CAPE, AND TALPINE RAT, 
73 
Cape rat. 
The Cape rat is about seven inches long, and 
is very destructive to the gardens about the Cape. 
Its tail is very short, beset with bristles. Though 
the rest of its nose is white, yet the end of it is 
naked and black. Its head, cheeks, back, and 
sides, arc of a rusty brown ; but it has a ^vhite 
space round its eyes and ears. 
Talpine rat. 
Thei Talpine rat, about four inches 16 ng, has 
& large short head, and a thick truncated snout. 
Its upper teeth are long and fiat, extending out 
Of its mouth ; its eyes are small, hid in its fur ; 
its ears are bounded by a small rim ; its tail 
scarce appears without the fur ; its upper parts 
are dusky ; its chin, belly, and limbs are whitish. 
It inhabits the open grounds of the temperate 
parts of Russia and Siberia; it loves a black 
turfy soil, and is frequent in meadows near vil- 
lages. Its manners resemble those of the mole. 
They do not become torpid in the winter ; hut 
make their nest deep in the ground, and keep them- 
selves warm by lining it with soft grass. They 
are very easily taken, but soon grow sick in confine- 
ment, Unless a quantity of earth is put into the 
place where they are kept. They are in heat at 
the end of March or beginning of April ; the 
females have then a strong musky smell ; they 
bring three or four at a time. They vary in cd<* 
hour ; some are found quite black. 
VOL. II. 
L 
