HAMSTER RAT. 99 



pleasant rattling sound. After continuing these 

 operations for some time, he at length opens his 

 eyes, and endeavours to rise, but reels about for 

 some time, as if in a state of iutoxication, till 

 at length, after resting a small space, he perfectly 

 recovers his usual powers. This transition from 

 torpidity to activity requires more or less time, 

 according to the temperature of the air, and other 

 circumstances. When exposed to a cold air he is 

 sometimes two hours in waking ; but in a Avarmer 

 air the change is effected in half the time. 



The manners of the Hamster are generally 

 represented as far from pleasing. No society ap- 

 pears to exist among these animals. They are 

 naturally very fierce, and make a desperate de- 

 fence when attacked ; they also pursue and de- 

 stroy every animal which they are capable of con- 

 quering, not excepting even the weaker indi- 

 viduals of their own species. They are said to be 

 particularly fond of the seeds of liquorice, and to 

 abound in the districts where that plant is culti- 

 vated. According to Mr. Sultzer, they abound 

 to such a degree in Gotha, that in one year 

 1 1,56*4, in another 54,429. and in a third 80, 139 

 of their skins were delivered in the Hotel de Ville 

 of that capital, where the Hamster is proscribed 

 on account of the devastations it commits among 

 the com. 



