80 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE HAMSTER. 



The damage which is done by this corn-stealer is not so great in our 

 vicinity as in Thuringia, and some other places in Germany, where it 

 becomes of considerable consequence in household economy to guard 

 against its depredations. 



The hamster is of a reddish brown colour, intermixed with a few 

 black, yellow, and white hairs. On the back it is hair-brown. The 

 mouth is margined with white. The throat, feet, and tip of the tail are 

 white. The breast, belly, and the inner part of the ham are glossy 

 black. The ears are close together, and the tail is short. On each 

 side of the back there are two bristly spots. The animal is about ten 

 inches long and one foot high. Its head is thick, short, and blunt, 

 the muzzle short, the upper lip is cleft, showing the four front teeth 

 (schneidezdhne). On each of the under jaws, in the interior of the 

 mouth, there is a large deep bag or sack, termed a cheek-pouch, 

 wherein the hamster collects provision to carry to its nest. Externally, 

 on both sides of the mouth, are black and white bristles, bristly mus- 

 tachios, and black bristles over each eye. The body is long and rather 

 thick ; the tail short, ringed, and sparingly covered with hair. The 

 legs are short and strong, the fore feet having four toes with a thumb, 

 and the hind feet five toes, furnished with curved claws. The female 

 is rather smaller, and of a paler colour than the male. There are some 

 varieties quite black, others quite white, and others black, with large 

 white spots. 



Hamsters are irascible, malicious animals, and when put upon 

 their defence will boldly attack either man or beast, having been known 

 to fly at a horse. They are supposed to live about eight years. They 

 make a nest for their abode two or three feet deep in the ground, and 

 in winter still deeper. It is furnished with at least two entrances, the 

 one for entering, and the other for going out, even in fruitful, clayey, 

 sandy places, in meadows, woods, fields, or fens. The passage out- 

 wards is a narrow gallery, running in an oblique direction ; but the 

 entrance is straight, cut perpendicularly through the first, by the ham- 

 ster scraping the earth with its claws, and carrying off the rubbish in 

 its cheek pouches. The entrance is commonly at the distance of about 

 a foot from the outgoing. Through this the hamster puts out his head 

 before he ventures out, in order to see whether there be any danger, 

 and if there is he quickly withdraws into his nest. 



Between these two openings several chambers are constructed, one 

 for a storeroom, one for rubbish and offal, and another for sleeping. In 

 some cases, as many as five store-chambers are found. The sexes live 

 apart, the female having a separate chamber close by that of the male. 



