320 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



several repetitions of it. After this, without at all arresting the singing, she re- 

 turned to the large compartment, sat upright, resumed again the grand role, and 

 put into it some variations of execution which astonished me. One measure, I 

 rememher, was so silvery and soft that I said, to a lady who was listening, that a 

 canary able to execute that would be worth a hundred dollars. I occasionally 

 detected what I am utterly unable to explain a literal dual sound (a rollicking 

 chuckling), very like a boy, whistling as he runs, drawing a stick along the pick- 

 ets of a fence. So the music went on, as I listened, watch in hand, until actu- 

 ally nine minutes had elapsed ! Now, the wonderful fact is, that the rest be- 

 tween the roles was never much more than for a second of time ; and, during all 

 this singing, the muscles could be seen in vigorous action, through the entire 

 length of the abdomen. This feat would be impossible to a professional singer ; 

 and the nearest to it that I have heard was the singing of a wild mocking-bird 

 in a grove." 



The point which I think I have demonstrated elsewhere in this 

 matter is, the invalidity of the position taken by some, that the singing 

 faculty of these little creatures is due to a diseased condition. The 

 specimen above dwelt on has been for a whole year at least in perfect 

 health. It now appears, from a late number of the Naturalist, that a 

 gentleman in Maryland amused himself in breeding white mice, in the 

 hope of raising a singer. After raising several hundred, he procured 

 one that manifested a little musical ability. It sang in six months 

 about half a dozen times. He says that it is in perfect health, and 

 that its offspring are the largest and the finest, and that it is an 

 amiable, playful little pet. This was a domestic mouse, and at best 

 but a very moderate singer. But Hespie differs in all respects. She 

 is the wild wood-mouse, and an incessant singer, and one of very 

 remarkable parts in musical ability. She has also many interesting 

 differences pertaining to habits and food. Cheese is not relished by 

 her ; but insects and grass are choice morsels. Her greatest luxuries 

 are worms, and maggots out of nuts and fruit. She will take an earth- 

 worm into her little hands, and, holding it up to her mouth at one end, 

 will cause it to gradually shorten and disappear, as some bipeds from 

 Faderland might dispatch a favorite sausage. Her agility in catching 

 flies is wonderful ; she leaps at the object, and rarely misses a catch. 



A singular fact is this : she is subject to occasional attacks of nos- 

 talgia. They are brought about in this way : For her health, as well 

 as for our comfort, the cage must be regularly cleansed. This is at all 

 times annoying to her. But occasionally the little bed of cotton-wool, 

 in a small box in her large compartment, is taken out, and burnt, and 

 a new one is supplied. This occurs about once a month, and invaria- 

 bly this change of bed is followed by a day or two of homesickness. 

 She is unhappy, seems not to like the situation, tears her bed up, pulls 

 it out, then pulls it in, in part, and goes off somewhere, and lies down, 

 a habit she does not like to indulge in outside of the privacy of her 

 little box. The tiny being is undoubtedly sick, and has not much ap- 

 petite. After at most two days, she becomes reconciled, and is as 



