114 COMMON BRITISH ANIMALS 



found all over Central Europe where woodland and 

 forest prevail, from Northern Italy to the south 

 of Sweden. They are unknown in Scotland and 

 Ireland, but in some English counties in the south 

 it is common, while in the north and east it is rare. 

 In Wales it is abundant. 



It is in form a stout, round little animal with a 

 big head and very large black eyes. Its habits and 

 appearance are squirrel-like, but it is more nearly 

 allied to the mice. The fore and hind feet are 

 adapted to grasping, though the thumb is rudi- 

 mentary. 



The most favoured food of dormice, as their Latin 

 name implies [Mnscardimis avellanarius), is hazel- 

 nuts, and these nuts form, the principal part of the 

 winter store. The dormouse sits up on his haunches, 

 and grasping the nut with forepaws, bites round 

 the rough part of the shell. In addition to hazel- 

 nuts he eats acorns, seeds, and fruits, and he likes 

 a little animal food as well, in the shape of small 

 birds^ eggs and insects, such as nut weevils, cater- 

 pillars, and greenfly or aphides. The pet dormouse 

 greatly enjoys a piece of apple or pear. Dr. Helm 

 says"^ he found they liked hemp-seeds, nuts, and 

 meat, especially lard. Mr. Millais found that two 

 dormice he kept for a year preferred acorns, nuts, 

 apples, and a piece of bacon-fat now and again. 



They remain coiled up in their resting-place during 



the day and come out only towards evening. 



Thundery weather seems to make them dormant, but 



a healthy dormouse is liveliest when he first wakes 



* ' Zoologist/ 1888, p. 14. 



