( X04 1 
’Thi Monax, or Marmotte, of America. 
HIS Animal is of the Size of a Rabbit it burieth itfelf under Ground, or 
1 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, but differs 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 Afli-colour j the 
Teeth are like thofe of a Rabbit \ the Eyes are of a dark Colour, rifmg a little out of 
the Head ; it hath pretty long Smellers about the Nofe : It hath befide thefe a Plat of 
long hiif 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 Caft, fuch as we 
fee in fome of our Water ; The Grey on the Snout, and the Brown behind it, 
foften into each other ail round the Head; the Ears are fmall and round, not ftanding 
out fo much in Proportion as they do in common Rats; the Brown-colour is darkefl 
on the Back, fomething lighter on the Sides, and lighted: of all in the Belly j the 
Feet, -Toes, and Claws, are Black as far as the Heel, or firft Joint of the Leg j the 
Toes are pretty long, and divided to their Bottoms, as in Squirrels; the Claws aifo 
are pretty long and fharp; the Tail is more than half the Length of the Body: It is 
covered with blackifh Brown Hair, of a middling Length, which makes the Tail ap¬ 
pear in a fmall Degree bufhy. 
This Bead: was brought from Maryland in North-America, and prefented to Sir Ham 
Sloane, who kept it many Years: By being fed with foft Meats, and Difufe to knaw, 
its Teeth grew fo long and crooked, that it could not take in its Food, fo to pre- 
ferve its Life, they were obliged to break them out. This Drawing was taken, as it 
lay by the Fire repodng 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, 
may confult Mem. de VAcademie Royal des Sciences, depiiis 1666, jufqula 1699, 'Tom. 
III. troijieme Partie, Pa. 31, where they will find a Figure and Defcription of it. I 
find alfb a brief Account of the Mannotte, in a fmall Trad: publifhed Anno 1744, 
called an Account of the Glacieres, or Ice Alps in Savoy, which, true or falfe, I fhall 
tranfcribe for the Amufement of the Reader. ‘‘ This is the Account the Inhabitants 
“ give us of this Animal, they deep dx Months of the Year, that is, all the Winter, 
" and in the Summer they provide a warm Couch againd their Time of deeping; 
“ for this End they cut Herbs with thdr 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 againd: be- 
ing furprized, by placing Centinels, who give them the Alarm by a whidling Noife; 
“ they eat thefe Mamnottes, 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. Mitchel, a Phyfician of Virginia, now in London, has informed me this Animal 
has much the Adions of a Squirrel, diud, when wild, has a more bufhy Tail than this 
Figure reprefents. The 
