336 ^ UNITED STATES. 



proceed from the tail falling over by its own weight* 

 They move very slowly on land, and being also a 

 very cowardly creature, are easily killed there by 

 any man or beast that chances to meet with them: 

 yet, being defended by long fur, and a thick skin, 

 and armed with long, strong teeth, firmly set in 

 very strong jaws, they are capable of making a 

 stout resistance. An old one cut the leg of a dog 

 nearly off at one stroke. 



Small trees they cut on one side only, but large 

 ones they go round and always fell them towards 

 the water, to save themselves carriage. A stick, 

 the thickness of a stout walking cane, they will cut 

 off at one stroke, and as clean as if done by a gar- 

 dener's pruning-knife. 



If they are caught young, they are soon made 

 tame, and then are very fond of boiled pease. Buf- 

 fon and others say, that they make use of their tails 

 as sleds to draw stones and earth upon ; but this is 

 improbable, for the skin of the under part of the tail 

 would be rubbed ofFby the friction on the ground ; which 

 never yet has been observed, and is a strong proof that 

 they never do make use of them for that purpose. 



Hamster of Georgia* This creature is of the 

 order of glires. Ke is a mus, and belongs to the di- 

 vision of the criceti, or hamsters ; and is thus de- 

 scribed by John Miliedge, esq. representative iu 

 congress from the state of Georgia. 



Its body is of the length and thickness of a common 

 ratandof the same colour: the sizeof theheadbetween 

 that of a rat and mole, with small whiskers and short 

 snout ; the tail without hair, but shorter than that of 

 a rat : the fore feet like those of a mole, with nails 



