DORMOUSE (from archaic dorm, to sleep, Iron) Icel, dogma. from Lat. (foonire, to sleep small, arboreal rodent of the old 11 orh.1 family 211yoxishe. The dormice, in adapta tion to a ssruirrellike existence, have come to resemble those animal: in miniature, but in or ganization are much more nearly allied to the true mite (Murida.1. There are four molar teeth sill each side in each jaw, their summits marked 1.y transverse ridges. There are no cheek pouchy: and no caaatin. resemble those of mice. The fur is very fine and soft. The tail is long and somewhat squirrel-like. The dormice are beautiful little animals, natives chiefly of the south of Europe: but some species are also found in Asia and Africa, and the genus Oraphinrus is entirely _African. Four genera, containing about a dozen species, are included in the family. The hest-known SlieeieS is the red dormouse, niu" cardine, or hazel mouse (haselnians1 (.11 ascar ilinus arcilnarias), an inhabitant of woods in most parts of Europe. Tt is about the size of a house 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 beech-mast, acorns, hazelnuts, grain, etc.: and spends the
colder parts if winter in a state of torpidity. al though in mild weather it wakens up to consume a little of the store of food which, like squirrels, it lays up for that season. It makes a nest of tangled or interlaced herbage, entered from above, usually in snIlle copse so- underwonsl, and produces about four young ones at a birth. it often ne`: a remarkable posture in feeding, suspending itself by its hind feet ; more gener ally it it upon its haunches and bold.: its food in its fors. paws. 'Flue fist dormouse I Ifyo•us !gist is a larger species, grayish brown. about 11.e si/e of a rat, with a tail very much like that of a squirrel, and is a native of the south of Europe. where it inhabits forests:, leaping from branch to branch with great agility. The garde) dormouse (//if.m/is nits la), common in Europe ns far north 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 dor mouse, :11111 has the tail tufted only at the ex tremity. It is called '(trot' in France and `flarten schliifer' in f:ermany.