62 WOODLAND CREATURES 



but weaves a new one. The third nest was close 

 to this, was in a similar situation, built of similar 

 materials, and appeared quite freshly made, but 

 it too was abandoned. The fourth nest was of 

 a different type, being a big breeding nest, some 

 four or five inches in diameter. The other nests 

 were no bigger than a cricket ball, being only 

 big enough to contain the rolled-up owner. The 

 manner in which these living nests are woven 

 has been observed and graphically described by 

 Mr. H. E. Forrest : " . . . one evening, about nine 

 o'clock, I heard it moving, and watched to see 

 what happened. The dormouse was inside the 

 nest, except the head and fore-paws. These last 

 were working with an energy surprising in a crea- 

 ture which is generally somewhat indolent, trying 

 to scratch towards it one of the strands of hay. 

 Finally it seized it by the middle, and drew back 

 into the nest, dragging the hay strand with it. 

 Next, rolling itself into a ball, it began to revolve 

 inside the nest : over and over it went, smoothing 

 out the hay, rounding the interior, and at the 

 same time pushing it outwards/' 1 



To return to the breeding nest which I was 

 describing, it also was in a hazel bush which 

 supported honeysuckle, and the bark of the 

 climber composed the greater part of it, but there 

 were more leaves in it than in the living nests. 

 It was unusually high up, being about eight feet 

 from the ground, the average nursery, like the 

 " buck's dreys," being at a height of three or 



1 The Shrewsbury Chronicle, June 25, 1909. 



