NATURAL HISTORY. 



Sub-family d. Myoxina. 

 MYOXUS. (Gr. Muodf, or ^uw^of, a Dormouse.) 



Avellanarius (Lat. from Avellaris, filbert), the Dormouse. 



during the cold weather it lies rolled up, with its tail curled 

 round it. While in this torpid state, a sudden exposure to 

 heat kills it, but a gentle warmth, such as holding it in the 

 hand, rouses it without injury. It lives principally on nuts, 

 acorns and grain. It brings up its young in a nest composed 

 of leaves and hay, and seems to be fond of society in its 

 household labours, as ten or twelve nests have been seen close 

 to each other. 



THE SQUIRREL. 



The SQUIRREL is a very common animal in woods, where 

 numbers may be seen frisking about on the branches, or 

 running up and down the trunks. If alarmed, it springs up 

 the tree with extraordinary activity, and hides behind a branch. 

 By this trick it escapes its enemy the hawk, and by constantly 

 slipping behind the large branches, frequently tires him out. 

 The activity and daring of this little animal are extraordinary. 

 When pursued, it makes the most astonishing leaps from branch 

 to branch, or from tree to tree, and has apparently some method 

 of altering its direction while in the air, possibly by means of 

 its tail acting as a rudder. 



