THE DORMOUSE. 229 



happened to capture on the 16th of December, 1837 : 

 " As I was pushing my way amidst the briers and 

 brambles, I chanced to stumble upon an interesting in- 

 cident, in the shape of a little ball of grass curiously 

 interwoven, lying on the ground. It was about eight 

 inches in circumference, and on taking it up I soon 

 ascertained, by the faint sound emitted from the in- 

 terior, on my handling it, that it contained a prisoner. 

 I bore my prize homeward for examination, and on 

 making a slight opening, immediately issued forth one 

 of those beautiful little creatures, the dormouse. The 

 heat of my hand, and the warmth of the room, had com- 

 pletely revived it from its torpor ; it appeared to enjoy 

 its transition by nimbly scaling every part of the furni- 

 ture in all directions. It experienced no difficulty in 

 either ascending or descending the polished backs of the 

 chairs ; and when I attempted to secure it, it leaped from 

 chair to chair with astonishing agility for so small a 

 creature. On taking it into my hand, it showed not the 

 least disposition to resent the liberty j on the contrary, 

 it was very docile. On being set at liberty, it sprang at 

 least two yards on to a table. I was much gratified on 

 witnessing its agile movements. In the evening I 

 placed my little stranger with its original domicile in a 

 box, of which, on the following morning, I found it had 



