'7752 Monax, or Marmotte, of America. 
T his Animal is of the Size of a Rabbit > it burieth itfelf under Ground, or 
creepeth into hollow Roots of Trees, and fleepeth all Winter j it hath pretty 
much the Shape and general Look of a large Rat^ the Feet feem to be formed, either 
for climbing Trees, or fcratching Burroughs for its Security : It is a Species of the 
Marmotte y but diSers fomething in Colour, but principally in that the Tail is much 
longer in Proportion, 
The Snout, both upper and lower Chops, are of a light blueifh Afh-colour ; the 
Teeth are like thofe of a Rabbit ; the Eyes are of a dark Colour, ridng a little cut of 
the Head ; it hath pretty long Smellers about the Nofe ; It hath behde thefe a Plat of 
long Riif Hares on each Side of the Head beyond the Corners of the Mouth ; the 
Head and Body are all over of a Brown-colour, a little of a greenifli Call, fucli as we 
fee in fome of our Water Rats: The Grey on the Snout, and the Brown behind it, 
foften into each other all round the Head j the Ears are fmall and round, not landing 
out fo much in Proportion as they do in common Rats ; the Brown-colour is darkeR 
on the Back, fomething lighter on the Sides, and lighted: of all in the Belly ; the 
Feet, Toes, and Claws, are Black as far as the Heel, or hrft Joint of the Leg ; the 
Toes are pretty long, and divided to their Bottoms, as in Squirrels ; the Claws alfo 
are pretty long and (harp j' the Tail is more than half the Length of the Body : It is 
covered with blackiOi Brov/n Hair, of a middling Length, which makes the Tail ap- 
pear in a fmall Degree bufhy. 
This Bead was brought from Maryland in Nortb-Americay and prefented to Sir Ham 
S!oa?iey who kept it many Years: By being fed with foft Meats, and Difufc to knaw^ 
its Teeth grew fo long and crooked, that it could not take in its Food, fo to pre- 
ferve its Life, they v/ere obliged to break them out. This Drawing was taken, as it 
lay by the Fire repohng itfelf ; There hath been no Account given of this Animal 
that I know of : They who would compare its Defcription with that of the Marmotte y 
may confult Mem. de r Ac ademie Royal des ScteiiceSy depuis 1666, jufqida 1699, Tiom, 
III. troijieme Partky Pa. 31, where they will find a Figure and Defcription of it. I 
find alfo a brief Account of the MarmottCy in a fmall Trad: publifhed Anno 1744, 
called an Account of the GladereSy or Ice Alps in Savayy which, true or falfe, I iliall 
tranfcribe for the Amufement of the Reader. “ This is the Account the Inhabitants 
give us of this Animal, they fieep fix Months of the Year, that is, all the Winter, 
and in the Summer they provide a warm Couch againfi: their Time of fleeping ; 
‘‘ for this End they cut Herbs with their Teeth, and in order to carry them to their 
Holes, one of them lays on its Back, and the others load it like a Cart, and then 
drag it by the Ears to the Hole. They pretend alfo, that they provide againfi: be- 
“ ing furprized, by placing Centinels, who give them the Alarm by a whiflling Noife; 
‘‘ they eat thefe MarmotteSy and find them very good, and ufe their Fat to burn in 
Lamps.’* I fufped nothing in this Account, but the making a Cart of one Animal, 
and its being drawn by the others ; but it is no very grofs Fidion if it be fuch, confi- 
dering it is from ignorant Alpian Peafants, who perhaps take it from Tradition. 
Dr. Mitchely a Phyfician of Virginiay now in LofidoHy has informed me this Animal 
has much the Adions of a Squirrely and, when wild, has a more bulhy Tail than this 
Figure reprefents. Phe 
