THE MUSEUM. 



147 



lately. The reduction in prices has 

 caused a great cessation in the amount 

 of trapping. The mink is an enemy 

 of the muskrat, as I once observed in 

 a sanginuary battle in which the mink 

 was victorous through its activity and 

 sharp teeth. Snakes devour the young 

 especially the large water snake, Xat- 

 rix sipcdoii, L. 



I have taken young muskrats from 

 the nest, They are born with their 

 eyes shut, and are able to swim in 

 July, or a little earlier. They do not 

 grow rapidly. 



Lemming Mouse. 

 Synaptomys coopcri, Baird. 

 A rare species in Michigan, but few 

 specimens have been secured. 



Short-tailed Meadow Mouse. 

 Arvicola aiis terns. 



Some claim this species is common 

 in Michigan. Others claim it is rare. 

 The truth is there are very few ob- 

 servers qualified to distinguish between 

 our species. 



Meadow Mouse. 

 Arvicola peujisylvanicus, Ord. 

 Abundant. Usually found about 

 swamps, marshes and low meadows. 

 Never observed on high or sandy soil, 

 that I am aware of. A peculiar, in- 

 teresting species, seen bobbing in and 

 out of holes, bushes and bunches of 

 weeds; with such rapidity that it 

 makes one feel uncertain, occasionally, 

 whether it is a snake, lizard, mouse or 

 shadow. Lives in small burrows us- 

 ually in the ground, but often in dead 

 stumps or hollows and sometimes un- 

 der logs. In early spring when the 

 snow still partially covers the ground 

 or has just disappeared, small nests 

 made of grass are occupied by these 



lirtle fellows. This is a good season 

 to secure specimens. The nest should 

 first be struck smartly with a light 

 board or shingle, and then one may 

 tear open the nest when their chances 

 are about one to four that a stupefied 

 mouse is found. I have never taken 

 more than one in a nest. It seems 

 odd, yet pleasant to contemplate, that 

 although the outside of the nest may 

 be covered with snow, or worse, mud 

 and slush, yet within, the occupier re- 

 clines in a warm, dry cavity, filled with 

 carefully arranged grass blades, and 

 perhaps a few broken leaves. 



Black Rat. 



Mus rattits, L. 



A cosmopolitan species introduced 



from the old world. Very rare here 



now, or more probably extinct, as it is 



killed off by the next species. 



Brown Rat; Norway Rat. 

 Mus deaimamis, Pallas. 

 Abundant, cosmopolitan, and like 

 next, too well known to require notes. 



Common House Mouse. 

 Miis luuscnlus, L. 

 An ubiquitous pest. 



Deer Mouse. 



Caloniys aincricaniis, Kerr. 

 Also called White-footed Mouse. 

 Often observed, from harvest, on 

 through the autumn months. October 

 last finishes its appearance with us 

 generally. It builds beautiful little 

 nests, both on the ground and in the 

 bushes, from three to ten feet or more 

 from the ground. One often sees the 

 little grassy nests in the bushes in win- 

 ter but I have never been able to shake 

 mousie out at that season. He must 

 burrow in winter. Still they do not 



