284 MYOXID^.. 



where little colonies are sometimes seen inhabiting a 

 space of no considerable extent. Our late friend, Mr. 

 Yarrell, has informed us that he has seen not less than 

 ten or a dozen — or even more — of their nests built in the 

 shrubs of a thicket. It takes its food holding it in its 

 hands, and sitting on its haunches like a Squirrel, and 

 often suspending itself by its hinder feet, in which posi- 

 tion it feeds as easily and comfortably as in the more 

 ordinary position. Towards the winter it becomes ex- 

 ceedingly fat ; and having laid up a store of food, retires 

 to its little nest, and coiling itself up into a ball, with the 

 tail over the head and back, becomes completely torpid. 

 A mild day calls it into transient life : it then takes a fresh 

 supply of food, and relapses into its former slumber ; and 

 finally awaking in the spring, at which time it has lost 

 much of its fat, it enters upon its usual habits, and the 

 enjoyment of the conjugal and parental aiFections. The 

 young, which are generally about four in number, are 

 born blind; but in a few days the eyes are opened, and 

 in a short time they are able to seek their food indepen- 

 dently of the parents' care. We have reason to believe 

 that, in some cases at least, the Dormouse has a second 

 brood early in the autumn, as we have received from one 

 locality, in the month of September, an adult, one about 

 half grown, evidently of the spring brood, and three very 

 young ones, apparently not more than a fortnight or three 

 weeks old. The young Dormouse is at first of a mouse- 

 grey colour, the head and flanks alone having a reddish 

 tinge : by degrees the grey disappears, and gives place to 

 the delicate reddish-brown of the adult garb ; but it is 

 not until the following spring that this change is com- 

 pleted. The young ones enter into their hibernation 

 much more tardily than the old ones. In one instance 

 an adult became torj)id about the middle of October; 



