io6 
MAMMALIA. 
wheel running- with all his might, and the next he is seated on a 
shelf at the opposite end of the cage, the wheel whirling behind 
him .... Though usually very quiet they are not always 
displeased with noise, if it be a lively one ; for instance, they drop 
a nut in the wheel and then as it rattles when the wheel moves 
they are highly delighted, sometimes more so than some of the 
other listeners. Once when a butternut thus became quite a trouble 
to me I removed it, but no sooner had I left the cage than they put 
it back and set it rattling louder than ever, leaping over it as it came 
near them and jumping about as if performing a war dance, and this 
they repeated over and over again till, finally, the nut was removed 
from the cage. Now and then the freak takes one or the other to 
leave the wheel altogether for several days, and in the meantime 
they relieve their over-buoyant feelings by executing a brilliant 
series of somersets with an agility and daring that would excite the 
envy of the most skilful acrobat. They always turn backward, going 
completely over and alighting almost exactly upon the spot from 
which they started. Now they run a few steps before going over 
and now stop and turn around as if a spit ran through the centre of 
the body on which it turned. These gyrations are often extremely 
ludicrous, especially, when turning side by side, they seem to be 
racing .... They are exceedingly inquisitive, prying into 
everything that comes in their way ; and, if watched and fearful lest 
they are to be interrupted, they assume a most impudent and reck- 
less air, glancing out of one eye, and shaking their heads and sniffing 
every now and then for an instant, and then returning to their in- 
vestigations with renewed energy, pulling away desperately at any- 
thing that can be laid hold of, and it anyone starts toward them to 
drive them away, they wait till the very last minute, when, with a 
twinkle of the eye, a toss of the head, and a jerk of the tail, they are 
off and across the room in a trice, perhaps stopping to chatter their 
disapproval of the whole proceeding as soon as safely out of reach 
When the actions of an animal are so suddenly varied, so 
