| − | The '''dormouse''' (Muscardinus Avellanarius) is an [[arboreal]] mammal that, although once common, is now an endangered species in the [[British Isles]]. Similar in appearance to the common mouse, dormice have long bushy tails used to assist in climbing trees. They are omniverous, feeding on fruits, berries, flowers, nuts and insects. | + | The '''dormouse''' (Muscardinus Avellanarius) is an [[arboreal]] mammal that, although once common, is now an endangered species in the [[British Isles]]. Similar in appearance to the common mouse, dormice have long bushy tails used to assist in climbing trees. They are omnivorous, feeding on fruits, berries, flowers, nuts and insects. |
| | [[Lewis Carroll]], the writer, included a dormouse in the [[Alice in Wonderland]] stories and portrayed it as a fat lazy creature. This is not far from the truth as the dormouse (named from the Latin ''Dormeus'' or "sleepy one") spends more than three quarters of its life asleep. | | [[Lewis Carroll]], the writer, included a dormouse in the [[Alice in Wonderland]] stories and portrayed it as a fat lazy creature. This is not far from the truth as the dormouse (named from the Latin ''Dormeus'' or "sleepy one") spends more than three quarters of its life asleep. |