File:Brehm's Life of animals - a complete natural history for popular home instruction and for the use of schools. Mammalia (1896) (19790898594).jpg

Title: Brehm's Life of animals : a complete natural history for popular home instruction and for the use of schools. Mammalia
Identifier: brehmslifeofanim1896breh (find matches)
Year: 1896 (1890s)
Authors: Brehm, Alfred Edmund, 1829-1884; Pechuel-Loesche, Edward, 1840-1913; Haacke, Wilhelm, 1855-1912; Schmidtlein, Richard
Subjects: Mammals; Animal behavior
Publisher: Chicago : Marquis
Contributing Library: Internet Archive
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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THE MICE—HAMSTER. 343 partly subdued — more amazed than furious — it stands up on its hind legs in front of its bristly antagonist and regards it with a thoroughly ludi- crous mixture of trepidation and grim fury, or else -it vents its rage on some other object, such as an innocent Hamster fellow-prisoner, upon which it inflicts the bites originally intended for the Hedge- hog. Whenever the Hedgehog stirs the perform- ance is repeated, to the intense amusement of the spectator. With other smaller animals it naturally agrees still less and even hunts them; for it is predaceous and its food in a great measure consists of living creatures. It is more partial to a diet of small birds, Mice, Lizards, Blindworms, Ringed Snakes, and insects than to vegetable food. Food As soon as the vegetables and greens of the Ham- in the fields are mature, the Ham- sters, stcrs are very busy with the harvest. Husks of linseed, lima beans and peas seem to be Hamsters in In the beginning of October, when Winter Quar- the weather becomes cold ana the ters. fields are bare, the Hamster begins earnestly to prepare for winter. Its bed is very small and is closely lined with the finest straw. Then the half torpid animal eats its fill and curls up and goes to sleep. Its circulation is so diminished that its limbs when touched feel ice cold and are so rigid that the joints can only be moved with great effort, and if forcibly bent they immediately re- sume their former position, like those of animals which have only recently died. The eyes are closed. Respiration and heart beat are imperceptible. Usu- ally the heart beats fourteen or fifteen times a min- ute. The first symptom of returning animation before the animal awakes is a diminution of the rigidity. Then respiration increases in activity and the animal stirs; it yawns, uttering a rattling sound, stretches itself, opens its eyes, staggers like a drunken animal, tries to sit up and falls, gets on
Text Appearing After Image:
HAMSTERS. These Rodents, though nearly related to the Mire, have special characteristics, among which the possession of capacious cheek pouches is noteworthy. They are lively, alert animals which steal grain and store it in large quantities. The animal when approached by an enemy assumes the position shown by the fitting animal on the right hand side of the picture, i ('ricetus/rumentarhis.) given the preference for winter storage. The Ham- ster works at its harvesting in the daytime only in those thinly peopled localities where it is entirely undisturbed; its usual working time are the first half of the night and the early morning before sunrise. It bends the high blades of grain with its fore-paws, detaches the ear with one bite, seizes it in its paws and by dint of turning it around a few times, takes all the grains off, and collects them in its cheek- pouches. In this way the capacious pouches are stored to plethoric fullness, and some Hamsters may carry a weight of fifty grains home at one time. An animal so heavily loaded has an extremely ludicrous appearance and is one of the clumsiest creatures in the world. One can pick it up without fear, for the crowded pouches prevent its biting; but one must be quick and not give it time, else it empties the pouches and assumes the defensive, and it can then inflict a painful wound. its feet, reflects a little and finally moves slowly about; if food be given it, it devours it immediately, washes and strokes its fur and awakes completely. The Enemies It is really fortunate for humanity of the Ham- that the Hamster, the rapid increase sters. 0f which gives it a prodigious power for evil, has so many enemies. Owls, Ravens and other birds, and even more Polecats and Weasels, are on its trail unceasingly and kill it wherever and whenever they encounter it, and many of these pests are thus destroyed. In some regions Man wages a relentless war against the Hamster. The principal profit of the chase accrues from the provisions which this singu- lar quarry lays up; the people simply wash the grains, dry and then grind them like other grain. The skins are also put to account; experience has shown that they yield an excellent, light and dura- ble fur. In some localities the flesh is also eaten.

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