HAMSTER, 
the animals, which are valuable furs, they find 
commonly two bushels of good grain in the 
magazine. These animals are very fierce; 
and will jump at a horse that happens to tread 
near them, and hang by it's nose, so that it is 
difficult to disengage them. They make a 
noise like the barking of a dog* In some sea- 
sons, they are so numerous as to occasion a 
dearth of corn. Polecats are their greatest 
enemies ; for they pursue them into their holes, 
and destroy numbers. It is remarkable, that 
the hair sticks so close to the skin, as not to be 
plucked off without the greatest difficulty." 
The account of M. Sulzer giyes the Female 
about six at a birth; and states the hoards of 
grain to consist generally of twelve pounds of 
grain: in other respects, it sufficiently agrees 
with what is collected by Mr. Pennant* 
