46s THE DORMICE. 



ern regions, wliere it feeds principally on the yot^ng- 

 branches of the beech and pine. 



Its nest is formed of moss^ in the hollows, high 

 among the branches; andj except during the 

 breeding season, it is solitary. It always sleeps dur- 

 ing the day-time, and seldom appears abroad in bad- 

 weather. It is active the wdiole winter ; being fre- 

 quently taken during that season, in the traps laid 

 for the Grey Squirrels. Like the last species, it can 

 leap to vast distances from tree to tree. 



The females have two, three, and sometimes four, 

 young at a time. When the mother goes outin search 

 of food, she carefully wraps them up in the moss 

 of her nest. She pays them the utmost attention ; 

 brooding over them, and sheltering their tender bo- 

 dies, by her flying membrane, from the cold. When 

 taken from the nest, it has been found very difficult 

 to keep the young alive ; owing probably to the 

 w^ant of proper food. — The skins of these Squirrels 

 are not very valuable in a commercial view *. 



THE DOUMICE. 

 ft 



ITIESE animals live in holes in the ground, where 

 thev always continue in a state of torpidity during 

 the winter. Their pace is a kind of leap ; in which, 



♦ Pennanf, 



