Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume VIII.djvu/447

 HAMSTER id no harm. The Monitor kept steaming round the Virginia, searching for a vulnerable point; but her 168-lb. shot glanced off harm- lessly. The Virginia then ran down the bay, as if in retreat, followed by the Monitor, but turned suddenly, and attempted to run down ler antagonist, which was hardly one fifth her But a blow like that which had pierced Cumberland made no impression upon the [onitor ; and the prow of the Virginia having 3n slightly damaged, she gave up the battle id steamed toward Norfolk. In this action one appears to have been injured on the ^irginia. Lieut, (after Commodore) Worden, commander of the Monitor, was badly hurt particles of cement thrown into his eyes by le concussion of shots which struck the tur- 3t, and two sailors were partially stunned by same concussion. The Monitor remained larmed. This action is notable as the first which iron-clad vessels took part. HAMSTER, a rodent of the rat family, or iridce, and the genus ericetus (Cuv.). The icisors are f, and the cheek teeth fzf, or 16 all, as in the rats ; there are internal cheek HANCOCK 433 Hamster (Cricetus vulgaris). jhes, in which they carry grain and seeds their subterranean abodes; the head is lick, the ears oval and round, the body rat- the legs short, and the tail about 1^ in. ig, covered with hair. There are several iies in Europe and northern Asia, of which best known is the common hamster (C. jaris, Cuv.) ; it is a little larger than a rat, Idish gray above, black underneath, with yellowish white spots on each side, a rhite spot on the throat, and another under chest; legs whitish. It is sometimes al- entirely black. The grooves and tuber- les of the molars are more regular than in the it ; the fore feet are four-toed with the rudi- lent of a thumb, and the hind feet five-toed, 3e, and furnished with long claws adapted to ligging; the eyes are small but prominent; fur fine and long. The hamster commits havoc among the grain, by the large mantities which it carries to its burrows; "lese are dug 3 or 4 ft. deep in light sandy )il, having two or more entrances and apart- lents, and each animal occupies its own; it ms lays up a store for winter, a part of which it passes in a state of lethargy ; though its food is principally vegetable, it will devour flesh. It is ferocious and untamable, fighting with its mates, and biting the hand that feeds it. The burrows are often very complicated, and so capacious and well filled that it is an object with the farmer to collect their contents. Gestation lasts about four weeks, and occurs three or four times a year, each litter varying from six to twelve. It is very cleanly in its habits, and is an excellent climber, but a poor walker and runner. Other species are found in Siberia. -The Canada hamster, and others so called, with external cheek pouches, have been described under GOPHER; the genus cri- cetua is not found in America. An American mouse of the genus hesperomys (H. myoides, Gapper), resembling the white-footed species, is sometimes called hamster mouse from its having internal cheek pouches; in no other character does it approach ericetus ; it is found in Canada, Vermont, and New York. HANAU, a town of Prussia, in the province of Hesse-Nassau, at the junction of the Main and the Kinzig, 10 m. E. of Frankfort ; pop. in 1871, 20,278. It contains an ancient castk, now the seat of the Wetteravian society of natural history, one Catholic and three Prot- estant churches, an -academy of design, and several schools. There are manufactories of silks, cottons, carpets, leather, iron ware, pot- tery, and jewelry, and a large trade in woods, drugs, and dyes. In the vicinity are the min- eral baths of Wilhelmsbad. Here, on Oct. 30, 1813, Napoleon, on his retreat from Leipsic, defeated the Germans under Marshal Wrede. During the middle ages it was the capital of the sovereign counts of Hanau. In 1451 the county was divided into two states, Hanau- Milnzenberg and Hanau-Lichtenberg, the rulers of both of which were made princes in 1696. In 1736 the house of Hanau became extinct, when Hanau-Milnzenberg was united with the electorate of Hesse- Cassel, and Hanau-Lichten- berg with Hesse-Darmstadt; but in 1785 this division too was incorporated in the electorate. As a part of the latter Hanau was annexed to Prussia in 1866. HANCOCK, the name of ten counties in the United States. I. A S. E. county of Maine, bordering on the Atlantic, and bounded W. in part by Penobscot river and bay ; area, 2,000 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 36,495. It is watered by Union river and several mill streams. The surface is uneven, and diversified with hilla and lakes; the seacoast, including a number of islands, among which is the island of Mt. Desert, is broken by many good harbors ; the soil is fertile. Many of the inhabitants are engaged in cod and mackerel fishing. The chief productions in 1870 were 2,999 bushels of wheat, 5,971 of Indian corn, 34,396 of oats, 32,798 of barley, 221,379 of potatoes, 72,827 Ibs. of wool, 531,997 of butter, and 32,653 tons of hay. There were 1,958 horses, 5,777 milch cows, 2,399 working oxen, 5,103 other