During the winter the animal does not feed much upon its stores, inasmuch as it is buried in the curious state of hibernation during the cold months. At the beginning of spring, however, the hibernation passes off, and is replaced by ordinary sleep, with intervals of wakefulness.

Now, while the animal hibernates, the tissues of the body undergo scarcely any change, even though no nutriment be taken. But, as soon as the creature resumes its ordinary life, waste goes on, and the creature soon feels the pangs of hunger. As the food of the Dormouse consists chiefly of seeds and fruits, it could not find enough nourishment to support the body, and would therefore perish of hunger but for the stores which instinct had taught it to gather in the preceding autumn.

In the illustration, the stag-beetle and the golden-crested wren have been introduced to show the comparative size of the animals. The old Dormouse does not fear the beetle, and tranquilly pursues his meal, but the young one is rather discomposed at the intrusion of the big black insect, and meditates a retreat into the nest.

There are several species of Dormouse, which have similar habits, and at least two of them are found in Europe. These are the LOIRE (Myoxus glis) and the LEROT (Myoxus quercinus). The former of these animals is sometimes called the Fat Dormouse, because it was in ancient days considered as a great delicacy, and carefully fattened in places called gliraria. animal is found in France.

This

In many parts of the same country the Lerot is a great pest to the gardens, because it is fond of fruit, and has a special liking for the ripest peaches, nectarines, and similar choice fruit.

BESIDES those which have been mentioned, several other species of mammalia make aerial nests in the branches of trees, though such nests are only to be considered as exceptions from the general rule. Perhaps the most singular of these exceptions is that which has been discovered in Africa, where human beings systematically build their houses in trees. This curious fact was discovered by Mr. Moffatt, the well-known missionary, in the course of his travels.

Two traders had been in the country which was ruled by the ferocious chief, Moselekatze, who has derived an unenviable

name for his relentless cruelty, which will always eclipse his well deserved reputation as a man of commanding genius and of subtle intellect. He was, in fact, a savage Napoleon, and, if possible, even a more wonderful man, inasmuch as he had no education, and created the terrible power which he so skilfully wielded.

King of the Zulu Kafirs, he had organized a vast military establishment, and had invented a system of warfare so ingenious, as to entitle him to the name of a born general. All ablebodied men were forced to serve as soldiers, drafted into different regiments according to their capacities of strength, swiftness, or cunning, and when they went into action had the alternative of victory or death, a fugitive being invariably killed by the executioner.

When his white visitors were about to return to their homes, Moselekatze thought that it would be a good opportunity of extending his knowledge, and consequently his influence, by learning the manners and customs of white men, and therefore sent two of his councillors to accompany the visitors to their homes, to inspect their proceedings, and then to return and report what they had seen. The envoys carried out the instructions of their master, though their brains could scarcely retain the vast stores of new facts which were continually poured into them, and in due time they wished to return to their own country.

Here, however, was a difficulty. In order to reach Zulu-land, they must pass through tracts inhabited by other nations, all of which had been invaded and harried by the conquering troops of Moselekatze, and they knew full well that if their identity were recognised, they would be murdered in retaliation by the incensed owners of the land.

In this strait Mr. Moffatt offered to accompany them until they had reached the boundaries of their land, and set off with them. When he had fulfilled his promise, he was about to return, but his guests begged so earnestly that he should go on and visit their king, that he yielded to their request. Contrary to the usual habits of the Kafir, Moselekatze was grateful to Mr. Moffatt, saying that "the kindness which had been done to his servants had been done to him, Moselekatze the son of Machobane."

On this journey Mr. Moffatt's attention was taken by a magni

ficent tree, under whose shadow were a number of human beings moving about. On approaching nearer, he found that the tree was close to water, and on looking upwards he saw that a number of little huts were among the branches. Seventeen of these huts were completed, and three more were in course of erection. These were the dwellings of the natives who had been seen under the tree, and were constructed in a very ingenious manner.

Where two or three branches spread their forked boughs horizontally, a number of sticks were laid so as to form a platform about seven or eight feet in diameter. Upon this platform was erected the hut, a necessarily small edifice, consisting of sticks fastened together so as to make a conical-shaped hut, about six feet in diameter at the bottom, and barely as much in height, so that a tall man could hardly lie at full length even when occupying the very centre of it. The roof of the hut was made of grass, and the sides were wattled with the same substance. As the hut was always placed at one edge of the scaffold, the opposite edge afforded a small landing or platform, about a foot or eighteen inches in width. The only method of approaching these curious huts was by means of notches cut in the trunk of the tree, the owners not daring to trust to any less difficult means of ascent.

We now ask ourselves why the natives chose to live in such small and inconvenient dwellings, when there was ample space on the fertile ground for a village. Moselekatze was the cause. His armed hordes, with their wonderful discipline, had swept over the country, destroyed all military power, carried off the cattle, in which consists the wealth of the South African killed many warriors, and disarmed the rest. Under these circumstances, the wild beasts began to increase in number and audacity, and the enfeebled members of the tribe were, perforce, obliged to abandon their ordinary mode of life, and to reside among the branches where the lions could not reach them. During the day they were tolerably safe, but at night they retired to the trees.

In one of these aerial huts Mr. Moffatt passed the night, having previously shot a rhinoceros, and put the hump into a deserted ant-hill which was used as an oven. During the night the lions came and did their best to devour the meat, the savoury smell of which attracted them on all sides. Fortunately

for the travellers, the oven was too hot for the lions, and although they growled and snarled over it all night, they dared not attack it, and retired in the morning. The chief food of the people who inhabit these huts consisted of locusts and roots, for their cattle were gone, they could not make fences wherein to inclose a patch of cultivated ground, the lions had driven away the smaller game, and the few weapons which had escaped Moselekatze were insufficient for the slaughter of the larger and more powerful animals.

CHAPTER XXVII.

FEATHERED BRANCH-BUILDERS.

The Rook and its nesting-place-Materials and structure of the nest-Some habits of the Rook-The CROW-Difference between the nest of the Rook and the Crow The HERON and its mode of nidification-The Heronry at Walton Hall-Rustic ideas respecting the Heron's nest-The CHAFFINCH-Locality and structure of its beautiful nest Mode of obtaining materials — The GOLDFINCH and its home-Distinction between the nests of the Goldfinch and Chaffinch-The BULLFINCH-Locality and form of its nest-Variability of structure-The BLUE-EYED YELLOW WARBLER-Curious materials of its nest-Its remarkable habits-The BALD-HEADED EAGLE-Why so calledWilson and Audubon's account of its nest - The GOLDEN ORIOLE and its beautiful nest Mode of catching the bird - The RED-WINGED STARLING, its value and demerits-Its gregarious habits-Locality and structure of its nest-The YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT and its odd ways-Its courage and affection for its nest and young-Structure of its nest-The RINGDOVE and its curious nest-The WHITETHROAT-Description of the locality and structure of the nest-Reasons for its various popular names-The MOCKING BIRD-The WATER-HEN and its nesting-Its habit of covering the eggs.

WE pass now to the many birds which build their nests on branches of trees or shrubs, and which may therefrom be termed AERIAL BUILDERS. A vast proportion of the feathered tribes select branches as a site for their habitation, so that only the remarkable examples will be mentioned or figured.

PERHAPS the most conspicuous of all ordinary branch-nests are those which are made by the Rooks and the Crows.

Every one has seen the nests of the former of these two birds. They are large, dark, and are placed upon the topmost boughs of the tree, so that they can be seen at a considerable distance. Their position is evidently intended as a safeguard against the attacks of various enemies, among which the bird-nesting boy is pre-eminently the most dangerous. Scarcely would the boughs endure the weight of a cat or monkey, and so slender are they in many cases, that the spectator wonders how they can support