1§2 THE DORMOUSE, 
the Dormouse retires into its nest, and there slumbers throughout the entire 
winter, waking up for a short period whenever a milder temperature breaks 
the severity of the frost, and, after taking a little nourishment, sinking again 
into its former lethargy. 
The Dormouse is rather gregarious in its habits, so that whenever one nest 
is discovered several others may generally be found at no great distance. 
These nests are of considerable 
dimensions, being about six 
inches in diameter, and are 
composed of grass, leaves, and 
similar substances. The en- 
trance io the nest is at the side. 
The young animals are gener- 
ally three or four in number at 
a birth, and make their appear- 
ance about the end of spring or 
the beginning of summer. It 
is probable that there may be a 
second brood towards the end 
of autumn, as Mr, Bell received 
from one locality in the month 
of September one half-grown 
Dormouse, which had evidently 
been born in the spring, and 
three very little specimens, which 
were apparently not more than 
a week or two old. They are 
born blind, but are able to see in 
avery few days, and in a remark- 
ably short space of time become 
independent of their parents. 
THE beautiful and active 
group of animals of which our 
English SQUIRREL is so familiar 
an example, are found in almost 
every portion of the globe, and, 
with one or two exceptions, live 
almost exclusively among the 
branches of trees. In order 
to enable them to maintain a 
firm clasp upon the branches 
and bark, they are furmished 
with long finger-like toes upon 
the fore-feet, which are armed 
with sharp curved claws. 
IN the FLYING SQUIRRELS, 
of which the TAGUAN is a good example, the skin of the flanks is modified 
in a method similar to that which has already been noticed in the Petaurists. 
The skin is so largely developed, that when the animal is sitting at its ease, 
its paws but just appear from under the soft folds of the delicate and fur- 
clad membrane. When the creature intends to make one of its marvellous 
leaps, it stretches all its four limbs to their fullest extent, and is upborne 
through the air on the parachute-like expansion which extends along its sides. 
This animal is a native of India, where it is tolerably common. ; 
It is rather a large species, as its total length is nearly three feet, the tail 
