DORMOUSE. 295 
breeches of the Switzers who form the Pope’s 
guard. 
This species of dormouse is remarkable for five 
parallel black lines running along the back, in- 
cluding between them two of a yellowish white. 
The total length of the animal is about six inches. 
We learn from Mr. Pennant that these dormice 
are extremely numerous ; that they live in woods, 
but never take refuge in the trees unless they are 
closely pursued ; and that they form for themselves 
habitations under ground, where they pass the 
whole of the winter. These subterranean dwellings 
are formed with great art, and consist of long gal- 
leries with lateral branches, all of which terminate 
in spacious apartments, which are calculated for 
store-rooms for their winter provisions. In these 
they hoard their stock, which consists of different 
kinds of food, and each has its separate apartment. 
In one the acorns are lodged; in another the maize; 
in a third the hickery-nuts ; and in the last their 
most favourite food, the chestnut. Like the ham- 
ster, they are provided with pouches within their 
cheeks, which are highly serviceable to them in 
their foraging expeditions, when they intend to 
convey a quantity of food to their magazines. Kalm 
mentions a Swede, who, making a mill dike late 
in the autumn, met by chance with a subterranean 
walk belonging to these squirrels. He carefully 
traced their path till he discovered a gallery on one 
side, like a branch parting from the main stem. 
