CHAPTER VII 
THE ORDER OF GNAWING ANIMALS 
GLIRES , OR RODENTS 
The Order of Gnawing Animals contains a great many species, and to persons who have not 
studied it with some attention, it is a chaotic jumble of living creatures. This unsatisfactory con- 
dition is entirely unnecessary. A few hours’ diligent study — under helpful conditions — will give 
any intelligent person a fair knowledge of the subdivisions of this Order, and an acquaintance 
with a sufficient number of examples so that each strange North American rodent met with can 
be referred to its proper Family. 
The first step is to learn the names of the Families, which are as follows: 
£ 
© o 
cc J 8 
M <-»-i 
H K o 
© (E 
P4 
O 
FAMILIES. 
Squirrel Family, 
Sewellel Family, .... 
Beaver Family, 
Mouse and Rat Family, . . 
Pouched Mouse and Rat Family 
Jumping Mouse Family, . . . 
Pocket Gopher Family, . . 
Porcupine Family, .... 
Pika, or “ Chief Hare ” Family, 
Hare and Rabbit Family, . . 
APPROXIMATE NUMBER 
OP PULL SPECIES. 
Sci - U ' Ri-DAE about 72 Species. 
AP - LO - DONT ’ I-DAE 4 “ 
CAS - TOR ' I-DAE 1 “ 
MUR ' I-DAE 171 “ 
DI - POD ' I - DAE , . . . 
ZA - POD ' I - DAE , . . . 
GE - O - MY ' I - DAE , . . 
E-RET H - I - ZONT - I - DAE , 
O - CHO - TON ' I - DAE , . 
LE - POR ’ I - DAE , . . . 
42 
10 
33 
2 
6 
30 
THE SQUIRREL FAMILY. 
In order to avoid recognizing a large number 
of Families for animals that are closely related, 
zoologists have agreed that the Squirrel Family 
shall contain the marmots, and a number of 
other animals that are closely related to squir- 
rels. To make this point clear, observe this 
diagram : 
J -A 
HI* g 
X J-E 
CfB. a 
in 'O- 
True 
Squirrels, 
Marmots, 
Tree Squirrels. Sciurus. 
Rock Squirrels, Tainias, etc. 
Ground Squirrels, Citellus. 
( Prairie-" Dogs,” 
1 Woodchucks, . 
Flying Squirrels, 
Cynomys, 
Marmota. 
Sciuropterus . 
All these creatures appeal strongly to persons 
who live in the country, or visit city parks. Go 
anywhere in the temperate zone, and you will 
find some of them, ready to greet you, and 
371 1 
make friends with you if you choose. You 
have but to use your eyes, and you will see them. 
In the East you have the gray squirrel and 
chipmunk; in the Mississippi Valley the fox 
squirrel; on the Great Plains, the ground-squir- 
rels and prairie-" dogs ” ; in the West the Douglas 
squirrel, and a bewildering array of chipmunks 
and ground squirrels. He who fails to learn 
their names, and make friends with them, loses 
much pleasure. 
The members of the Squirrel Family are so 
widely distributed, and have grown so accus- 
tomed to man and his ways, that there are few 
persons who have not seen at least two or three 
wild species in their haunts. Their lives are full 
of incident and interest, and to the young nat- 
uralist, animal artist or sculptor, they are usually 
the most available of all wild animal subjects. 
A very attractive book might be written 
1 The subspecies recorded number about 260 ! 
68 
