190 



0f 



They are generically characterized by having 

 rather long external antennas, inserted above 



FLAT-FRONTED DORIFPE, (DORIFFE 8IMA.) 



the intermediate ones, which are folded, but 

 not entirely lodged in the cavities where they 

 take their insertion : claws (chelae) small, 

 short, equal ; the other feet very long and 

 compressed, the third pair being the greatest; 

 the two last pair elevated upon the back, 

 and terminated by a small hooked nail : 

 carapace slightly depressed, truncated, and 

 spinous before ; truncated, sinuous, and bor- 

 dered behind ; the surface marked with 

 small humps or tubercles : inferior and pos- 

 terior part of the body truncated into a kind 

 of gutter to receive the reflected abdomen, 

 the pieces of which are tuberculous. The 

 eyes are small, lateral, and supported on 

 moderately long peduncles. It is now known, 

 from Mr. Cuming's observations appended 

 to a specimen in the British Museum, that 

 they make use of the feet, elevated on the 

 back to cover themselves, like the Dromice, 

 with foreign bodies. There are some fossil as 

 well as recent species. One fossil species, 

 brought from New Holland by Peron, is 

 named Dorippe nodosa. In the fine collec- 

 tion of James Scott Bowerbank, F.R. S., 

 there are specimens of a species of this genus 

 found on the Isle of Sheppey, in the London 

 clay. 



DORIS. A genus of naked Gasteropodous 

 marine Mollusca, which are likewise desti- 

 tute of any internal testaceous plate. The 

 mantle is covered with retractile papillse, 

 and separated from the foot by a distinct 

 duplicature. Towards its anterior margin 

 are placed the two superior tentacula : these 

 are retractile, surrounded at the base with a 

 short sheath, and supported on a slender 

 stem, having an enlarged compound plicated 



summit. The neck is short, and above the 

 mouth there is a small projecting membrane 

 connected at each side with the oral tenta- 

 cula, which are in general minute, and of 

 difficult detection. The mouth is in the 

 form of a short trunk, leading to fleshy lips, 

 within which the tongue is placed. The 

 gullet is a simple membranaceous tube, ter- 

 minating in a stomach. It is obvious, from 

 the structure of the digestive organs, that 

 the species subsist on soft food. The spawn, 

 is gelatinous and of a white colour, and is 

 deposited on sea-weed and stones. 

 Messrs. Alder and Hancock are publishing 



in one of the works of the Ray Society, de- 

 scriptions and figures of all the British spe- 

 cies of Doris and allied genera, forming the 

 Nudibranchiate Mollusca. It is a truly ele- 

 gant work, the illustrations in which must 

 arrest the attention of even those who feel 

 but little interest in the subject. Col. Mon- 

 tagu, Dr. Johnston of Berwick, and Messrs. 

 Alder and Hancock, with other naturalists, 

 have shown how rich our own coasts are in 

 these beautifully organized shell-less mol- 

 lusca. 



DORMOUSE. (Myoxus.) A genus of 

 mammiferous quadrupeds, of the Linnsean 

 order Glires. They appear to be interme- 

 diate between the squirrels and mice ; in- 

 habit temperate and warm countries, and 

 subsist entirely on vegetable food. They 

 have two cutting teeth in each jaw ; four 

 toes before, and five behind; and naked 

 ears. These mice inhabit woods and thick 

 hedges, building their nests, which are lined 

 with moss and dead leaves, either in the 

 hollows of trees, or near the roots of close 

 shrubs. Towards the approach of winter 

 they form little magazines of nuts, beans, 

 acorns, &c., on which to subsist during the 

 inclement season ; when they retire to their 

 retreats, roll themselves up, and fall into a 

 torpid or lethargic state, which lasts, with 

 little interruption, till the winter is over. 

 It was formerly believed that their hyberna- 

 tion was a state of continual sleep from the 

 period that they sought their winter quar- 

 ters until they emerged from them in a more 

 genial season. Buifon, however, very pro- 

 perly exposed the absurdity of the ancient 

 notion ; and has observed that these animals 

 occasionally wake, and make use of their 

 stock of provision. They bring forth three 

 or four at a time, which are usually born 

 blind, and remain so for a few days. There 

 are several species. 



The COMMON DORMOUSE. (Hyoxus aveUa- 

 wartws.) The body is about the size of that 

 of the common mouse, but it is of a more 

 plump or rounder form, and the nose is more 

 obtuse : the eyes are large, black, and pro- 



(Ml 



minent ; the ears round and semi-trans- 

 parent ; the tail is two inches and a half 

 long, and more hairy towards the tip than 

 on the other parts : the head, back, sides, 

 belly, and tail are of a tawny red colour, 

 but the throat is white : the fur is remark- 

 ably soft, and the animal altogether has a 



