76 COMMON DORMOUSE. 



Flying Squirrel. By means of a broad, hairy mem- 

 brane or skin, which extends from the fore to the hind 

 legs on each side of the body, these animals are able to 

 leap to amazing distances, twenty yards and upwards, 

 from one tree to another. This extended skin acts upon 

 the air somewhat in the manner of a paper kite, and even 

 if they happen to miss their hold, which is seldom, in- 

 deed, the case, enables them to fall upon the ground 

 without the slightest injury. They are generally seen 

 in flocks of ten or twelve together. In nearly all their 

 habits of forming their nests, and feeding and producing 

 their offspring, they resemble the common species. They 

 are found wild in the forests of Siberia, Lapland, Livonia, 

 and Poland. 



They do not exceed the common squirrel in size. The 

 upper parts of their body are of a fine leaden grey colour, 

 and the lower parts white. The tail is full of hair, and 

 rounded at the extremity. 



29. DORMOUSE TRIBE. 



In their general appearance and habits of life, these 

 little creatures might easily be mistaken for mice. They 

 leave their holes only during the night. They subsist 

 entirely on vegetable food ; and become torpid in the 

 winter. 



Common Dormouse. From the circumstance of these 

 being chiefly nocturnal animals, and also continuing in 

 a torpid state through the whole winter, they are known 

 to the common people, in many parts of England, by the 

 name of Sleepers. They live in close hedge-rows, woods, 

 and thickets, forming their nests of moss, leaves, and 

 grass, in the hollow of a low tree, or near the bottom 

 of some thick bush. This nest is about six inches in 



