118 



MARYLAND MARMOT. 



retiring into hollows under the roots of trees, &c. 

 in winter, and falling into temporary state of tor- 

 pidity : it is doubtful, however, whether this is 

 the case in those which are found in the Bahama 

 islands. The size of this species is nearly that of 

 the rabbet : its colour is a ferruginous brown 

 above, and paler or inclining to whitish beneath : 

 the muzzle, as far as the eyes, is of a pale blueish 

 ash- colour ; the ears are short and rounded ; the 

 eyes are rather large and black, and the snout 

 sharpish : the tail is longer than in others of this 

 genus, being nearly half the length of the body, 

 and covered with longish or rather bushy hair of 

 a deep brown or blackish colour : the feet are 

 blackish, and are furnished with large and sharp 

 claws. A good figure of this animal has been 

 given by Edwards, from a specimen which was 

 long kept in a domestic state by Sir Hans Sioane. 

 Edwards informs us, that by being fed with 

 soft meats, and disuse to gnaw, its teeth grew 

 so long and crooked that it could not take its 

 food, so to preserve its life they were obliged to 

 break them out." This elongation of the teeth 

 in various animals, when kept in similar circum- 

 stances, is a well-known occurrence, having been 

 observed in rabbets, squirrels, &c» 



