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THE DORMOUSE. 



THE common DORMOUSE is abundantly found in many districts of England, as well 

 as on the Continent, and is in great favor as a domestic pet. 



The total length of this pretty little animal is rather more than five inches, the tail 

 being two inches and a half long. The color of its fur is a light reddish-brown upon 

 the back, yellowish-white upon the abdomen, and white on the throat. These tints 

 belong to the adult animal only, as in the juvenile Dormouse the fur is nearly of the 

 same color as that of the common mouse, the ruddy tinge only appearing on the head and 

 sides. It is not until the little creatures have nearly completed a year of existence that 

 they assume the beautiful hues of adult age. The tail is thickly covered with hair, which 

 is arranged in a double row throughout its length, and forms a slight tuft at the ex- 

 tremity. The head is rather large in propor- 

 tion to the body, the ears are large and broad, 

 and the eye full, black, and slightly prominent. 

 The Dormouse is a nocturnal animal, pass- 

 ing the whole of the day in its warm and 

 neatly constructed nest, which is generally 

 built in the most retired spot of some thick 

 bush or small tree. It is a very active little 

 creature, leaping from branch to branch, and 

 traversing the intricate mazes of the brush- 

 wood with such ready featness, that it can 

 scarcely be taken by a human hand. Gen- 

 erally, when a Dormouse is captured, it is 

 secured while sleeping in its nest, for during 

 its slumbers it is so deeply buried in repose 

 that it can be handled without offering resist- 

 ance or attempting escape. The food of the 

 Dormouse consists of various fruits and 

 seeds, such as acorns, nuts, haws, and 

 corn. 



As the animal is one of the hibernaters, it 

 is in the habit of gathering together a supply 

 of dried food, to afford occasional nourish- 

 ment during the long wintry months when it 

 lies in its bed, imprisoned in the bands of ir- 

 resistible sleep. Like many other hibernat- 

 ing animals, the Dormouse becomes exceed- 

 ingly fat towards the end of autumn, and is 

 therefore enabled to withstand the severity of 

 the winter season better than if it retired 

 into its home in only its ordinary condition. 

 As soon as the weather becomes cold, the 

 Dormouse retires into its nest, and there 

 slumbers throughout the entire winter, wak- 

 ing up for a short period whenever a milder 

 temperature breaks the severity of the frost, 

 and after taking a little nourishment, sink- 

 ing again into its former lethargy. Several 



interesting experiments have been made on this animal in connection with the phenom- 

 enon which is termed hibernation, and with the same results as have already been 

 mentioned when treating of the hedgehog and the bat. 



This hoard of provisions is not gathered into the nest, which is solely employed for 

 the purpose of warmth and concealment, but is hidden away in sundry convenient nooks 

 and crannies, close to the spot where the nest is placed. Comparatively little of the 

 store is eaten during the winter, unless, indeed, the weather should happen to be pecu- 

 liarly mild, but it is of very great service in the earlier part of the spring, when the 

 Dormouse is awake and lively, and there are as yet no fresh fruits on which it could feed. 



DORMOUSE. Muscardlnusavellanarlus. 



