316 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Favourite food. 



which serves as a depot of provisions for the win- 

 ter season ; in one of these they deposit acorns, 

 in another maize, in a third hickory nuts, and in 

 a. fourth chinquapin chesnuts, which last seem to 

 be their favourite aliment. 



During the winter they seldom, if ever, stir 

 abroad ; and their domestic affairs are so well 

 managed, that their stock of provisions rarely 

 fail. During the maize harvest they bite off the 

 ears of corn, and cram their months so full, that 

 their cheeks, which arc peculiarly adapted for 

 the purpose, are greatly distended, and appear 

 ready to burst. 



For some particular kinds of food they show a 

 marked predilection, so that when they find it, 

 they immediately relinquish that which is less 

 agreeable, and fill their cheeks with the other; 

 they like barley better than rye, and prefer wheat 

 to either. 



When pursued, and deprived of other meang 

 of escape, they will frequently ascend the highest 

 trees, and secure themselves among the branches. 



The loir, or fat dormouse, is of a soft ash- 

 colour, with a whitish throat and belly. The 

 body is thicker than that of the squirrel, and is 

 about six inches in length from the snout to the 

 insertion of the tail : the tail is commonly about 

 four inches and a half, and the ears are remark- 

 ably thin and transparent. 



This little quadruped is a native of the south- 

 ern parts of Europe, aud the south-west part* ef 



