tenants of these wide pastures. Mr. Cripps got upon the back of one of them, as the animal was kneeling it rose immediately, and, with a very majestic pace, bore him towards the carriage. Our horses were so terrified at the sight, that they broke the ropes, and we had great difficulty in tranquillizing them. The dromedary, having passed, made off into the plain, with his head erect, prepared, no doubt, to undertake an expedition to very distant regions; when, having satisfied his curiosity, Mr. Cripps descended from his lofty back, as from the roof of a house, and fell with some violence upon the ground; leaving the dromedary to prosecute his voluntary journey, which he continued as far as our eyes could follow him. Innumerable inhabitants, of a smaller race, people these immense plains. Among the number of them, is an animal which the natives call Suroke; the Arctomys Bobac of zoologists'. It grows here to the size of a large badger; СНАР. XII. Of the Suroke, or Bobac, of the Steppes. (2) See Shaw's Zoology, vol. III. p. 120. Pl. 144. In the first edition we had described this animal as the Alpine Marmot, with which naturalists have sometimes confounded it.-The holes, or receptacles, of the Bobac are lined with the finest hay; and it is said that the quantity found in one nest is sufficient for a night's provender for a horse.-The Bobac is the Mus Arctomys of Pallas. CHAP. and so much resembles the bear in its manner XII. and appearance, that, until we became acquainted with its real history, we considered it as a non-descript animal, and called it Ursa minima subterranea. Such mistakes are not uncommon in zoology. Naturalists frequently add to the nomenclature of animals by superfluous appellations A beautiful little quadruped, called Jerboa in Egypt, has been described in other countries as a distinct animal, under the various names of Mus jaculus, Subterraneous Hare, Vaulting Rat, Leaper, &c. &c. but it is the same creature everywhere, and bears to the kangaroo the same degree of relationship that a lizard has to the crocodile. We shall describe it more minutely hereafter. Our present business is with the Suroke; this is seen in all parts of the steppes; sitting erect, near to its burrow, whistling very loud upon the slightest alarm, and observing all around. It makes such extensive subterraneous chambers, that the ground is perforated in all directions, and the land is destroyed wheresoever this animal is found. Its colour is a greyish brown: it has five fingers upon each of its paws; these very much resemble human hands, and are used after the same manner. The mouth, teeth, and head, are like those of the squirrel; but the ears are shorter. Its fine eyes are round, full, dark, XII. and bright: the tail is short; the belly generally CHAP. protuberant, and very large. It devours almost every thing it finds, with the greatest voracity; and remains in a state of torpor half the time of its existence. Many of the peasants keep surokes tame in their houses. We purchased no less than four: they lived and travelled with us in our carriage, thereby enabling us to study their habits. They were always playing, or sleeping, beneath our feet, to the great annoyance of our little pug-dog'. The (1) Having mentioned this little animal, it may be well to say something of the importance of its presence with us, for the advantage of other travellers. The precaution was first recommended to us by a Polish traveller in Denmark. Any small dog (the more diminutive the better, because the more portable, and generally the more petulant) will prove a valuable guardian, in countries where the traveller is liable to attacks from midnight robbers, and especially from pirates by water, as in the Archipelago. They generally sleep during the day, and sound their shrill alarum upon the most distant approach of danger, during the night. The author remembers an instance of one that enabled a party of mariners to steer clear of some shallows, by barking at a buoy, which, in the darkness of the night, they had not perceived. The instances in which our little dog was useful, it is needless to relate. But it may gratify curiosity to be informed, that, being naturally afraid of water, and always averse from entering it, he crossed all the rivers and lakes of Lapland, Sweden, and Norway, after his masters; accompanied them, during three years, in different climates, although detesting bodily exercise; and ultimately performed a journey on foot, keeping up with horses, from Athens, through all Greece, Macedonia, and Thrace; making the tour of the Archipelago, to Constantinople; and thence, in the same manner, through Bulgaria, and Wallachia, to Búchorest. CHAP. peasants universally give them the name of Wasky. They told us, that in the month of September their tame surokes retire to some hiding-place, and do not make their appearance again before the beginning of April. They either descend into some burrow, or conceal themselves where they may remain the least liable to observation, and sleep during the whole winter. To awaken them, during the season of their somnolency, materially injures their health, and sometimes kills them. They are most destructive animals; for they will gnaw every thing they find in their way; shoes, books, wooden planks, and all kinds of roots, fruit, or vegetables. They made havoc with the lining of our carriage; which was of morocco leather. As soon as they have done eating, they become so drowsy, that they even fall asleep in your hands, in any posture or situation, or under any circumstances of jolting noise or motion. When awake, they are very active; and they surpass every other animal in the rapidity with which they burrow in the earth. They resemble guinea-pigs in making a grunting noise; and when surprised, or much pleased, or in any degree frightened, they utter loud and short squeaks, resembling the sound of a person whistling. .XII. Other animals common in the steppes are CHAP. wolves and bears; also a quadruped called Biroke, of a grey colour, something like a wolf, The Biroke. very ferocious, and daring enough to attack men. The Cossack peasants, armed with their lances, sally forth, on horseback, in pursuit of this animal. It has a long full tail, reaching to the ground. From the accounts given of it by the peasants, we suspected it to be the same animal described by Professor Pallas, as found in the environs of Astrachan, under the appellation Chakal, and said to be between a wolf and a dog; but whether it be the same kind of Jackal which is found in Syria and in Egypt, or not, we did not learn. The most numerous of all the quadrupeds of The Sustic. the steppes, the whole way from Woronetz to Tcherkask, are the Suslics: by this name they are called throughout the country. Near the course of the Don, they absolutely swarm, and may be taken in any number. This interesting little animal is supposed to be the Mus Citillus of Buffon; and a description of it will now prove whether this be really the case or not. It makes a whistling noise, like the suroke; but it is much smaller, not being larger than a small weazel. It constructs its habitation under |