QUADRUPEDS. 
45 
Oafs I. ] 
mufcular : the toes long, and divided to their 
origin; the nails ftrong and fharp; in fhort, in 
all refpe&s fitted for climbing, or clinging to 
the fmalleft boughs : on the fore-feet it has 
only four toes, with a claw in the place of the 
thumb or interior toe : on the hind feet there 
are five toes. 
When it eats or dreffes itfelf, it fits eredf, 
covering the body with its tail, and making 
ufe of the fore-legs as hands. It is obferved, 
that the gullet of this animal is very narrow, 
to prevent it from difgorging its food, in de¬ 
fending of trees, or in down-leaps. 
GENUS XV. The DORMOUSE. 
SPECIES I. The lefferDORMOUSE. 
Mus avellanarum minor. The 
Dormoufe or Sleeper. Ran 
fyn. quad. 220. 
The Dormoufe. Edzv. 266. 
Gefner quad. 162. 
Glis fupra rufus infra albicante. 
Briffon quad. 162. 
Bujf'on. Tom. 8. 193. Tab. 26. 
Mus avellanarius. Lin. JyjL 6 2. 
Mus cauda longa pilofa corpore 
rufo gula albicante. Faun, 
fuec. 32. 
Britifhy 
French , 
Italian , 
5 
Pathew 
Mufcardin, Croquenoix,Rat-dor 
Mofcardino 
iNAMES 
Liron 
j 
r Portug. 
German , 
< Dutch , 
Swedijhy 
. 
Relmuys, Vleer muys 
Skoo-fmus 
^ H I S animal agrees with the fquir- 
rel in its food, refidence, and fome 
of its actions; on firft fight it 
bears a general refemblance of the latter; but 
on a clofer infpedfion, fuch a difference may 
be difcovered in its feveral parts, as vindicates 
M. Brijfon , for forming a diftin& genus of 
the Dormice, or Glires. Thefe want the fifth 
claw on the interior fide of their fore feet; nor 
are their ears adorned with thofe elegant tufts 
of hair that diflinguifh the fquirrel kind: their 
tail is fo covered with hair, as to appear per¬ 
fectly round ; while that of the fquirrel ap¬ 
pears flat. Thefe diftin&ions prevale in the 
t 
other fpecies, fuch as the Lerot , great dor¬ 
moufe, &c. 
Dormice inhabite woods, or very thick 
hedges ; forming their nefts in the hollow of 
fome low tree, or near the bottom of a clofe 
fhrub : as they want much of the fprightlinefs 
of the fquirrel, they never afpire to the tops of 
trees; or, like the former, attempt to bound 
from fpray to fpray : like the fquirrel they 
form little magazines of nuts, &c, for winter 
provifion; and take their food in the fame 
manner, and fame upright action. The con- 
fumption of their hoard during the rigor of 
the feafon is but fmall: for they fleep moft 
M part 
