h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: The Lemming - A Rodent Misunderstood - A43060196
Author: Malabarista - U1528154

Instead of the Fire (which is on ice ), here are some rodents *not* going into the water.

Links to follow, as usual.

Oh, and here's the clip from the Disney film, if anyone's interested... http://www.videosift.com/video/White-Wilderness-Lemming-Suicide

Good entry Mala.

One small point: <<..the young are sexually mature briefly after they start walking..>> Should briefly be shortly?

You're right.

I found that nearly every source mentioning Jacob Ziegler was just quoting the W*k* article, and they had got the title of his book wrong. "Quae intus continentur" just means "which contains" or "Contents", as I discovered by asking someone who actually knows Latin. (Thanks, Dmitri!)

The proper title is: Quae intus continentur: Syriae, Arabia, Aegyptus, Schondia … regionum superiorum, singulae tabulae geographicae

Is it good form to go tell them they're wrong?

Yes!

Didn't want to go acting all arrogant.

Also checked spelling (though that's not to say there aren't still errors) and put in the codes for special characters. Links are next.

Links added

This is looking good Mala

I like how you added special characters *after* your spell-check

That's been my undoing (sometimes) when subbing

Thanks.

I'm still not entirely sure how I started researching and writing it, though.

if you discover the answer to that, be sure to let me know. Half my entries are from tangents and I still can't trace back the Cane Toad to its inception but it's one of my favourite entries

I rarely work on my list of "Entries I ought to write", just suddenly start writing something for some reason

Really good guide entry. Just a few things to point out.

In the first paragraph the first rodents word mentioned should be a link instead of the other one.

The Cricetidae family sounds like a better order.

At the end of the first sentence is it suppose to be in America.

In The Facts section and second paragraph line three I think it should go competition is strong.

In The Truth section line two there is a typo and it should be thoughts.

Good luck with the guide entry.

I try to avoid links in the first sentence, since it kind of interrupts the flow.

And it's in the Americas, because it's North and South American rodents.

Typo in "Truth" fixed!

Oh now I see what you mean with the America silly me.
Maybe to stop confusion with other people how about putting North and South America.

I didn't realise about putting links in the first sentence but what about the second rodent word.

What do you think about changing the order from family Cricetidae to Cricetidae family.

Also in The Facts section and the second paragraph line three changing competition strong to competition is strong.

Right. I'll move the link if it means that much to you. But I must admit I partly place my links for aesthetic effect, to make a balanced whole.

"The Americas" is bigger than North and South America, also including various islands. I believe you'll find it's the correct term.

"family Cricetidae" also appears to be correct - it generates over three times the google hits, and mostly from the more scientific sources. Any biologists want to weigh in? It's a "family" as a scientific term.

And there's not an "is" missing there, if you read the whole sentence.

<./>SubEditor</.> GB says: "Family: Cricetidae" is correct

A600508 - Taxonomy

Today on the BBC-site:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7711709.stm

They just can't resist the pun, can they?

with the entry, Mala.