LEMMING RAT. 77 



Transactions^ Linnaeus, in the Acta Holmiensia, 

 and Dr. Pallas, in his pubHcation before men- 

 tioned, have still farther elucidated its history and 

 manners. 



The Lemming differs m size and colour accord- 

 ing to the regions it inhabits : those which are 

 found in Norway being almost as large as a water 

 rat, while those of Lapland and Siberia are scarce 

 larger than a field mouse ; the Norvegian measur- 

 ing more than five inches from nose to tail, while 

 those of Lapland and Siberia scarce exceed three. 

 The colour of the Norway kind is an elegant va- 

 riegation of black and tawny on the upper parts, 

 disposed in patches and clouded markings : the 

 sides of the head and the under parts of the body 

 being white ; the legs and tail greyish. In the 

 Lapland kind the colour is chiefly a tawny brown 

 above, with some indistinct dusky variegations ; 

 and beneath of a dull white : the claws are also 

 smaller than in the Norvegian animal. The head 

 of the Lemming is large, shorty thick^ and well 

 furred; the snout very obtuse; the ears very 

 small, rounded, and hid in the fur; the eyes smah ; 

 the neck short and broad ; the body thick ; and 

 the Ijmbs short and stout, especially the fore legs: 

 the fore-feet are broad, furnished with five toes, 

 which have strong, compressed, and somewhat 

 crooked claws, of which the three middle ones 

 are longer than the rest : on the hind-feet are 

 also five toes, with smaller claws than those of 

 the fore-feet : the tail is very short, tliick, cyhn- 



