DORMOUSE, Myoxis, a genus of rodent quadrupeds, ranked by some naturalists in the family murida (rats, mice, etc.), and by others in the family sciurida (squirrels, etc.); being, in fact, a connecting link between the one family and the other. Their habits resemble those of squirrels; the dentition, however, more nearly agrees with that of mice. There are four molar teeth on each side in each jaw: the upper jaw has not the anterior rudimentary fifth molar, characteristic of squirrels: The molars have their summits marked by transverse ridges. There are no cheek-pouches. The ears resemble those of mice. The fore-paws have each 4 toes and a rudimentary thumb; the hind feet have 5 toes. The fur is very fine and soft. The tail is long, and in the different species exhibits characters variously intermediate between those of mice and squirrels. This genus and the closely allied genus graphyurus are remarkable as the only genera of rodents in which there Is no ctecum. The species of D. are beautiful little animals, natives chiefly of the s. of Europe. Some species are also found in Africa, and the genus grapkyurus is entirely African. The only British species of D. is the COMMON b., RED D., or D1uscAnOrsE (M. avellanarius), an inhabitant of woods in some parts of England. It is about the size of a common mouse, with head proportionally large; has a rather pointed muzzle, large prominent eyes, and a flattened tail, thickly clothed with rather long hair; and is of a tawny red color on the upper parts, and white beneath.
It is extremely gentle and easily tamed, feeds on beechmast, acorns, hazel-nuts, grain, etc., and spends the colder parts of winter in a state of torpidity, although in mild
weather it wakens up to consume a little of the store of food which, like squirrels, it lays up for that season. Before its hibernation begins, it is generally very fat, nor does it become emaciated by hibernating. It makes a nest of tangled or interlaced herbage opening from above, usually in copse or underwood; and produces about 4 young ones at a birth. It often assumes a remarkable posture in feeding, suspending itself by its hind-feet; more generally it sits upon its haunches, and holds its food in its fore-paws. This species is found in all parts of continental Europe, from the Medi terranean to Sweden.—The FAT D. (M. glis) is a larger species, grayish brown, about the size of a rat, with tail very like that of a squirrel, a native of the s. of Europe, where it inhabits forests, leaping from branch to branch with great agility. It is eaten by the Italians, as it was by the ancient Romans, who highly esteemed it, and fattened it for the table in receptacles called gliraria. —The GARDEN D. (M. nitela), common in. Europe as far n. as Poland, is frequently found in gardens, and even in outhouses. It is often very destructive of the fruit of wall and espalier trees. It is rather smaller than the fat D., grayish brown, black round the eyes, and has the tail tufted only at the extrem ity. All the species of 1). hibernate; and from this circumstance the name seems to be derived (Lat. dormio, to sleep).