RANGE OF THE DORMOUSE IN ENGLAND AND WALES. 213 
respect to the age to which this little animal attains in a state of 
confinement, a correspondent of ‘The Field’ (East Sussex), who 
states that he is accustomed to feed dormice exclusively on 
apples and nuts, goes on to say—‘‘ Four years is the longest 
time I have known them live in confinement; and in a letter 
received from Capt. Hadfield, that gentleman mentions a second 
instance of a pet Dormouse attaining this age. I believe this 
exceeds the average duration of life of the white and coloured 
varieties of Mus musculus so often kept as pets. The provincial 
name of “ Sleeper” seems to be very generally adopted, but I am 
informed by Mr. D’Urban that in South-eastern Devon the 
Dormouse is universally known as the ‘‘ Seven Sleeper,” whereas 
in Cornwall, according to Mr. J. Brooking Rowe, the word 
“Dormouse”’ frequently becomes “‘ Dorymouse.” In conclusion, 
I must express my thanks to those naturalists (too numerous to 
mention by name) who have supplied so much of the material for 
this paper. 
Since writing the report for the county of Suffolk, as given 
above, I have received a letter from the Rev. Churchill Babington, 
of Cockfield, near Bury St. Edmunds, who says—“ .. . . My man, 
Alfred Parish, has repeatedly found the Dormouse in this part of 
Suffolk when a boy, and also subsequently.” The following 
statement by Parish, kindly taken down and forwarded by Mr. 
Babington, shows that this species recently existed, and in all 
probability is still to be found, in the neighbourhood of Bury St. 
Edmunds, the district in which it has been found comprising at 
least six parishes in close proximity to each other :—‘‘ Dormice 
have been found in Bull’s Wood, Cockfield, about two years ago, 
in September; many nests found also with their young. In 
Rougham, one within ten years; in Thurston, Beyton, Bradfield 
St. George, and Rushbrook, nests found about thirty or thirty-five 
years ago. Not at all uncommon in the neighbourhood, and 
probably as common now.” 
