NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



instance, when compared with the Cape Dormouse, 

 its skull will be noticed to be broader and flatter, and 

 its molar teeth smaller than those of any other 

 species of South African Dormouse. 



THE DWARF DORMOUSE 



(Graphiurus nanus) 



THE Dwarf Dormouse is also an inhabitant of 

 Southern Rhodesia, and is known to the Mashonas 

 as the Sindiwara. 



The Dormice often take possession of the nests 

 of the Sociable Spiders. Mr. G. A. K. Marshall 

 mentions in The Fauna of South Africa that these 

 spiders construct nests of tough felted silk as large 

 as a man's head, and intersected throughout with 

 passages and chambers. In this the Dormice hollow 

 out a chamber of suitable size, which they line with 

 feathery grass heads, the downy seeds of various 

 flowers, and even a few stray feathers. 



Mr. Marshall found a pair of Dwarf Dormice and 

 four young ones in one of these spider's nests. He 

 was attracted by the spiders, which had swarmed 

 out of the nest and were busily employed building 

 another home. Judging by their agitation and the 

 condition of their new nest, Mr. Marshall was 

 assured they had been turned out of their old nest 

 that day, or perhaps the day before. The young 

 Dormice were evidently several days old, and the 

 conclusion he was forced to come to was that 

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