nd particularly destructive to wheat and barley crops, of which they
lay up considerable hoards in spacious burrows. A tribe of low-caste
Hindus, called Kunjers, go in quest of them at proper seasons to
plunder their hoards, and often within the space of twenty yards
square find as much corn in the ear as could be crammed in a bushel."
Sir Walter Elliot's account of their burrows is most interesting.
He says: "The entrances, which are numerous, are small, from which
the passage descends with a rapid slope for two or three feet, then
runs along horizontally, and sends off branches in different
directions. These galleries generally terminate in chambers from
half a foot to a foot in width, containing a bed of dried grass.
Sometimes one chamber communicates with another furnished in like
manner, whilst others appear to be deserted, and the entrances closed
with clay. The centre chamber in one burrow was very large, which
the Wuddurs attributed to its being the common apartment, and said
that the females occupied the smaller ones with their young. They
do not hoard their food, but issue from their burrows every evening,
and run and hop about, sitting on their hind legs to look round,
making astonishing leaps, and on the slightest alarm flying into
their holes." This account differs from that of Hardwicke as regards
the hoarding of food, and from what I can learn is the more correct.

The food of this animal is grain, grass, and roots, but Kellaart
mentions certain carnivorous propensities, for one night several of
them nearly devoured an albino rat which had been put into the same
cage with them. McMaster says of its agility: "I have seen them when
released from a trap baffle and elude dogs in the most extraordinary
manner by wonderful jumps made over the backs, and apparently into
the very teeth of their pursuers."

Buchanan-Hamilton's assertion that "these animals live in holes
which they dig in the abrupt banks of rivers and ponds" is misleading.
They may do so occasionally, but in general they choose sandy plains.
The female is prolific, bringing forth from eight to twelve young
ones, and Dr. Jerdon states that it is said to have occasionally as
many as sixteen to twenty. With regard to Kellaart's accusation of
its being carnivorous at times, I may say I have noticed such
tendencies amongst several other rodents which are supposed to be
purely vegetarians. I have also known ruminants take to flesh-eating
when opportun