OF- THE CLASS MAMMALIA. 



279 



infest our houses ; it was known to the ancients. It forms 

 galleries for itself in the timbers of houses in which it lives, 

 and feeds on whatever animal or vegetable substance it meets 

 with, but prefers suet, lard, and generally fatty bodies. 

 When inhabiting the woods in a wild state, it lives on acorns, 

 roots, and fruits. 



Fig. 244. The Lerot; Mus Nitela; the Dormouse. 



[The Loirs (dormice) are pretty little animals, with soft hair, 

 velvety tail, ever tufted, with a lively look, which have a strong 

 analogy with rats, live in or frequent (se tiennent sur les arbres) 

 trees, supporting themselves on fruits. Like the marmots, they 

 pass the cold season rolled up into a ball, and in a very profound 

 lethargic sleep. They may be recognised by the number of their 

 molar teeth, which is four in each jaw and on each side. Tn the 

 Dictionary of Fleming and Tibbins, 1841, these terms, Loir and 

 Lerot are thus defined : " Loir, (Lwar) ou Liron, s. m. (sorte de 

 petit animal qui dort, a ce qu'on pretend, tout Phiver). Dormouse. 

 Loir volant (potatouche ou ecureuil volant), flying squirrel. Lerat 

 s. m. (espece de loir) musavellanarum, the smaller dormouse. 



In the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, there is a note 

 at p. 265, vol. v. (Milman's edition), to the following effect : 

 "The want of an English name obliges me to refer to the common 

 name of squirrels,* the Latin glis, the French loir, a little 

 animal who inhabits the woods and remains torpid in cold 

 weather. (See Plin. Hist. Natural, viii. 82 ; Buffon, Hist. 

 Naturdle, torn. viii. p. 158 ; Pennant's Synopsis of Quadrupeds, 

 p. 289). The art of rearing and fattening great numbers of 

 glires was practised in Roman villa? as a profitable article of 

 rural economy (Varro, De Re Rustica, iii. 15). The excessive 

 demand of them for luxuiious tables was increased by the foolish 

 prohibitions of the censors ; and it is reported that they are still 



* la it not the Dormouse ? Milman. 



