DORMOUSE, the common name of a family of small rodents (Myoxidae), generally regarded as intermediate between mice and squirrels. It contains 12 species, distributed over the temperate parts of the great Palaearctic region from Britain to Japan, and throughout the greater portion of Africa. The Common Dormouse (Myoxus avellanarius) occurs in most parts of Europe, and is the only species found in Britain, It is an active little creature, measuring about three inches long, with a thick bushy tail of nearly similar length. Its posterior legs are slightly longer than those in front, and both fore and hind feet form prehensile organs, whereby the dormouse climbs along the twigs of the low bushes among which it lives, and in which it builds a neat round nest formed of leaves. It is a shy and timid animal, choosing the recesses of woods for its habitation, and seldom showing itself by day; in confinement, however, it is readily tamed and becomes very familiar. It feeds, as its specific name implies, on hazels, and is also partial to berries, haws, and grain. These it eats, either sitting on its haunches or suspended by its hind feet, and holding them between its foreρaws like a squirrel. In autumn it grows very fat, and lays up a store of food for winter use,—retiring at the commencement of the cold season to its nest, and curling itself up into a ball, when it becomes dormant. A warmer day than usual restores it to temporary activity, and then it supplies itself with food from its autumn hoard, again becoming torpid till the advent of spring finally rouses it. Owing to this hybernat-ing habit it is known as the Sleeper, while the name dormouse has reference to the same peculiarity. The young of the dormouse are generally four in number, and these, according to Bell, are ...