RODENTIA. 14h 
M. nitela, Gm.; Buff. VIII, xxv. (The Garden Dormouse.) 
Somewhat less than the preceding; greyish brown above ; 
white underneath ; black round the eye, which extends to the 
shoulder ; tail tufted and black, tuft white. Common in the 
gardens of Europe, where it shelters itself in holes about the 
walls, and does much injury to trees. 
M. avellanarius, L.; Buff. VIII, xxvi. (The Common Dor- 
mouse.) Sizeofa Mouse ; cinnamon red above ; white beneath ; 
hairs of the tail somewhat disposed like a feather. From the 
forests of all Europe. It constructs its nest of grass on low 
branches, to bring up its young; the rest of the time, and par- 
ticularly during winter, it remains in the hollows of trees.(1) 
We should place near the Dormice, the 
Ecuimys, Geoff.—Lowncnergs, Illig.(2) 
Four grinders also, but formed in a peculiar way ; the upper ones 
consisting of two blades, bent into the shape of a V, and the under 
ones of one blade only that is bent, and of another that is simple. 
The fur of several species is harsh, and intermixed with flattened 
spines or prickles, like sword blades. From America. One of them, 
Ech. chrysuros, Schreb. CLXX, B ; Lerot a queue dorée, Buff. 
Supp. VII, 72. (The Golden-tailed Echimys.) More than 
twice the size of the Brown Rat; it is a beautiful animal, of a 
chesnut brown colour; white belly ; an elongated crest of hairs, 
and a white longitudinal band on the head; the tail is long and 
black ; the posterior half yellow. From Guiana. 
Ech. rufus; Rat épineux, Azzara, Voy. pl. xiii. (The Red 
Echimys.) Size of a Rat, and of a reddish grey; tail shorter 
than the body. It is found in Guiana, Brazil, and Paraguay. 
It excavates long subterraneous galleries. 
Others, again, have merely the ordinary kind of hair, more or less 
rough. The most remarkable is the 
Ech. dactylicus, Geoff. (The Long-toed Echimys.) Which 
is still larger than the chrysuros, and has the two mid- 
dle toes of the fore feet double the length of the lateral ones. 
Its scaly tail is longer than the body; its fur is a yellowish 
grey, and the hairs on its nose forma crest directed in front.(3) 
(1) Add Myoxus Coupeii, Fred. Cuv. Mammif. 
(2 Echimys, or Spiny Rat. Am. Ed. 
(3) Add the Echimys of Cayenne, the Silky Echimys. I suspect the Mus. para- 
doxus, Thomas, Lin, Trans. XI, (Herrromys, Lesson) differs from the Echimys in 
its cheek-pouches only. However, not having seen its teeth, I cannot arrange it. 
