176 LLOYD'S NATURAL HISTORY. 



circumstance that the intestine is devoid of a blind appendage 

 or caecum. The collar-bones are well- developed, and the first 

 toe of the foot is rudimentary. 



Dormice are found only in Africa, Europe, and Asia north 

 of the Himalaya. Although not numerous in species, they have 

 been divided into several genera; but on the whole, it seems pre- 

 ferable to retain only the under-mentioned one for the common 

 Dormouse, and to refer the whole of the remaining members 

 of the Family to the typical genus, Myoxus. 



GENUS MUSCARDINUS. 



MuscardimiS) Kaup, Nat. Syst. Europ. Thierwelt, p. 136 (1829). 

 Tail cylindrical : cheek-teeth with flat crowns and complex 

 infoldings of enamel ; lower end of the oesophagus thickened 

 and glandular. 



COMMON DORMOUSE. MUSCARDINUS AVELLANARIUS. 



Mus avellanarius, Linn., Syst. Nat. ed. 12, vol. i. p. 83 

 (1766). 



Myoxus muscardinus, Schreber, Saugethierc, vol. iv. p. 835 

 (1792). 



Myoxus avellanarius, Desmarest, Mammalogie, p. 295 (1820); 

 Bell, British Quadrupeds, 2nd ed. p. 281 (1874). 



Muscardinus avellanarius, Kaup, Nat. Syst. Europ. Thierwelt, 

 p. 139 (1829); Flower, Cat. Osteol. Mus. R. Coll. Sur- 

 geons, pt. ii. p. 603 (1884). 



(Plate XX.) 



Characters. General form rather stout ; colour of upper parts 

 light tawny, beneath paler and yellowish ; an elongated white 

 patch on the throat and front of chest ; tail rather shorter than 

 head and body. Length of head and body, about 3 inches ; 

 of tail, 2^/2 inches. 



