Family MYOXID^. 
Genus Muscardinus. 
THE COMMON DORMOUSE. 
Muscardinus avelianarius, Linnaeus. 
Platk 25 (Fronlispiice). 
Allied to the Squirrel, which it resembles in some of its habits, the 
Dormouse is of stouter build than the true mice and possesses a thicker 
and bushy tail. 
The prevailing colour of this attractive little animal is a soft brownish 
buff, brighter on the face and flanks, blending into pale cream colour 
on the belly, and white on the throat and breast. The fur is very soft 
in texture, wdth a beautiful grey gloss or bloom on the upper parts of 
the body. 
The length from nose to root of tail in a full-grown specimen is 
about 3 inches, the tail between 2I and 3 inches. The large prominent 
dark eye is a striking feature in this beautiful species. 
The Dormouse is more restricted in his distribution than the Squirrel, 
inhabiting central Europe from northern Italy to Sweden and ranging 
eastwards to Galicia. 
In the British Islands its range is confined to England and Wales, 
where it is unevenly distributed and does not appear to be known farther 
than the northern boundaries of Durham. 
The Dormouse is fairly plentiful in the southern and western counties 
of England, though rare in the Midlands and Norfolk. A fvill account 
