8482 



Mammalia, 



greater part of the month been nearer 60°, and occasionally a degree or two higher. 

 21st. It has in the course of the night eaten a small portion of nut, but has continued 

 in a torpid state up to twelve p. m., when last seen. It is now pretty clear that it is 

 generally near midnight ere the dormouse begins to feed, though it may occasionally 

 be on the more an hour or so earlier. 22nd. Though the nuts have been nibbled there 

 was very little eaten last night. On raising the lid of the box at eleven a. m. I found 

 the mouse wide awake. Thinking it might require water some was placed before it, 

 and, though closely watched, began to drink at once, lapping it up for a minute or two, 

 seemingly much parched, which may partly account for its eating so little during the 

 night. The last days of October and the month of November were passed much in 

 the same manner, the mouse sleeping during the greater part of the day, but invariably 

 sallying forth at night to feed. Fearing it might be kept too warm I removed it to a 

 large spare room, but then finding it chilled of a morning I replaced it. at night in a 

 room where there had been a fire during the day, and it seemed improved by it, but 

 showed no further symptoms of hybernating. The extreme mildness of the weather 

 has doubtless been the chief cause of its wakefulness, though noises may have bad 

 something to do with it, as I have frequently observed it alarmed at any sound or 

 whistle, however slight. It continued to feed well, and was apparently in its usual 

 health up Xo about the end of November; it then began to fall off in condition, gradu- 

 ally taking less food, but drinking as freely as ever. I also remarked that it no longer 

 removed the refuse food out of the box as it hitherto had done, or kept its lair clean. 

 Apparently it was not suffering, as it slept on much as usual, and when found dead on 

 the 8th of December was coiled up as if fallen asleep. There is little doubt but that, 

 like the common mouse, it is nocturnal in its habits, though I am satisfied that it is to 

 little purpose endeavouring to carry on observations on any animal kept in confinement, 

 and probably not fed either, on its natural food : as well attempt to study the habits 

 of the Royal Bengal tiger caged in the Zoological Gardens. The dormouse for 

 instance ; who knows on what it feeds in its wild state ? We have most of us doubtless 

 a vague idea that, like the squirrel, it is a nut-loving animal, and so it is; nevertheless 

 my observations lead me to believe that being fed solely on nuts creates an unnatural 

 degree of thirst, causing it to drink immoderately and injuriously, whereas in a wild 

 state it may have more succulent food, probably seed-grasses and other herbaceous 

 plants, wet too with the evening or morning dew. Though unable to fix the time of 

 hybernating, still there is reason to believe that it is about the middle of October, for 

 it was not until then that the dormouse seemed disposed to set its house in order, 

 though there were always some materials at hand. It would also appear that the nest 

 — at all times a loose and rough fabric — is very expeditiously formed; for the one 

 referred to must have been constructed in a very few hours, but then it was not matted 

 or woven together, and would have fallen to pieces if handled. Fully aware that this 

 is but a slight and imperfect sketch I would point out the desirableness of its being 

 sought out and observed in its native haunts at all seasons ; we might then have some 

 reliable information respecting its habits, food, &c, and time of hybernating. With 

 regard to the latter, though it may be determined in some degree by the weather (as 

 in the migration of birds), it is not reasonable to suppose that it can be greatly influ- 

 enced by it, or it might not of a mild winter — such as this for instance — hybernate at 

 all.— Henry Hadfield; Ventnor, Isle of Wight, December 16, 1862. [See Zool. 8025]. 



Occurrence of the Otter near Bath. — A fine specimen of the otter came into my 

 possession to-day in the flesh. It was killed on the canal bank near this town. It had 



