1895.] MYODES LEMMUS. 13 


So early, however, as 1653, Olaus Wormius, in his * Historia 
Animalis,” &c.1, gives a comparatively correct drawing of the 
animal (which he calls Mus norvegicus), as well as of its skeleton, 
and he reproduces both of them two years later in his great 
work * Museum Wormianum,” published after his death, in 1655. 
In Worm's history of the animal å great stress is, likewise, laid 
on their mysterious descent from the clouds. 

I shall not here go tbrough the very diffuse amount of litera- 
ture which, through ages, has been produced concerning this 
animal. Down to about the close of last century, the reports 
were generally neither very original nor exhaustive. It is only 
during: the last few decennaries that our knowledge of the life 
and habits of this remarkable rodent has been extended to any 
important degree; and although various features in its character 
are dim to us, many of the manifestations in its existence, which 
formerly were inexplicable, are, however, now more easy of 
comprehension, and may be classed with other better known 
analogies3. 
Of the numerous new authors, who have made M. lemmus 
the subject of their researches, Dr. Pleske must be given å 
prominent place, he having, in his work on the Mammals and 
Birds of the Kola Peninsula*, in 1884, given å detailed ac- 
count of his views concerning this animal's natural characteristics, 
1 Olai Wormii Historia Animalis qvod in Norvagia quandoqve e nubibus 
decidtt. >... Hafniæ, 1658. 
2 Museum Wormianum. Seu Historia Rerum Rartorum . . . que Hafnie Da- 
norum tin ædibus Authors servantur.  Adornata ab Qlao Worm. Lugduni 
Batav. 1655. 
3 It is probable that M. obensis, Brants, in all its main features ex- 
hibits the same pecularities in its mode of life and appearance as 
M. lemmus. On the other hand, M. schishiolor, Lilljeb., will, doubt- 
lessly prove to be different to these in many respects; but our 
knowledge of the breeding conditions of this latter mentioned spe- 
cies, its food resources, and natural qualities, is, as yet, quite in- 
complete. - 
4 *TUbersicht der Sångethiere und Vögel der Kola-Halbinsel” (Beitr. zur 
Kenntniss des Russischen Reiches und der angrenzenden Lånder 
Asiens. Zweite Folge. B. VII, p. 47, and p. 428. St. Petersburg 1884. 
