JUMPING MICE AND JERBOAS. 



109 



SKELETON OF GARDEN DORMOUSE. 



The garden dormouse takes its name from being commonly found in the 

 gardens and orchards of the warmer parts of the Continent, where it does much 

 damage to the choicer kinds of fruit. It is found in Central and Western Europe, 

 including France, Belgium. 

 Switzerland, Italy, Germany. 

 Hungary, Galicia, and the Baltic 

 provinces of Russia : and is 

 stated to be specially common 

 in the Hartz Mountains. There 

 is nothing calling for par- 

 ticular remark in the habits 

 of this species, except that it is 

 stated to be more carnivorous 

 in its tastes than any of its 

 European kindred. The young may be produced in a deserted thrush's nest, or in 

 some hole in a tree, or in a freely suspended nest : and it is characteristic of this 

 species that whenever it builds a nest this is always placed between small boughs 

 and never concealed. 



Omitting mention of the other species allied to the garden 

 dormouse, it may be observed tli.it there is a third group of tin- 

 genus confined to Africa, the members of which are characterised by the hair being 

 arranged uniformly on the tail, instead of in two longitudinal rows : the whole tail 

 being relatively shorter than in the other groups, with a well-marked tuft at the 

 tip. These African dormice are further characterised by the very small size of 

 their cheek-teeth, in which the foldings of enamel are nearly obsolete. 



Remains of dormice are found not uncommonly in the Tertiary 

 strata of Europe, as far down as the upper portion of the Eocene 

 period; most of the species agreeing approximately in size with some of the living 

 forms. The extinct giant dormouse from the rock fissures and cavern deposits of 

 Malta was, however, far larger than any existing species, and more nearly resembled 

 a guinea-pig; this association of giant dormice with pigmy elephants in Malta 

 being not a little remarkable. 



Other Species. 



Extinct Dormice. 



Jumping Mice, Jerboas, etc. 



Family DlPODID.-E. 



The Rodents included in this family are all purely terrestrial, and for the 

 most part characterised by the great length of their hind-limbs as compared with 

 the front pair, and their long and generally hairy tails ; their general appearance 

 and mode of progression thus being markedly kangaroo-like. They have very 

 frequently four upper cheek-teeth ; and in all cases the incisor teeth are narrow, 

 and the molars marked by transverse enamel-folds. The skull, as shown in the 

 accompanying figure of the skeleton of the jerboa, is characterised by the shortness 

 of the brain-case, and the very large size of the apertures in front of the eye- 

 sockets for the passage of the nerves supplying the face. There are also other 



