66 NATURAL HISTORY: 
This little animal is as fingular in its motion asin 
its form; always walking or ftanding on its hind legs, 
and uiing the forepaws as hands, like the fquirrel. Ir 
wiil jump fix or ieven feet fromthe ground, when 
purfued, and run fo remarkable {wift, that few quad~ 
rupeds can overtake it. It 1s a very inoffenfive crea- 
ture, living entirely on vegetables. 1t burrows in 
the ground, like rabbits. a 
In the year 1779, two of them, which were. exhib- 
ited. in London, had nearly burrowed through the - 
wall of the room in which they were kept. 
There is an animal of this {pecies in siberia, which 
is ‘a more expert digger than the rabbit itfelf; their 
burrows are fo’ numerous in fome places, as to be 
even dangerous to travellers. 
It is related of this latter, that they will cut grafs, 
and leave itin little heaps to dry ; which not only 
ferves them for food, buy alfo makes their habitation 
warm and comfortable for themfelves: and. their 
young during the winter feafon. 
There is alfo the torrid jerboa, fo- called by Lin- 
nzus from its inhabiting the ‘Torrid Zone, which j 
about the fize of acommon moufe ; and the Indi 
jerboa; a fpecimen of which was to be feen in t 
cabinet of the celebrated Dr. Hunter. ae 








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