This beautiful little creature is of a bright brown colour, inclined to red; the breast and belly are white; the ears are ornamented with long tufts of hair; the eyes are large, black, and lively; the fore teeth strong and sharp; and the fore legs are curiously furnished with long stiff hairs, which project on each side like whiskers. When it eats, it sits upright, and uses its fore feet as hands to convey food to its mouth. It is equally admired for its neatness and elegance of form, as for its liveliness and activity. Its disposition is gentle and harmless. Though naturally wild, and very timid, it is easily taught to receive with freedom the most familiar caresses from the hand that feeds it. It usually lives in woods, and makes its nest of moss or dry leaves in the hollow of trees. It seldom descends upon the ground, but leaps from tree to tree with great agility. Its food consists of fruits, almonds, nuts, and acorns; of which it collects great stores for winter provision, and secures them carefully near its nest. In the summer it feeds on buds and young shoots, and is very fond of the cones or apples of the fur and pine trees. The tail of the Squirrel is its greatest ornament, and serves as a defence from the cold, being large enough to cover the whole body; it likewise assists it in leaping from one tree to another. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ THE DORMOUSE. This animal is very much like the common mouse. Its colour is a tawny red, the throat white, the tail tufted. When it is thirsty it does not lap, but dips its fore feet, with the toes bent, into the water, and drinks from them. In the summer this curious little creature is very industrious, laying up its provision for the winter, which consists of nuts, beans, and acorns. As soon as the cold weather approaches, it rolls itself up into a ball, with its tail curled over its head between its ears, and continues in that state till the warm weather comes again. [Illustration: THE DORMOUSE. ] Dormice build their nests either in the hollows of trees, or near the bottom of thick shrubs, and line them with moss, soft birchens, and dried leaves. Conscious of the length of time they have to pass in their solitary cells, they are very choice of the materials they make use of. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ THE RAT. [Illustration: THE RAT. ]