“In hunting them,” says M. Du Chaillu, “we had first to ascertain by the foot-marks, or more readily by the marks left by the trail of the tail, which was the entrance and which the exit of the burrow, and then making a trap at one end, drive them out by the smoke of a fire at the other, afterwards securing them with ropes.
“Their flesh is good eating. Those I captured were very lean, but I was informed by the natives that they are sometimes very fat.”
RODENTIA—GNAWING QUADRUPEDS.
THE order of animals to which the well known and widely distributed Rats and Mice belong, is a very large one, including animals that are adapted, according to the genus, either for running, jumping, climbing, flying or swimming. They are armed with sharp claws, enabling them to climb trees or burrow in the earth. But the special characteristic of all the animals of this group, is that they possess only two kinds of teeth—incisors and molars. The incisors, two in number, in front of each jaw, are very remarkable. Their office is to cut, as with shears, roots and branches, and they are wonderfully constructed for this purpose. These teeth are long, stout and curved, and being covered with enamel on their front face only, they wear away more behind than in front; and by rubbing one against the other naturally form a bevelled edge. They therefore keep a hard edge that is always sharp-cutting, ready for sawing through or gnawing tough substances.
Another strange thing about these teeth is that they always keep the same length, notwithstanding their continual wear. The fact is, they have no roots, and grow from the base in the same proportion as they are worn away at the top.
Many of the Gnawing Quadrupeds have their hind limbs much larger than the front ones, so that they leap rather than walk, giving them the appearance of the Kangaroo and others belonging to the Marsupial family. The animals of the Rodent order feed mainly on seeds, fruit, leaves, grasses and occasionally on roots and bark. Some of them, however, such as the Rat, are omnivorous, and will even eat flesh.
A great number of the Rodents have their bodies covered with fine, soft and prettily-colored hair. For instance, the small Grey Squirrel and the Chinchilla both furnish furs of value; and the coats of the Beaver and the Rabbit are used in some of our manufactures.
The Rodents are not usually divided into very distinct families, as their natural characteristics are not clearly marked. In the family of Rats and Mice a large number may be grouped. These form the Mus species, from the Latin, Mus, meaning Mouse or Rat. The most of the members of this family are too well known to require more than mere mention. This family includes besides what are known as the Rats and Mice proper, the Field Rats and Mice, the Dormice, Ondatras, Musquash or Musk Rats, Lemmings, Hamster Rats and Jerboa Rats.
Grouped with the Chinchillas we find the Lagotis, the Viscacha, and the Ctenomys. Then come the Porcupine family, the family of Ground Hogs, Guinea Pigs and the Agoutis. The Beavers and the extensive Squirrel family are then followed by the Marmots and Woodchucks, the Prairie Dogs, and the large family of Hares and Rabbits.