CHAPTER XXVII. 



BRANCH- BUILDING MAMMALIA. 



The DORHOITSE in Confinement, and at Liberty — Nest of the Dormouse— It* 



position, materials, and dimensions — Entrance to the nest — The winter 



• treasury — The Loikr and the Ly.ROT — Man as a Branch-builder — Moselekatze 



— His conquests — Effects upon the people — Branch-houses — Their approaches. 



We now come to another division of the subject, namely, the 

 nests that are built in branches, and adhering to the system 

 which has been followed through the progress of the work, we 

 shall take first the branch-buUding mammalia. 



There are but few mammals which can be reckoned in this 

 division, but our little island produces two of th^n, namely, the 

 sqiiirrel and the DoBHOUSE (Muscardinvs avdlanarius). The 

 former of these animals has been already described at page 196. 



The pretty little brown-coated, white-bellied Dormouse is 

 familiar to all who have been fond of keeping pets. There is no 

 difficulty in preserving the animal in health, and, therefore, it is a 

 favourite among those who like to keep animals and do not like 

 the trouble of looking after them. It is, however, rather an un- 

 interesting animal when kept in a cage, as it sleeps during the 

 greater part of the day, and the sight of a round ball of brown 

 fur is not particularly amusing. 



"When kept in confinement, it is obliged to make for itself a 

 very inartificial nest, because it is deprived of proper materials 

 and a suitable locality. It does its best with the soft hay and 

 cotton wool which are usually provided for it, but it cannot do 

 much with such materials. But when in a state of liberty, and 

 able to work in its own manner, it is an admirable nest-maker. 

 As it passes the day in sleep, it must needs have some retired 

 domicile in which it can be hidden from the many enemies which 

 .might attack a sleeping animal. 



