306 
ITS HYBERNATING HABITS. 
months do not seem to draw them forth to continu¬ 
ed active life, however much the soundness of their 
sleep may be influenced, and when aroused by 
handling or noise they never fail to seek some warm 
position, or to envelope themselves in any warm 
materials at hand. I have always found them fond 
of getting together in order to secure heat, but when 
straw was put to them they would nibble it into 
shreds for a nest, or appropriate tow, wool, flan¬ 
nel, &c. for that purpose, and all this susceptibility 
at the period when all other dormant creatures had 
fully awakened ; and however strange it may seem 
that in their natural state they should not be awa¬ 
kened occasionally so late as April 27th as seen 
above, I found in 1835 that those I possessed and 
kept in a tolerably warm spot relapsed into torpor 
so late as April 29th, owing to a return of cold 
weather. Notwithstanding also, that they are gene¬ 
rally so readily roused from sleep, should they be dis¬ 
turbed when the weather is very cold they appear 
in a drowsy state with their eyes half open, and 
crawl away slowly when touched, just like persons 
overcome by fatigue; I have seen them also shake 
and quiver with the cold, and I once remember a 
captive dormouse upsetting his cup of water and 
lying on a wet bed of tow, the consequence of which 
was that after a few hours I found him to all ap¬ 
pearance expiring, and I had the greatest difficulty 
in restoring him by holding him near the fire; the 
weather was however decidedly cold at the time. 
I am afraid that without some very precise expe¬ 
riments, the mere circumstance of keeping dormice 
in confinement will not throw’ light on their econo¬ 
mies, and natural habits. The exact influence of 
food on their hybernation requires to be ascertained 
separately, and in conjunction with heat of various 
degrees. Should temperature be regarded as the 
sole cause in operation, it is evident that the com- 
