of 



191 



s a a mes a, an appears as 

 in spring as in autumn. Its flesh 

 emed a great delicacy by the Ro- 

 o had their gliraria, or places in 



considerable degree of elegance in its ap- 

 pearance. Its habits are similar to those 

 described in the preceding paragraph. 



The FAT DORMOUSE. (Myoxus glis.) This 

 species is a native of France and the South 

 of Europe. Its body is covered with soft 

 ash-coloured fur ; the belly is whitish ; the 

 tail is surrounded with very long hair ; and 

 the ears are thin and naked. Its length, 

 from the nose to the tail, is nearly six 

 inches, that of the tail being four and a half ; 

 and the body is thicker than a squirrel's. 

 Like the last-mentioned animal, although 

 these have not its activity and sprightliness, 

 they can ascend trees in search of their food, 

 which they carefully store up for their 

 winter consumption. During its state of 

 torpidity it is said to grow very fat, contrary 

 to the nature of most of the hybernating or 

 sleeping animals ; but there is no doubt that 

 it occasionally wakes, and feeds on its store j 

 in truth, it is at all times fat, and appears as 

 much so in s 

 was estee 



mans, who had their glira 

 which they were kept and fattened for the 

 table. 



The GARDEN DORMOUSE (Myoscus nitela) 

 is a native of the temperate parts of 

 Europe and Asia. It makes its nest, like 

 the rest of this genus, in the hollows of trees, 

 and sometimes in those of walls, where it 

 generally fixes its abode, and remains in a 

 state of torpidity during a great part of the 

 winter, awaking, however, at intervals. Its 

 general length is about four inches and a 

 half, and the tail not quite so much. It is 

 of an elegant rufous colour above, and yel- 

 lowish white underneath : the eyes are 

 imbedded in a large black patch or spot, 

 which extends to some distance beyond each 

 ear : the tail is rather wide towards the end, 

 sharpening at the extremity, and is marked 

 on that part by a longitudinal black stripe, 

 having the edges white. Delighting in all 

 sorts of fruit, but particularly in wall fruit, 

 these animals prove very destructive in 

 gardens. They produce their young about 

 the middle of summer, which are about five 

 or six in number. 



DORSIBRANCHIATA. A name given 

 by Cuvier to an order of Annelidas., or red- 

 blooded worms, which have their organs, 

 and particularly their gills, distributed about 

 equally throughout the middle part of the 

 body. The Nereis, or Sea-centipede, is an 

 example of this order. fSee NKKEIDA.] 



DORY, DOREE, or JOHN DORY. 



(Zeus.) There are several species of this 

 very singular Acanthopterygious fish, which 

 is distinguished by having the spinous por- 

 tions of the dorsal and anal fins separated 

 by a deep emargination from the soft-rayed 

 portion, and having the base of all the verti- 

 cal fins, and the carina of the belly anterior 

 to the anal fin, furnished with spines. 



The COMMON DORY (Zeus faber) is a 

 native of the Mediterranean, Northern, and 

 Atlantic seas ; but no locality is more noted 

 for it than Torbay, on our own western 



coast. It is distinguished by its large and 

 long head, its dusky green colour, accom- 

 panied by a strong gilt tinge, and particu- 

 larly by a large, oval dusky spot on each 



BORT (.ZK0S tfABER.) 



side the body : the mouth is wide, the lower 

 jaw longer than the upper, the teeth small 

 and sharp, and the eyes large ; the whole 

 body is covered with very small scales, and 

 marked by a curved lateral line, which, 

 descending rather suddenly from the gill- 

 covers, passes on to the tail : the back is 

 much arched, and furnished with a row of 

 strong small prickles, which are also con- 

 tinued along the curve of the abdomen : the 

 tail is of a moderate size, and rounded at the 

 end. The Dory is of an extremely voracious 

 nature, preying on the smaller fishes and 

 their spawn, as well as on various kinds of 

 Crustacea and marine insects. The form of 

 the Dory is extremely forbidding, so much 

 so as to deter our ancestors from tasting it ; 

 and although its flesh is now esteemed de- 

 licious food, its reputation among epicures 

 is but of modern date. The name is said to 

 be derived from the Frenchjetwne (yellow) 

 doree, corrupted into John Dory. In gene- 

 ral it is from twelve to fifteen inches in 

 length, though it sometimes arrives at a far 

 superior size, and of the weight of ten or 

 twelve pounds. 



There are a few other species, but less re- 

 markable than the preceding: The BRA- 

 ZILIAN DORY (Zeus vomer), which is about 

 six or eight inches long; body very thin, 

 without scales, and of a bright silver colour, 

 tinged with a bluish cast on the upper parts. 

 The INDIAN DORY (Zeus Gallus) is about 

 the same size as the one just mentioned : 

 body very thin, silvery, and without scales : 

 head large, mouth wide. Native of the Ame- 

 rican and Indian seas. CILIATED DORY. 

 (Zeus CHiaris.) This species, which is also 

 destitute of scales, is of a bright silver colour, 

 with a cast of bluish-green on the back : 

 head small, and very sloping ; lower jaw 

 rather longer than the upper : several of the 

 last rays both of the dorsal and anal fin 

 extend to a vast distance beyond the mem- 

 brane, reaching farther than the tail itself. 

 It has been supposed that the smaller kind 

 of fishes may be attracted with these long 

 and flexible filaments, and mistake them 



