CONTENTS 



PAGE 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xvii 



LITERATURE ON THE DANCING MOUSE xix 



CHAPTER I 



CHARACTERISTICS, ORIGIN, AND HISTORY i 



Peculiarities of the dancing mouse Markings and method 

 of keeping record of individuals The dancer in China and 

 Japan (Kishi, Mitsukuri, Hatai) Theories concerning the 

 origin of the race : selectional breeding ; the inheritance of 

 an acquired character ; mutation, inheritance, and selectional 

 breeding; pathological changes; natural selection In- 

 stances of the occurrence of dancers among other kinds of 

 mice Results of crossing dancer with other kinds of mice. 



CHAPTER II 

 .FEEDING, BREEDING, AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE YOUNG . 16 



Methods of keeping and caring for dancers Cages, nest- 

 boxes, and materials for nest Cleansing cages Food 

 supply and feeding Importance of cleanliness, warmth, and 

 pure food Relations of males and females, fighting The 

 young, number in a litter Care of young Course of de- 

 velopment Comparison of young of dancer with young of 

 common mouse Diary account of the course of develop- 

 ment of a typical litter of dancers. 



CHAPTER III 



BEHAVIOR : DANCE MOVEMENTS 29 



Dancing Restlessness and excitability Significance of 

 restlessness Forms of dance : whirling, circling, and figure- 

 eights Direction of whirling and circling: right whirlers, 

 left whirlers, and mixed whirlers Sex differences in danc- 

 ing Time and periodicity of dancing Influence of light 

 on activity Necessity for prolonged observation of behavior. 



