MAR 
ferved to revive; and, if continued in that degree 
of temperature, they do not become torpid, but eat 
and fleep like other quadrupeds. Hence we may 
form fome conception of the ftate in which they 
remain during the winter. As in fome diforders, 
where the circulation is extremely languid, the ap- 
petite is diminifhed in proportion ; fo in thefe 
the blood fcarcely flowing, or only through the 
larger veffels, they require no nourifnment to re- 
pair what is loft by it's permeations. They are ob- 
lerved indeed, by flow degrees, to become leaner 
in proportion to the flow attrition of their fluids; 
but this is not perceptible till after the expiration 
of fome months. Man is often known to derive 
nouriibment from the ambient air; and thefe ani- 
mals alfo may in fome meafure be fupplied in the 
fame manner; and having fufficient motion in 
their fluids to keep them from putrefaftion, and 
juft nourifliment enough to fupply the wafte of 
their languid circulation, they retain a kind of 
exiftence between life and fleep. 
Marmottes produce but once a year, and ufu- 
ally bring forth three or four at a time. They 
fpeedily arrive at maturity; confequentiy, the ex- 
tent of their lives is pretty limited, feldom exceed- 
ing nine or ten years: fo that the fpecies is neither 
numerous nor widely difi\ifed. 
Marmotte, Maryland; the Mus Minax of 
Linnaeus. This animal is about the fize of a rab- 
bit; and, in moft particulars, greatly refembles the 
common or Alpine Marmotte, except in having a 
blueifli fnout and a longer tail. It is found in 
Virginia, Pennfylvania, and the Bahama Iflands : 
it lives on the fpontaneous fruits of the earth, and 
other vegetable produftions; and, during win- 
ter, it fleeps under the hollow roots of trees. It's 
fiefh, which is efteemed excellent, taftes fome- 
what like that of a pig. When furprized, it makes 
a very precipitate retreat to it's hole. We have no 
certain information whether this animal fleeps 
during winter in the climate of the Bahama Ifles. 
Marmotte, Quebec ; the Mus Empetra of 
Pallas. This fpecies has fhort round ears, a 
blunt nofe, full cheeks, and a duflcy face. The 
hair on the back is grey at the bottom, black in 
the middle, and whitifn at the tips; and the belly 
and legs are of an orange colour. The toes, which 
are black, naked, and divided to their origin, are 
four in number, befides the rudiments of another 
on the fore feet, and five on thofe behind. The 
tail is flaort and duflcy; and the body is fomewhat 
larger than that of the rabbit. This creature in- 
habits Hudfon's Bay and Canada. 
Marmotte, Ukraine; the Arftomys of Pal- 
las. The length of this fpecies, from the nofe to 
the tail, is about fixteen inches; and the tail is 
about five inches long. The ears, which are fmall, 
thick, and oval, are covered with greyilli white 
down, except the edges, which are fringed with 
longifli hairs; and the eyes are fmall. The upper 
part of the body is greyifn, intermixed with long 
black or duflcy hairs tipt with grey ; and the throat 
is ruft-coloured. The reft of the body, and the 
infides of the limbs, are of a yellowifli ruft-colour; 
on the fore feet there are four toes, befides a fliort 
thumb furniflied withaftrong claw; and the hind 
feet have five toes. 
Thefe animals inhabit the high but milder and 
funny fides of mountainous countries abounding 
■with loofe rocks and ftones : they are found in Po- 
land, and the South of Ruflia, among the Carpa- 
thian Hills; they fwarm in the Ukraine, about the 
Eorifthenes, in the fouthern defart of Great Tar- 
tary, and in the Alcaic mountains eaft of the Irtis. 
Tiiey lie torpid during the winter, except whea 
kept tame in the ftove- warmed rooms of the coun- 
try; and even then finding a defedl of that warmth 
which their commodious fubterraneous retreats 
would afix)rd, in cold nights they feek for flicker 
in the very beds of the Inhabitants. 
Marmotte, Earless; the Mus Citellusof Lin- 
naeus. This animal has no external ears, but only 
a fmall orifice on each fide of the head, for the 
admittance of found; it has a blunt nofe, a lono- 
flender body, and a very fliort tail ; and it's colou? 
is a dark grey, or a yellowifli brown. There is 
another variety of this fpecies, which diflcrs a litde 
in colour; the upper part of it's body being grey, 
with fome red fpots fpeckled with yellow. 
Thefe varieties inhabit Bohemia, Auftria, Hun- 
gary, and all that track of country lying between 
theWolga and India. They burrow," and form 
magazines of corn and nuts; fit on their pofte- 
riors while they eat, like fquirrels; and generally 
bring forth from five to eight young. They are 
both herbivorous and carnivorous animals, feed- 
ing on plants, and deftroying the young of fmali 
birds and the lefl"er fpecies of mice. 
The Bohemian ladies formerly wore cloaks or- 
namented with the furs of thefe animals ; and even 
at this time they are ufed for linings, and appear 
excellently adapted for that purpofe. 
Marmotte, Tailless. This fpecies, v/hich 
is a native of Hudfon's Bay, has fhort ears; it's 
liead and body are of a cinereous brown colour, 
the ends of the hairs being white; in it's upper jaw 
there are two cutting-teeth, and four below; and 
it has no tail. 
Marmotte, Cape. This animal has two very 
long fore-teeth, bare, fliarp, and pointing down- 
wards; and thofe of the lov*?er jaw point out ho- 
rizontally, and are incapable of being covered by 
the lips. The head and cheeks are black; and on 
the hind part of the former there is a white Ipot. 
The body is of a cinereous brown hue, but 
lighteft on the belly; it has no external ears; and 
the tail is fliort. 
This animal is found at the Cape of Good Hope, 
in Africa; and feems to be of that kind mentioned 
by De la Caille. 
MARSUIN. An appellation Ibmetimes given 
to the phoc£ena, or porpefs ; a fifli frequently con-p 
founded with the dolphin. 
MARSUPIALE. a name given by Tyfon 
to the creature commonly known under the appel- 
lation of tlie opoflxim. The peculiar diftinftion 
of this animal from all others confifts in it's having 
a pouch under it's belly, into which it receives it's; 
young in time of danger. 
MARTEAU. An appellation given by 
French naturalifts to a peculiar fpecies of oyfter, 
called alfo Malleum by others. This is one of the 
moft curious fliells in nature : it's figure reiembles 
a hammer with a very long head; it's body, which 
is of a moderate thicknefs, has two long arms; 
and it's colour is brownifli, with a beautiful tinge 
of violet blue. 
M ARTICHORA. a name given by the an- 
cient Greeks to the animal called alfo Mantichora, 
and Mantiger. 
MARTIN; the Muftela Martes of Linnsus. 
An animal of the weafel kind; of which there are 
two varieties, fometimes diftinguiflied by the 
name of the beech, or common Martin; and the 
pine, or yellow-breafted Martin. 
This creature is generally about eighteen inches 
long 
