I: 
320 STRANGE DWELLINGS. 
CHAPTER XXVII. 
BRANCH-BUILDING MAMMALIA . 
• 
The Dormouse in Confinement, and at Liberty — Nest of the Dormouse — Its 
position, materials, and dimensions — Entrance to the nest — The winter 
treasury — The Loire and the Lerot. 
We now come to another division of the subject, namely, the 
nests that are built in branches ; and adhering to the system 
which has been followed through the progress of the work, we 
shall take first the branch -building mammalia. 
There are but few mammals which can be reckoned in this 
division, but our little island produces two of them, namely, 
the squirrel and the Dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius). 
The former of these animals have been already described at 
page 1 1 8. 
The pretty little brown-coated, white-bellied Dormouse is 
familiar to all who have been fond of keeping pets. There is 
no difficulty in preserving the animal in health, and, therefore, 
it is a favourite among those who like to keep animals and do 
not like the trouble of looking after them. It is, however, 
rather an uninteresting animal when kept in a cage, as it 
sleeps during the greater part of the day, and the sight of a 
round ball of brown fur is not particularly amusing. 
When kept in confinement, it is obliged to make for itself a 
very inartificial nest, because it is deprived of proper materials 
and a suitable locality. It does its best with the soft hay and 
cotton wool which are usually provided for it, but it cannot do 
much with such materials. But when in a state of liberty, 
and able to work in its own manner, it is an admirable nest- 
maker. As it passes the day in sleep, it must needs have 
some retired domicile in which it can be hidden from the many 
enemies which might attack a sleeping animal. 
