122 RODENTIA. 



Myoxus dryas. 



Myoxus dryas, Schreber, tab. 225 B. ; Desm. Mamm. Sp. 465. 



Description. — Colour of the upper parts of the body and of 

 the tail rusty brown, lower parts yellowish white ; eye 

 placed in the centre of a black patch, as in the M. nitela, 

 but this patch reaches only as far as the base of the ear, 

 not extending to the shoulder or behind the ear ; tail rather 

 short, bushy for the whole of its length, as in the M. glis, 

 the hair being distichous. 



Length of head and body, 4 inches ; tail, 3 inches. — E. M. 



Said to inhabit woods in Eussia and Georgia (Desmarest). 



N.B. — This species requires confirmation. Pallas does 

 not mention it in his ' Zoographia.' 



Myoxus avellanarius. 



Myoms avellanarius, Desm. Mamm. Sp. 466 ; Bell, Brit. Quad. 

 Myoxus muscardinus, Scheebeb. 

 Common Dormouse. 



Description. — Eur on the upper parts light tawny or 

 rufous, parts beneath paler and yellowish. Tail flattened, 

 furnished with rather long distichous hairs, dull rufous ; 

 whiskers about 1-J inch in length ; the ears are rather more 

 than one-third of the length of the head ; the body rounded 

 and full ; eyes black, large and prominent. 



It builds a nest of moss in low bushes ; several of which 

 are sometimes seen near each other. In winter it coils 

 itse'f into a ball, and falls into complete torpor. Eeeds on 

 corn, haws, aeorns, and young hazel-nuts. 



It is found throughout the greater part of Europe. Is 

 common in England. In the South of France less so than 

 the M. glis or nitela (Crespon). Not uncommon in Swit- 

 zerland, in the less mountainous parts. Inhabits Germany ; 

 is rare in Silesia. Pallas does not include it among Eussian 



