THE JERBOA.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR.")
Sut,—May I, in behalf of the little jerboa, and those of your readers who may possess a specimen, once more hope for a short space in your valuable pages P I have had some interesting replies to my former letters—from unexpected quarters—one from a great traveller, who tells me that he has a jerboa (not, 1 regret to learn, so sweet tempered as mine) which he found in a district of Africa, forty miles away from any water, which agrees with my experience that these curious little creatures never drink. At the same time, they evidently enjoy succulent green food, and the favourite food of this kind, so far as I have yet discovered, is dandelion. The daintiest fresh lettuce is neglected for the sake of a tuft of dandelion leaves. ` Pack ' likes to have a short bit of root tucked into a tiny porous jar of water, sufficiently firmly for him to be able to bite off leaf by leaf, as if the plant were growing. He takes the leaf neatly off at the base and nibbles up to the point, holding it to his mouth all the time with his pretty little five-fingered hands. If the leaves become dry, he likes them to be dipped in water. Doubtless, being chiefly nocturnal in his habits, he sought his food with the dew upon it, in his native condition. He very much enjoys on warm, sunny days a gambol beneath a wired-in tree in the garden. He will scamper from corner to corner, and amuses himself with pre- paring to burrow. I say "amuses" himself, because he quite good-humouredly allows his burrow to be constantly filled in as he works, and if I leave him he invites me to return and join in this manner in what he is doing. His docility is marked and marvellous. I frequently hold small twigs or sticks in his way, which he speedily bites through. One day a hazel twig proved to be very tough and hard to gnaw, so he shoved it and my hand aside. I as often urged him with persuasive tones and words to "be a good 'Puck,' and bite it for his mistress." Presently he set himself to the task, and earnestly, with some difficulty and great perseverance, he accomplished it. Since this he has never refused to sever any stick held to him. He will come when called, but has not yet learned to wait to be taken up, although he will of his own accord jump up to be nursed when tired of play, or when wishing to reach his cage. He appears to be entirely satisfied with his bed of hay, and with his food, consisting of canary seed, corn, and dandelions. A run about the room two or three times a day is a necessity for him, as his long hind-legs become cramped, and would soon be paralysed for want of exercise. I think the exercise in which he most delights is a. scamper up and down stairs, although at the first attempt he showed in a most laughable manner that such a civilised mode of ascent and descent was novel to him. He made the wildest and most reckless bounds, as if a mass of rugged and uneven rocks were before him ; and the coming down again he did not in the least understand. He leapt into the air or slid and fell on his nose, and had to be picked up and carried. How- ever, one more experience was enough. On the next occasion he took step by step swiftly, and with unerring aim. Since he has had a sand-box to play in he has not shown that desire to bite carpets and curtains which appeared at first, to be the one objection to him. I can still say of Puck that he is the tamest, gentlest, and least troublesome pet I have ever known or kept, and although my correspondents have not seemed to find the jerboa distinctly affectionate, I may tell them that the power of affection certainly exists, and must, under kindly treatment, develop itself sooner or later.—I am, Sir, &c.,
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