. 

 The common Jerboa, of vvhich there are some 

 varieties as to size and colour, is a native of many 



