MYOXITS NITELA. 121 



Myoxus nitela. 



Myoxus nitela, Desm. Mamm. Sp. 464. 

 Myoxus niteduUe, Pallas, Zoog. Boss. As. 

 Myoxus quercinus, Blasius, Wirbelth. Deutschl. 

 Le Lerot, Bupfon. 



Desceiption. — Body and head shorter than in M. glis, ears 

 longer ; front of the head yellowish rufous ; all the upper 

 parts and the outside of the legs grey-rufous, lighter on the 

 sides, the lower portion of the legs blackish grey ; lower 

 part of the cheeks, chin, and all the lower portion of the 

 body, and the inner surface of the legs dirty white ; a black, 

 or nearly black patch surrounds the eye, and reaches to 

 beneath and behind the ear; a small spot of yellowish 

 white in front of the ears, which are covered with very 

 short rufous-grey hairs. The hairs of the upper part of 

 the body are dark grey for three-fourths of their length, 

 chestnut at the extremities ; tail black, with close hairs, 

 tip white, ending in a tuft of long hairs. 



Length of head and body, 4 inches 5 lines ; head, 1 inch 

 5 lines ; ears, 9 lines ; tail (without the fur), 4 inches. 



Lives generally in gardens and outhouses; makes its 

 nest in holes of walls or trees, feeding on apples, peaches, 

 and other pulpy fruits, as well as on nuts and pulse, &c, of 

 which dry food it lays up a store for winter, although it 

 passes a great part of that season in torpor, about five or 

 six individuals inhabiting the same retreat. Produces in 

 spring five or six young. 



Is found in all the temperate parts of the European Con- 

 tinent, as far north as Poland and Prussia. In Russia, 

 Pallas notices it as living in hazel woods on the banks of 

 the Volga, and near Astrachan. The Prince of Musignano 

 records it as very common in Sicily. Crespon finds it in 

 the South of France, and De Selys Longchamps all over 

 Belgium. 



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