JUMPING MICE AND JERBOAS. 
109 
SKELETON OP GARDEN DORMOUSE. 
The garden dormouse takes its name from being commonly found in the 
gardens and orchards of the warmer parts of the Continent, where it does much 
damage to the choicer kinds of fruit. It is found in Central and Western Europe, 
including France, Belgium, 
Switzerland, Italy, Germany, 
Hungary, Galicia, and the Baltic 
provinces of Russia; and is 
stated to be specially common 
in the Hartz Mountains. There 
is nothing calling for par¬ 
ticular remark in the habits 
of this species, except that it is 
stated to be more carnivorous 
in its tastes than any of its 
European kindred. The young may be produced in a deserted thrush’s nest, or in 
some hole in a tree, or in a freely suspended nest; and it is characteristic of this 
species that whenever it builds a nest this is always placed between small boughs 
and never concealed. 
Omitting mention of the other species allied to the garden 
dormouse, it may be observed that there is a third group of the 
genus confined to Africa, the members of which are characterised by the hair being 
arranged uniformly on the tail, instead of in two longitudinal rows; the whole tail 
being relatively shorter than in the other groups, with a well-marked tuft at the 
tip. These African dormice are further characterised by the very small size of 
their cheek-teeth, in which the foldings of enamel are nearly obsolete. 
Extinct Dorm'ce Remains of dormice are found not uncommonly in the Tertiary 
' strata of Europe, as far down as the upper portion of the Eocene 
period; most of the species agreeing approximately in size with some of the living- 
forms. The extinct giant dormouse from the rock fissures and cavern deposits of 
Malta was, however, far larger than any existing species, and more nearly resembled 
a guinea-pig; this association of giant dormice with pigmy elephants in Malta 
being not a little remarkable. 
Other Species. 
Jumping Mice, Jerboas, etc. 
Family DlPODlDM. 
The Rodents included in this family are all purely terrestrial, and for the 
most part characterised by the great length of their liind-limbs as compared with 
the front pair, and their long and generally hairy tails; their general appearance 
and mode of progression thus being markedly kangaroo-like. They have very 
frequently four upper cheek-teeth; and in all cases the incisor teeth are narrow, 
and the molars marked by transverse enamel-folds. The skull, as shown in the 
accompanying figure of the skeleton of the jerboa, is characterised by the shortness 
of the brain-case, and the very large size of the apertures in front of the eye- 
sockets for the passage of the nerves supplying the face. There are also other 
