ORDER RODENTIA. 123 



gardens, but is an inhabitant of woods, hybernating in 

 the clefts of trees. Its habits accord with the species al- 

 ready mentioned. 



M. Mangili's observations extended to this species as 

 well as to the Loir. A degree of cold below freezing roused 

 the animal; at 4 or 5° of heat, the Dormouse respired 174 

 times, divided into ten series of movements of respiration, 

 (the most considerable of 30, and the least of 5) in 82 mi- 

 nutes ; at 10° of heat 47 times in 34 minutes, the respira- 

 tions being 7 or 8 in each period, and the intervals from 

 4 to 8 minutes. When exposed to the sun, the respiration 

 of the animal was no longer suspended, but went on uni- 

 formly and regularly as in a state of natural sleep ; as soon 

 as roused, it ate same pieces of chestnut, again rolled itself 

 up, and fell asleep. It respired for half an hour without 

 interruption, 25 or 30 times in a minute; then the inter- 

 vals of perfect quiet took place, and increased progres- 

 sively. When suddenly placed in an artificial cold of 2° 

 under freezing, respiration became n?ore frequent, as in the 

 case of the Loir. 



The result of the experiments on this species seems to 

 prove, that the common Dormouse is of all animals the 

 most disposed to lethargic habits ; that a temperature 

 either too high or too low rouses it ; that as soon as it is 

 awakened, it takes some food, though moderately ; that it 

 passes from its lethargic to its active state in less than half 

 an hour, while the Marmot requires a much longer period ; 

 that the time it takes in waking thoroughly is quick in 

 proportion to the elevation of the temperature, probably 

 because it receives its necessary portion of calorique more 

 rapidly. 



M Mangili having exposed a Dormouse when in the 

 lethargic state to an artificial cold of 10°, it died in 20 

 minutes. When opened, he found a great quantity of blood 

 in the ventricles of the heart, and in the principal vessels 



