Family MYOXID-^. 

 Genus Muscardinus. 



THE COMMON DORMOUSE. 



Muscardinus avellanarius, Linnaeus. 

 Plate 25 {Frontispiece). 



Allied to the Squirrel, which it resembles in some of its habits, the 

 Dormouse is of stouter build than the true mice and possesses a thicker 

 and bushy tail. 



The prevailing colour of this attractive little animal is a soft -brownish 

 buff, brighter on the face and flanks, blending into pale cream colour 

 on the belly, and white on the. throat and breast. The fur is very soft 

 in texture, with a beautiful grey gloss or bloom on the upper parts of 

 the body. 



The length from nose to root of tail in a full-grown specimen is 

 about 3 inches, the tail between 2~ and 3 inches. The large prominent 

 dark eye is a striking feature in this beautiful species. 



The Dormouse is more restricted in his distribution than the Squirrel, 

 inhabiting central Europe from northern Italy to Sweden and ranging 

 eastwards to Galicia. 



In the British Islands its range is confined to England and Wales, 

 where it is unevenly distributed and does not appear to be known farther 

 than the northern boundaries of Durham. 



The Dormouse is fairly plentiful in the southern and western counties 

 of England, though rare in the Midlands and Norfolk. A full account 



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