[THE MOUSE-LIKE RODENTS]—[MYOXIDÆ]—Characteristics—[THE DORMOUSE]—Description—Habits—Activity—Food—Winter Condition—[THE LOIR]—[THE GARDEN DORMOUSE]—[LOPHIOMYIDÆ]—How the Family came to be Founded—[THE LOPHIOMYS]—Milne-Edwards’ Opinion—Skull—General Form—Habits—[MURIDÆ]—Number of Species—Characteristics—Variety of Forms—Distribution—The Murine Sub-Family—[THE BROWN RAT]—History—Fecundity and Ferocity—Diet—At the Horse Slaughter-houses of Montfaucon—Shipwrecked on Islands—Story of their Killing a Man in a Coal-pit—In the Sewers of Paris and London—[THE BLACK RAT]—[THE EGYPTIAN RAT]—[THE COMMON MOUSE]—Habits—Destructiveness—Colours—[THE LONG-TAILED FIELD MOUSE]—Description—Food—[THE HARVEST MOUSE]—Description—Habits—In Winter—Agility—Their Nest—[THE BANDICOOT RAT]—[THE TREE RAT]—[THE STRIPED MOUSE]—Allied Genera—[THE WHITE-FOOTED HAPALOTE]—The American Murines—[THE WHITE-FOOTED, OR DEER MOUSE]—[THE GOLDEN, OR RED MOUSE]—[THE RICE-FIELD MOUSE]—[THE AMERICAN HARVEST MOUSE]—[THE FLORIDA RAT]—Description—Their Nest—Food—Mother and Young—[THE BUSHY-TAILED WOOD RAT]—[THE COTTON RAT]—[THE RABBIT-LIKE REITHRODON]—[THE HAMSTERS]—Characteristics—Appearance—Distribution—Burrows—Disposition—Food—Habits—[THE TREE MICE]—[THE BLACK-STREAKED TREE MICE]—[THE GERBILLES]—Characteristics—Habits—Other Genera—[THE WATER MICE]—Characteristics—Species—[THE SMINTHUS]—[THE VOLES]—Characteristics—[THE WATER VOLE]—Appearance—Distribution—Food—[THE FIELD VOLE]—[THE BANK VOLE]—[THE SOUTHERN FIELD VOLE]—[THE SNOW MOUSE]—[THE ROOT VOLE]—[THE MEADOW MOUSE]—[THE PINE MOUSE]—[THE MUSQUASH, MUSK RAT, OR ONDATRA]—Distinguishing Features—Habits—His House—[THE LEMMING]—Description—Food—Habits—Disposition—Their Extraordinary Migrations—Other Lemmings—[THE ZOKOR],
SECTION II.—MOUSE-LIKE RODENTS (MYOMORPHA).
THE Myomorphic, or Mouse-like group of Rodents, includes a much greater variety of forms than the preceding, and the number of species is also very great. We find in it arboreal, terrestrial, and aquatic species; and in the second of these categories some presenting almost every variety of habit which the Rodent type is capable of assuming. Naturally the families and sub-families into which it is divided are rather numerous. Mr. Alston distinguished seven family groups, the first of which is the Myoxidæ.
FAMILY V.—MYOXIDÆ.
The Dormice, which constitute this family, have generally been regarded as nearly related to the Squirrels; and certainly, although they fall under the definition of the Myomorphic section, they have a plain affinity to the Sciuridæ. In form they are Squirrel-like, and the tail is long and hairy, although not so bushy as in the true Squirrels. They have four molars on each side in each jaw (see figure), the front one in each series being smaller than the rest. All these teeth are rooted, and their crowns show transverse folds of enamel. The frontal bones are much narrowed; the fore limbs are small, with the thumbs rudimentary and furnished with a small flat nail; and the hind feet have five toes. The Dormice differ from all other Rodents by having the intestine entirely destitute of a cæcum. They are confined to the Eastern hemisphere, and chiefly to its temperate and colder regions; although a species of Myoxus, and some forms on which a special genus (Graphiurus) has been founded, inhabit Africa. The number of known species is only about a dozen.
MOLAR TEETH OF THE DORMOUSE.
The common DORMOUSE (Myoxus avellanarius) is an elegant little creature, about three inches long, with a somewhat bushy, cylindrical tail, two inches and a half in length. Its fur is of a light reddish-tawny colour above, becoming paler and yellowish on the lower surface. On the throat there is a small whitish mark. It is widely distributed in Europe, ranging from Britain and Sweden in the north to Tuscany and Northern Turkey in the south. Generally it is more abundant in southern than in northern countries, but in the south of France it is less common than either of the other two European species. Eastwards it does not extend beyond Galicia, Hungary, and Transylvania.
