. The illustrated natural history [microform]. Mammals; Natural history; Mammifères; Sciences naturelles. ' *' Iff iiili I 562 THE WATER UAT, Oil WATER VOLE. shift for iiit'iusclves, an event wliiel, necuvs in a woiulorfiilly .short time, ihov 'eavo the niattn.'KiI iioiiuv and dig Rcininilc luinows. TIk! strang.'st part of tlie Jlinnster's clinraeter is its dull, iniroasoning feroeity, wjiicli IS ntterly incapable of comprehending danger, and causes tiie animal to attack any kind ot opponent, whether animate or not. An iiTJtatcd Hnmster will fly upon a ii niiu. or a horse, witliont the l
. The illustrated natural history [microform]. Mammals; Natural history; Mammifères; Sciences naturelles. ' *' Iff iiili I 562 THE WATER UAT, Oil WATER VOLE. shift for iiit'iusclves, an event wliiel, necuvs in a woiulorfiilly .short time, ihov 'eavo the niattn.'KiI iioiiuv and dig Rcininilc luinows. TIk! strang.'st part of tlie Jlinnster's clinraeter is its dull, iniroasoning feroeity, wjiicli IS ntterly incapable of comprehending danger, and causes tiie animal to attack any kind ot opponent, whether animate or not. An iiTJtatcd Hnmster will fly upon a ii niiu. or a horse, witliont the lenst luvsitiition. If a cart were to crush it, it M-ould tiy to bit,^ the wheel ; it a stone were to roll over it, it would turn upon the lifeless stone ; threaten It with a stick, and it fastens upon the senseless weajjon with malii-n fury; and when opposed by a bar of iron nearly red hot, it bus been known to nrasi. t'be ; metal in Its teetli, and to retain its hold in s])ite of the pain which it must have sutfered This combative leails it to tight desperately with its own species, carhio- nothin" for sex or age ; and it lias actually happened that when a pair of these animals have been placed togetlier in a cage, the male has b,.en killed and partly eaten bv his disconsolate widow. The food of this animal is ehiedy vegetable, but is varied by animal diet, such worms insects, mice, small birds, lizards, frogs, and other such vermin. It is a nocturnal aninia , and achieves its robberies nnder cover of the darkness of ninbt. It can hardly be termed a true hibernating animal, as it is ,,uite lively Ibr a cimsiderable portitm of'tlie winter, feeding on its ample st(jres for nearly two months, and becoming very fat by the' combined infliience of inactivity and good feeding. Through a portion of the winter it becomes torpid, but awakes early in the s,)ring, ready to rem^w its de].r(Mlations in the Jields. During the spring and summer months its fo
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, booksubjectmammals, booksubjectnaturalhistory
