Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-02-09
BELGIUM INVADED.
The Country Is Overrun by a Great
Army of Hamsters.


From Chambers Journal. 1855
Without any declaration of war. with no
sound of trumpet or beat of drum, certain
inhabitants of Germany, are quietly invad-
ing and occupying the country of Belgium.
1t has long been known that France has
greedy eyes on this rich little country; but
that Germany, which is usually supposed
to .covet primarily Holland, should be 81
lently pouring her hordes over her Belgian
neighbours frontier is somewhat astonish-
ing. 1t is the more remarkable inasmuch
as the invasion is proceeding almost unno-
ticed even by the two countries most con-
cerned, and certainly unnoticed by the
great military powers of Europe.
The integrity of Belgium is, as is well
known. guaranteed by Great Britain. but
even she will in this case probably no. te
able to prevent an occupation of territory
as unexpected as undesirable.
Fortunately for the prospects of CONT
mental peace, the invaders, though In large
force and threatening all the destruction
to crop and store which must be expected
on the arrival of the enemy in great num-
bers, wear no helmet or plume, carry no
cruel rifle or sword and, though they be
clad in coats of uniform color. leave no
masses of slain behind them. Still, though
they come in peace, their presence Is none
the less precursive of danger to property IL
to make itself heard from the prosperous
and highly cultivated districts into which
these unwelcome invaders-marmot rats.
known in Germany as the hamster-are ad-
vancing day by day.
The marmOt Is native Of central Eu-
rope and usually confines its peregrfna-
lions to the western boundary. In 1S42
similar incursion took place in the province
of Liege, but the raiders were successfully
routed and We're believed to have disap-
peared entirely from Belgium. Now news
has come that the dreaded rodents have
lately crossed the Mouse and appeared in
the province of Namur in ranks and squad
rons.
The hamster Is an animal the size of the
large brown Norway rat and with similar
dental formation. With her usual thought
fulness, nature has provided 1t with a
coat of neutral tint, the better to escape
detection its fur being of a grayish brown
on the surface, black underneath and with
white markings under the throat. 1t Is
pretty little animal, with short. shaggy
tail and white paws, is very quick in its
movements and easily tanned in captivity.
What reuders it especially rema rkable Is
the fact that it has cheek pouches, one on
either side, with the openings inside the
mouth. These extraordinary organs. which
the rodent can distend at pleasure, are
alone, of all the mammals of Europe, pos
sessed by the hamster.
They serve very useful and economic
purpose, too-the transport to his under
ground lair of the really important quanti-
ty of cereals which he contrives to secure.
1t has been calculated that each animal
can lodge from one to one and half
ounces in each cheek pouch; 1t is not. there
fore, surprising that considerably over 200
pounds of food of various kinds have been
found in the run of these creatures. What
such wholesale depredations would amount
to in year only an unhappy farmer or the
Statistical fiend" could tell
The runs are constructed with consider
able ingenuity and consist of a number of
being reserved Slapn-
ing quarters, others as warehouses for
provisions, and are approached by differ
ent galleries. 1t Is in the month of August,
at harvest time, that he commences, like
the prudent ant of tabled story, to lay up
food for the winter He then works hard.
filling his cheek pouches to bursting point.
and traverses the fields with the appear
ance of a suffering animal with swollen
face. He ransacks fields and barns and
carries off triumphantly all kinds of grain,
peas and beans to his burrOw, where he
empties his patent travelling bags by slight
| ly pressing them with his paws. and he
also resorts to this expedient when he
meets an enemy by the way whom circum-
stances compel him to fight, promptly un-
| loading himself of his cargo and rushing to
| the attack with all the ardor Of one whose
| life is spent in marauding.
In his habits 1t will be seen, the ham
| ster resembles the mole, Cor as soon as the
| first faint chill of winter is felt he retires
| to his coZy nest and, closing II alike to
friend and foe, proceeds to live IN luxury
| on the good thigs with which lie SO. care
fully and thoughtfully provided himself In
summer. When the cold grows still more
intense he eurls himself comfortably uE
and sleeps until the spring appears.s
/ In some parts Of Germany the peasant
4 poor to be particular they In turn rob the
| rodent of the store Of corn, ETC., which h<
| has with so much work and intelligence &C.
| Cumulated for his own use. The female