In an extract from a German publication of M. Sulzer, which appeared
in the Gazette de Littérature of the 13th of September, 1774, we
find many additional observations respecting the hamster. As a proof
of its multiplicity in Germany an instance is given, that in one
year was taken to the town-house at Gotha, 11,574 skins, in another
54,429, and in a third 80,139. It is also there stated, that the
male is a courageous animal, and will defend himself against the
attacks of either dogs, cats, or men; that he is naturally of a morose
disposition, agrees not with his own species, and will even at times
destroy his own family; he devours mice, birds, or any animal that he
can overcome, and he drinks very little. In the winter they retire
into their holes, where the female remains much longer than the males;
she goes four weeks with young, and generally has six at a litter.
When in a torpid state they do not appear to respire, or to have the
smallest degree of feeling. On opening the chest, however, the heart
is perceived to beat at the rate of fifteen times in a minute, whereas,
when in full spirits, and somewhat irritated, it has been known to beat
180 times in the same space; when in this state, which he is never
reduced to in the open air, an electric shock will not rouse him.
From the fact which we formerly stated, namely, that the hamster which
we kept confined in a cage, and in a room where water was frozen, was
not reduced to a torpid state, we cannot but regret that M. Sulzer has
not stated the degree of cold, or want of air, which rendered them so.
M. Allemand has confirmed this fact in the observations he has added to
the hamster in the Dutch edition of my work. Among other remarks, he
says, this animal is of the mouse kind, and sleeps during winter, like
the marmot; he is of a forbidding external appearance, and his manners
are not less disgusting; for he has not a single social quality; he
destroys and devours every animal he can conquer, not excepting his own
species; and even the females, to whom he is led by instinct, would
suffer no better fate, after the gratification of his passions, which
are of short duration, if she did not contrive her escape, or secure
her own life by the killing of him first. These animals pass the
winter in a torpid state, and are the only ones of Europe which have
pouches in their cheeks. They avoid extremes, and are not to be found
either in very warm or very cold countries. As he feeds upon grain, and
dwells under the earth, it is necessary for the construction of his
habitation that the soil should neither be hard, sandy, nor marshy,
but one that is easily penetrated, and yet so firm as not to crumble
down; and it is for this reason that the hamsters are more numerous in
Thuringia than in any other place, where also they have the equally
great advantage of procuring all kinds of grain with ease, it being an
abundant article in that country.
The hamsters come in season about the end of April, when the males
seek out the females, who always have separate habitations, but do not
remain with them above a few days. If two males meet in the same hole
they instantly attack each other, and never give over until one has
laid the other dead at his feet. The victor of course takes possession
of the female, and during their amours they lay aside that ferocity
with which at other times they constantly persecute each other; nay,
they will at this time act for their mutual defence, and if their hole
happens to be opened, and the female perceives the male in danger, she
will fly at their disturber, and inflict deep and painful wounds. The
females bring forth two or three times every year, they seldom have
less than six young, and more frequently from sixteen to eighteen; they
grow very fast, for they begin to dig the earth when they are fifteen
days old, and are entirely thrown off by their mother when they are
three weeks old. They have little attachment to their offspring, for if
their habitations are attacked the mother's only solicitude is to take
care of herself; for which she penetrates deeper into the earth, and
is so regardless of the cries of her young that she even blocks up the
hole after her to prevent their following.
They feed on all kinds of herbs, roots, grain, and the flesh of those
animals which they can subdue. As they are not calculated for going a
great distance, they lay in their first store of such provisions as the
fields in their immediate vicinity present, and this is the reason why
one of their chambers is often found full of a single sort of grain;
but as the harvest is got in they go to greater distances, carrying
back with them every thing they can meet with, without distinction;
and for this purpose Nature has bestowed on them a pouch in each
cheek, the outsides of which are smooth and membranous, and the insides
furnished with a number of glands, which supply a fluid, and keep them
so flexible that they receive no injury from any kinds of grain they
may wish to convey, however rough or sharp. In each of these pouches
he can carry an ounce and a half of grain, and which he empties by
pressing his fore-feet against his cheeks. When a hamster is met thus
loaded he may be taken with the hand, because at that time he cannot
bite; but if he is not laid hold of instantly he soon empties his
pouches, and will defend himself. An old male will collect a great
quantity of grain in this manner, and there have been instances of
finding 100 pounds weight in a single hole; but the females and the
young ones do not store so much.
If their holes are opened in winter, the animal is found lying upon a
bed of soft straw, with his head bent between his two fore-legs under
his belly, and his hind feet turned up and resting on his nose; his
eyes are quite shut, and if forced open they close again immediately;
in a word, he has every appearance of a dead animal, and his whole
body feels as cold as ice. This torpid state of the hamster has been
attributed to a certain degree of cold; but although that may be the
case with bats and dormice, yet it is necessary with this animal that
he should also be deprived of the impression of the air; for if he
be shut up in a cage, and put in a room where water will freeze, he
will not become torpid; but if that cage is buried some feet under
the earth, and so covered that the air cannot penetrate to him, he
will in the course of a few days become equally so as if he were in an
habitation of his own framing. The cage being brought up the animal
soon recovers in the air, and if put under the earth he sinks again
into his torpid state; and this he will continue to do as long as there
is any frost. The same circumstance takes place if they are dug out of
their holes during their torpor, after being a few hours exposed to the
air, they invariably awake, whether it is night or day, which proves
that light is not part of the cause. In recovering from his torpid
state the limbs of the hamster first begin to lose their stiffness,
he then breathes, but at long intervals; by degrees opens his mouth
and eyes; at length he endeavours to get upon his legs, and continues
his efforts until he has accomplished that point; when after standing
perfectly still for a few moments, he begins to walk and go about as
usual.
This animal seems to be influenced by no other passions but rage, for
he invariably makes war against all that come in his way, regardless of
their superiority in size or strength. He has no idea of flight, and
will suffer himself to be beat to pieces rather than yield. When he
sees a dog coming towards him, he empties his cheeks, if he happens to
be loaded, then swells them up to an enormous size, waits the approach
of his enemy, who being sufficiently near, he rises upon his hind legs,
and darts furiously upon him; and if he once makes good his hold he
never quits it without the loss of life; but the dogs, who are fond of
hunting them, generally avoid the first attack, and then seize them
by the back. His ferocious disposition is not only exercised against
other animals, but even his own species, for two hamsters never meet
but they attack each other, and fight till one is slain, whom the
conqueror devours; and in this respect there is no difference even if
the rencounter is between a male and female.[AQ]
[AQ] This animal is very common in all the southern parts of Russia,
principally in the most fertile countries and the best cultivated. He
is not even rare in Tartary and the most southern parts of Siberia. In
the desarts they live a wandering life; and they choose from preference
those places where there is a great quantity of liquorice, the seeds of
which serve them for provision.