DORMICE. 



175 



in Essex, such remains are of more or less common occurrence, 

 and are frequently found in a fine state of preservation. Some 

 of these deposits, such as those of the Thames valley, un- 

 doubtedly belong to the Pleistocene period, but at least a 

 portion of the fen-peat may be pretty safely assigned to the 

 pre-historic epoch. The counties from which such remains 

 have been obtained include Berkshire, Berwickshire, Cam- 

 bridgeshire, Dumfriesshire, Essex, Hampshire, Lincolnshire, 

 Norfolk, Perthshire, Roxburghshire, Wiltshire, and Yorkshire. 

 Remains of the Beaver have Ukewise been obtained from Kent's 

 Hole, near Torquay, in company with those of the Mammoth, 

 Hairy Rhinoceros, and other extinct animals ; and likewise from 

 the so-called " forest-bed " of the Norfolk coast. 



In the case of Ireland, we have neither the evidence of history 

 nor of fossil remains, and it is therefore quite likely that the 

 range of the Beaver never included that island. 



Following our general rule with regard to exterminated 

 species, we shall not give any account of the habits of the 

 Beaver. It may be mentioned, however, that the use of the 

 additional claw on the second toe of the hind-foot is at present 

 quite unknown, and that those who have an opportunity of 

 observing the American Beaver in its native haunts will do 

 good service by ascertaining what this may be. 



THE DORMICE. FAMILY MYOXID^E. 



The Dormice are small arboreal Rodents, with long Squirrel- 

 like tails, large ears and eyes, and short fore-limbs, and may 

 bj distinguished from all other British representatives of the 

 Order by having a single pair of pre-molars in each j.iw,and by all 

 the cheek-teeth being rooted, and having their crowns inter- 

 penetrated by transverse enamel-folds, which in some cases 

 assume a very complicated pattern. Internally these Rodents 

 are distinguished from all other members of the Order by the 



