470 SLEEP OF THE DORMOUSE CHAP. 
(5) Geomyidae, Pouched Rats. 
(6) Heteromyidae, Kangaroo Rats. 
(7) Dipodidae, Jerboas. 
(8) Pedetidae. 
The Glhridae have no caecum, so usual in ihe Rodentia. It 
is true that all the genera have not been dissected, but it is 
known that in the true Dormice, as well as in the genus 
Platacanthomys, a caecum is absent. 
Apart from these few exceptions the Mouse-lke Rodents all 
possess a caecum, though it is often not very large. They are 
all smallish animals, and are modified to a great variety of habit 
and habitat. There are burrowing, swimming, and climbing 
forms. The group is universal in range, even including the 
Austrahan region, in which they are the only Rodents. 
Fam. 1. Gliridae.— This family, also called Myoxidae,' includes 
the Dormice, and is entirely an Old-World family, absent only 
from the Malagasy region. Its most important differential 
character is the total absence of the caecum and of any sharp 
boundary between the small and large intestine. The molars are 
usually four. The eyes and ears are well developed. 
The genus Muscardinus includes only the Common Dormouse, 
M. avellanarius. This small creature, 5 inches long with a tail 
of 25 inches, is, of course, a well-known inhabitant of this 
country. It is also found all over Europe. It is not particularly 
abundant in this country, and a good specimen is said to be 
worth half a guinea. As the specific name denotes, it lives 
largely on hazel nuts; but it will also suck eggs and devour 
insects. The animal makes a “nest” in the form of a hollow 
ball. Its hibernation is well known, and has also given rise to 
the German name (“ Schlifer”) of the group. It was well known 
to Aristotle, who gave or adopted the name ’EXesos for the 
animal. Its winter sleep—suggestive of death—and its revivifica- 
tion in the spring gave the Bishop of Salamis, Epiphanius, an 
argument for the resurrection of man. The fur was reckoned 
in Pliny’s time a remedy for paralysis and also for disease of 
the ears. 
The genus J/yoxus includes also but a single species, JZ gis, 
the so-called “ Fat Dormouse” of the Continent. It has no 
1 Reuvens, ‘‘ Die Myoxidae oder Schlifer,”’ Leyden, 1890, allows but one genus, 
Myoxus, the other genera adopted here being termed subgenera. 
