GARDEN DORMOUSE. 



166 



and is commonly found in gardens, feeding on 

 various kinds of fruit ; particularly peaches and 

 apricots. It makes its nest, like the rest of this 

 genus, in the hollows of trees, and sometimes in 

 those of walls, or even in the ground about the 

 roots of trees, &c. collecting, for this purpose, 

 dried leaves, grass, mosses, &c. In autumn it 

 collects a quantity of nuts, mast, &c. and depo- 

 sits it in its hole ; and during the greatest part of 

 the winter remains in a state of torpidity, awak- 

 ing only at distant intervals. Its general length 

 is about four inches and a half, and the tail ra- 

 ther less. It is of an elegant rufous or ferruginous 

 colour above, and yellowish white beneath : the 

 eyes are imbedded in a large black patch or spot^ 

 which extends to some distance beyond each eaiv 

 the tail is somewhat wider towards the end, and 

 sharpens at the extremity, and is marked on that 

 part by a longitudinal black stripe, having the 

 edges white. These animals produce their young 

 about the middle of summer, which are about 

 five or six in number, and are said to be of very 

 quick growth. 



