Its eyes are black, prominent, and bead-like.' 



THE COMMON DORMOUSE 



T 





HIS engaging little animal is 

 common in most parts of 

 the country where hazel 

 bnshes abound. It is to 

 all intents and purposes a 

 miniature squirrel, running 

 along branches and leaping 

 from twig to twig with the 

 same amount of agility and assurance as 

 its larger woodland neighbour. 



The Common Dormouse is about five 

 and a-half inches in length from the tip 

 of its nose to the end of its tail. Its 

 eyes are black, prominent, and bead- 

 like. The fur on the upper parts of 

 the animal's body is of a light tawny- 

 brown colour, inclining to yellow be- 

 neath. On the throat and chest there 

 is an elongated white patch, and in 

 some specimens the tail is tipped with 

 white. 



Dormice feed upon nuts, acorns, and 

 fruits of different kinds, which are 

 generally consumed in the dusk of 

 evening. During the autumn they lay 



11 81 



up stores of food in hollow stumps 

 for winter consumption, and about the 

 middle of October, when chilly winds 

 commence to blow, curl up and go to 

 sleep. On mild, sunny days, however, 

 they, like the squirrel, wake up in 

 order to partake of food. The first 

 sign of a resumption of activity is a 

 low whistling kind of sound, and in con- 

 sequence of it the animals are known 

 to woodcutters as " Singing Mice." 



Nuts are held between the fore-paws 

 whilst a hole is being gnawed in them, 

 and in the spring-time numbers of 

 empty shells may be seen scattered 

 outside some moss-grown hollow stump 

 which has served as a storehouse during 

 the winter months. 



Nests for breeding purposes arc built 

 in hazels, brambles, blackthorns, yews, 

 and other bushes. During a walk in 

 Surrey I have found as many as five 

 within two or three hundred yards. 

 They are sometimes made inside the 

 old homes of blackbirds and thrushes, 



