332 



FO UB-FOOTED A MERICANS 



Meadow jNIouse. 



father? More like a Prairie Dog or Woodchuck in 

 shape than like one of its own family." 



"It is a chunky Mouse, but in the great Order of 

 Gnawers to which it belongs, we have many variations 

 of a general plan, and striking contrasts are to be seen, 

 particularly in heads and tails. If you wish to be intro- 

 duced to some of the four-footed nuisance animals now 

 is the time, for these Meadow Mice are as troublesome 

 about the garden and orchard as the rats in the granary, 

 or the House Mouse in the pantry ; and rats and mice are 

 largely responsible for the bad name worn by the entire 

 Order. 



" ' Rats ! 



They fought the dogs and killed the cats, 



And bit the babies in the cradles ; 



And ate the cheeses out of the vats, 



And licked the soup from the cook's own ladles ! 



