The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-11-21
Migration of the Jennings.
Hatper's Bszar.

HatperS DeZar.
Once in about every twenty-five years Norway
and Sweden are the scenes of migration which
is one of the wonders of the natural world The
participants in this movement are tiny ratlke
creatures called popularity Jennings, and scien-
tifcally myodes lemmus. The lemming is not
more than six inches long, including haIf-inch
tail, and individually is no more interesting than
a thousand other animals but collectively it
challenges attention.
1t lives ordinarily among the peat MOSES of
the mountains, and although the principal food
of all the predacious animals of that region, it
increases rapidly in numbers that by the time
the migratory movement takes place the mount
aims fairly swarm with its congregated families.
From near and far the jennings come, led by
restless impulse, and after forming an immense
army on some great plateau, start east or west,
the case may be, and, In undertaking line,
march forward Hills, valleys, lakes, rivers
are crossed with an utter disregard to the havoc
made in their ranks by death
1t is sad time for the farmer, for when the
living torrent pours over cultivated section it
spreads and fingers till every eatable is gone,
in the meantime bringing forth young In great
numbers, and with unusual rapidity, so that de-
spite all the numerous causes of destruction that
follow or await IL, the terrible army actually in
creases in size during it's onward march. Besides
the rivers and lakes, which swallow up great
multitudes prolific source of death is found in
the various animals of the country. Carnvor-
GUS beasts and birds, such as wolves foxes wild
cats, the various members of the weasel family,
eagles. hawks and owls follow the moving army
with wild cries and Unsuitable gluttonv.
This is quite natural perhaps, but
what is extraordinary, many herbivorous
animals seem to be driven to fury by the
invasion of the little creatures and deserving
their ordinary food rush among the Jennings.
and not only stamp them to death, out use their
teeth for the same purpose. and even eat the
flesh. Reindeer and cows are prominent in this
deadly employment while man, with his house
hold pets, the cat and the dog, exerts himself in
the same destructive work.
Still the stream pours on, never deviating
from the first laid out, filling the air with
vile odors and making the earth loathsome For
three years this terrible scourge affiicts the land
resisting all efforts to turn it or conquer it, and
covering with desolation every spotlt visits un-
til at last the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of
Bothnia interposes its impossible waters Does
it then turn baczl No With the same fright
full disregard OF consequences which has char
acterlzed the infatuated creature from the OUT
SET the whole army. with eager haste, plunge
into the waves, and there ends the migration
What ls the cause of this extraordinary facta
Nobody knows The most plausible theory yet
advanced says that the vast increase in numbers
of the lemming in its mountain home creates a
scarcity of food. Hunger arouses the desire to
seek for food elsewhere, and a movement once
made, long dormant instinct of migration,
which most animals possess, forces it to continue
its onward march with uureasonng and fatal
persistency. CLAUS Magnus and some other
writers have suggested that the lemming are a
scourge rained down from heaven, but there are
several fairly good reasons for not accepting
this theory.