ever, it is in general a very inoffensive animal; and, except its enmity to dogs, seems to live in friendship with every creature, unless when provoked. If not prevented, it is very apt to gnaw the furniture of a house, and even to make holes through wooden partitions; from whence, perhaps, it has been compared to the rat. As its legs are very short, and made somewhat like those of a bear, it is often seen sitting up, and even walking on its hind-legs in like manner; but with the fore paws, as was said, it uses to feed itself in the manner of a squirrel. Like all of the hare kind, it runs much swifter up hill than down; it climbs trees with great ease, and runs up the clefts of rocks, or the contiguous walls of houses, with great facility. It is ludicrously said that the Savoyards, who are the only chimney-sweepers of Paris, have learned this art from the marmot, which is bred in the same country.

These animals eat indiscriminately of whatever is presented to them: flesh, bread, fruits, herbs, roots, pulse, and insects. But they are particularly fond of milk and butter. Although less inclined to petty thefts than the cat, yet they always try to steal into the dairy, where they lap up the milk like a cat, purring all the while like that animal, as an expression of their being pleased. As to the rest, milk is the only liquor they like. They seldom drink water, and refuse wine. When pleased or caressed, they often yelp like puppies; but when irritated or frighted, they have a piercing note that hurts the ear. They are very cleanly animals, and like the cat retire upon necessary occasions; but their bodies have a disagreeable scent, particularly in the heat of summer. tinctures their flesh, which, being very fat and firm, would be very good, were not this flavour always found to predominate.

This

We have hitherto been describing affections in this animal which it has in common with many others: but we now come to one which particularly distin guishes it from all others of this kind, and, indeed, from every other quadruped, except the bat and the dormouse. This is its sleeping during the winter. The marmot, though a native of the highest mountains, and where the snow is never wholly melted, nevertheless seems to feel the influence of the cold more than any other, and in a manner has all its faculties chilled up in winter.* This ex

* ANIMAL TEMPERATURE. It is one of the most extraordinary as well as one of the best ascertained facts in the animal economy, though by no means as yet satisfactorily explained, that the interior heat of warmblooded animals varies extremely little in the coldest and in the hottest climates. To the uninstructed it appears no less erroneous to say that the body is equally warm on a cold winter's morning and on the most sultry of the dog-days, as to affirm that the sun is stationary contrary to the apparent evidence of the senses; yet the one truth is as well as certained as the other. For example, Captain Parry found that when the air was from 30° to 32° at Winter Isle, lat. 66° 11′ N., the interior temperature of the foxes when killed was from 106 to 98°; and at Ceylon, Dr. Davy found that the temperature of the native inhabitants differed only about one or two degrees from the ordinary standard in England. At very high temperatures, however, there is a somewhat greater difference, as appears from the ingenious experiments made by MM. Delaroche and Berger, who exposed themselves to a heat of 228°, or sixteen degrees above that of boiling water: they ascertained that at such very high temperatures there is an increase of seven or eight degrees

of the centigrade thermometer. The increase of cold on the contrary does not appear to influence the temperature of the body in a similar way; and hence we discover the cause why great cold proves less injurious and fatal to animals than might be reasonably anticipated. White of Selborne, speaking of gipsies, says: "These sturdy savages seem to pride themselves in braving the severity of the winter, and in living in the open air (sub dio) the whole year round. Last September was as wet a month as ever was known; and yet during those deluges did a young gipsy girl lie in the midst of one of our hop-gardens on the cold ground, with nothing over her but a piece of a blanket extended on a few hazel rods bent hoop-fashion and stuck in the earth at each end, in circumstances too trying for a cow in the same condition: within this garden there was a large hopkiln, into the chambers of which she might have retired, had she thought shelter an object worthy her attention." Some half-wild cats (Felis domestica), which frequented a solitary farm-house on the borders of a wood, were more attentive to their comforts than this young gipsy; since a neighbouring kiln for drying corn was their favourite resort during winter when the fire was lighted.

traordinary suspension of life and motion for more than half the year, deserves our wonder, and excites our attention to consider the manner of such a tempo

rary death, and the subsequent revival. But first to describe, before we attempt to discuss.

The marmot, usually, at the end of September, or the beginning of October.

we found a cock starling in a hole frozen to death. It was in very fine condition, and more perfect in plumage than we ever saw this species; but it did not appear, upon the closest examination, to have received any shot or other injury, to cause its death besides the effects of the frost.

It may be remarked, that like the sparrows and other birds which roost in holes, the starlings huddle closely together, contending for places; a circumstance, indeed, recorded by Pliny. "As touching sterlings," says he," it is the property of the whole kind of them to fly by troops, and in their flight to gather round into a ring or ball, whiles every one of them hath a desire to be in the middest," a statement corresponding exactly with what we have above mentioned of the sparrows and bottle-tits. It is not a little interesting thus to verify facts which were observed by the ancients; and Mr. Knapp has done so in the instance of the starling now under consideration, "There is something," he remarks, "singularly curious and mysterious in the conduct of these birds previous to their nightly retirement, by the variety and intricacy of the evolutions they execute at that time. They will form them selves, perhaps, into a triangle, then shoot into a long pear-shaped figure, expand like a sheet, wheel into a ball, as Pliny observes, each individual striving to get into the centre, &c. with a promptitude more like parade movements than the actions of birds."

In the instance of the red-breast, the hedge-sparrow (Accentor modularis, BECHSTEIN), and the wren (Anorthura communis), one can scarcely imagine how any of the species survive the winter, were it only for the difficulty they must have in procuring food. Selby, indeed, has observed wrens to perish in severe winters, particularly when accompanied with great falls of snow. "Under these circumstances," he says, "they retire for shelter into holes of walls, and to the eaves of corn and hay-stacks; and I have frequently found the bodies of several together in old nests, which they had entered for additional warmth and protection during severe storms." Buffon says a sportsman told him he had often found more than twenty collected in the same hole.

We are informed by an intelligent friend, that he once found several wrens in the hole of a wall, rolled up into a sort of ball, for the purpose, no doubt, of keeping one another warm during the night; and though such a circumstance is only to be observed by rare accident, we think it very likely to be nothing uncommon among such small birds as have

little power of generating or retaining heat in cold weather. This very circumstance, indeed, was observed by the older naturalists. Speaking of wrens, the learned author of the Physica Curiosa, says, "They crowd into a cave during winter to increase their heat by companionship."

Those who keep wrens in cages usually furnish them with a box, lined and covered with cloth, having a hole for entrance, where they may roost warmly during the night. Yet even in keen frost the wren does not seem, in the day-time, to care much for cold, since we have in such cases frequently heard it singing as merrily as if it had been enjoying the sunshine of summer, contrary to the remark of White, that wrens do not sing in frosty weather.

During a fall of snow, sheep seem both. to take advantage of natural shelter, and to huddle together in order to economize their animal heat; and they accordingly, during a snow-storm, always flee to the nearest shelter, though this is certain to end in their destruction, if the snow fall deep and lie long. It, therefore, becomes one of the most painful tasks of the shepherd, in such circumstances, to keep his sheep steadily in the very brunt of the blast. So at least we were told by an old shepherd, whom we encountered at nightfall the end of December, 1808, in a wild, mountainous pass, near Douglas, on the borders of Lanarkshire, who was actually engaged in thus guarding his flock in as heavy a fall of snow as we recollect ever witnessing. The Ettrick Shepherd, in a most interesting narrative, entitled "Snow Storms," in his Shepherd's Calendar, does not allude to this propensity in sheep; though it may be infered that they had acted upon it on one of the occasions which he describes, from his having found a number buried under the snow by the side of a high bank, to which, no doubt, they had fled for shelter at the onset of the storm. Though sheep, from their mode of life, ought to be hardy, they exhibit an anxiety for procuring shelter well worthy of remark. It is mentioned by Lord Kames, that the ewe, several weeks before yeaning, selects some sheltered spot where she may drop her lamb with the most comfort and security; and Mr. Hogg, in the volume just refered to, gives an instance in which a ewe travelled over a great distance to the spot where she had been accustomed to drop her lambs; but what was still more remarkable, a ewe, the offspring of this ewe, though removed to a distance when a few days old, returned to the same spot to drop her first lamb. RENNIE.

prepares to fit up its habitation for the winter, from which it is never seen to issue till about the beginning or the middle of April. This animal's little retreat is made with great precaution, and fitted up with art. The apartment is very warmly stuccoed round with moss and hay, of both which they make an ample provision during the summer. As this is a work of great labour, so it is undertaken in common; some cut the finest grass, others gather it, and others take their turns to drag it into their hole Upon this occasion, as we are told, one of them lies on its back, permits the hay to be heaped upon its belly, keeps its paws upright to make greater room; and in this manner, lying still upon its back, it is dragged by the tail, hay and all, to their common retreat. This also some give as a reason for the hair being generally worn away on their backs, as is usually the case: however, a better reason for this may be assigned, from their continually rooting up holes, and passing through narrow openings. But, be this as it will, certain it is that they all live together, and work in common to make their habitation as snug and convenient as possible. In it they pass three parts of their lives; into it they retire when the storm is high; in it they continue while it rains; there they remain when apprehensive of danger, and never stir out except in fine weather, never going far from home even then. Whenever they venture abroad, one is placed as a sentinel, sitting upon a lofty rock, while the rest amuse themselves in playing along the green fields, or are employed in cutting grass and making hay for their winter's convenience. Their trusty sentinel, when an enemy, a man, a dog, or a bird of prey approaches, apprizes its companions with a whistle, upon which they all make home, the sentinel himself bringing up the rear.*

But it must not be supposed that this hay is designed for provision; on the contrary, it is always found in as great plenty in their holes at the end as at the beginning of winter; it is only sought for the convenience of their lodging, and the advantages of their young. As to provision, they seem kindly apprized by nature that during the winter they shall not want any, so that they make no preparations for food, though so diligently employed in fitting up their abode. As soon as they perceive the first approaches of the winter, during which their vital motions are to continue in some measure suspended, they labour very diligently to close up the two entrances of their habitation, which they effect with such solidity, that it is easier to dig up the earth any where else than where they have closed it. At that time they are very fat, and some of them are found to weigh above twenty pounds; they continue so for even three months more; but by degrees their flesh begins to waste, and they are usually very lean by the end of winter. When their retreat is opened, the whole family is then discovered, each rolled into a ball, and covered up under the hay. In this state they seem entirely lifeless; they may be taken away, and even killed, without their testifying any great pain; and those who find them in this manner carry them home, in order to breed up the young, and eat the old ones. A gradual and gentle warmth revives them; but they would die if too suddenly brought near the fire, or if their juices were too quickly liquefied.

These animals produce but once a year, and usually bring forth but three or four at a time. They grow very fast, and the extent of their lives is not above nine or ten years; so that the species is neither numerous nor very much dif fused. They are chiefly found in the Alps, where they seem to prefer the brow of the highest mountains to the lowest ranges, and the sunny side to that in the shade. The inhabitants of the country where they chiefly reside, when they observe the hole, generally stay till winter before they think proper to open it; for if they begin too soon, the animal wakes, and, as it has a surprising faculty of digging, makes its hole deeper in proportion as they follow. Such as kill it for food, use every art to improve the flesh, which is said to have a wild taste, and

BRUTE ANIMAL HAYMAKERS.-Marmots, as a cart. She lies on her back, the hay is in the strictest sense, make hay; they bite off heaped on her belly, and two others drag her grass, turn it, and dry it in the sun. It home. ARCANA OF SCIENCE, 1829. is reported that they use an old she marmot

the

to cause vomitings.(g) They, therefore, take away the fat, which is in great abundance, and salt the remainder, drying it somewhat in the manner of bacon. Still, however, it is said to be very indifferent eating.*

THE AGOUTI.-From the marmot, which differs from the hare so much in the length of its fur, we go to the agouti, another species equally dif fering in the shortness of its hair. These bear some rude resemblance to the hare and the rabbit in their form and manner of living, but sufficiently differing to require a particular description. The first of these, and that the largest, as was hinted above, is called the agouti. This animal is found in great abundance in the southern parts of America, and has by some been

AMERICAN MARMOT.The varieties of this animal in the north continent of America are exceedingly numerous. Richardson in his American Zoology sets forth upwards of a dozen. The 66 Tawny American" (Arctomys Richardsonii) will suit us. This animal inhabits the grassy plains that lie between the north and south branches of the Saskatchewan river, living in deep burrows, formed in the sandy soil. It is very common in the neighbourhood of Carlton House, its burrows being scattered at short distances over the whole plain. The burrows are proportionable to the size of the animal. The earth scraped out forming them is thrown up in a small mound at the mouth of the hole, and on it the animal seats itself on its hind legs, to overlook the short grass, and reconnoitre before it ventures to make an excursion. There are many little, well worn pathways, diverging from each burrow, and some of these roads are observed, in the spring, to lead directly to neighbouring holes, being most probably formed by the males going in quest of a mate. The males fight when they meet on these excursions, and it not unfrequently happens, that the one which is worsted loses a part of its tail as he endeavours to escape. They place no sentinels,

(American Marmot.)

and there appears to be no concert between the tawny marmots residing in the neigh bourhood, every individual looking out for himself.

The above cut is a variety of the American brood.-ED.

THE AGOUTI. - This animal together with the paca, apera, guinea pig, capibara, and a few other species, are now arranged under the general appellation of cavy. They are distinguished by having two wedgeshaped front teeth in each jaw, and eight grinders on each side in both jaws; they have from four to six toes on the fore-feet, and from three to five on the hinder; the tail is

(g) Dictionnaire Raisonnée, vol. iii. p. 29.