167 



COMMON DORMOUSE. 



Myoxus Muscardinus. M. rufus, gula albicante, plantarum pol- 



licibus muticis. Lin. Syst. Nat, Gmel.p, 156. 

 Rufous Dormouse, with whitish throat, and the thumbs of th,c 



hind-feet without claws. 

 Mus avellanarlus. Lin. Si/st. Nat. p. 83. 

 Mus avellanarum minor. Aldr. dig. 439. Jonsf. Qmdr, 168. 

 Dormouse or Sleeper. Rai/ sy7i. Qiiadr. 220, 

 Le Muscardin. Bvf, 8. p. 193. pL 26. 

 Dormouse. Brit. Zool. i. p, 95. Hist, Quadr. 2. p, 161. 



Edw. pi. 266. 



The size of this animal is nearly equal to that 

 of a mouse, but it is of a more plump or rounded 

 form, and the nose is more obtuse in proportion : 

 the eyes are large, black, and prominent; the 

 ears broad, thin, and semi-transparent : the fore- 

 feet have four toes, and the hind-feet five, but the 

 interior of these latter are destitute of nails : the 

 tail is about two inches and a half long, and 

 closely covered on all sides with hair, which is 

 rather longer towards the tip than on the other 

 parts : the head, back, sides, belly, and tail, are 

 of a tawny red colour ; the throat white : the fur 

 is remarkably soft, and the whole animal has a 

 considerable degree of elegance in its appearance. 

 It sometimes happens that the colour is rather 

 brown than reddish. 



Dormice, says Mr. Pennant, inhabit woods or 

 very thick hedges; forming their nests in the 

 hollows of some low tree, or near the bottom of a 

 close shrub. As they want much of the spright- 



