Class I. DORMOUSE. in 



Dormice inhabit woods, or very thick hedges •, Manners. 

 forming their nefls in the hollow of fome low tree, 

 or near the bottom of a clofe fhrub : as they want 

 much of the fprightlinefs of the fquirrel, they ne- 

 ver afpire to the tops of . trees •, or, like it, at- 

 tempt to bound from fpray to fpray: like the fquir- 

 rel they form little magazines of nuts, ^c, for 

 winter provifion -, and take their food in the fame 

 manner, and fam.e upright poflure. The con- 

 fumption of their hoard during the rigor of the 

 feafon is but fmall : for they fleep moft part of the 

 time •, retiring into their holes at the firft approach 

 of winter, they roll themfelves up, and lie almoft 

 torpid the greateft part of that gloomy feafon. In 

 that fpace, they fometimes experience a fhort revi- 

 val, in a warm funny day •, when they take a little 

 food, and then relapfe into their former (lace. 



The fize of the dormoufe is equal to that of a Descrip. 

 moufe-, but has a plumper appearance, and the 

 nofe is more blunt; the eyes are large, black, " 

 and prominent •, the ears are broad, rounded, thin, 

 and femi-tranfparent : the fore-feet are furnifhed 

 with four toes-, the hind-feet with five-, but the 

 interior toes of the hind-feet are deftitute of nails : 

 the tail is about two inches and a half long, 

 clofely covered on every fide with hair : the head, 

 back, fides, belly, and tail, are of a tawny red co- 

 lor ; the throat white. 



Thefe animals feldom appear far from their re- Nest. 

 treats, or in any open place ♦, for which reafon they 



I 4 feem 



