British Gnawing Mammals 



in the corn-lands, but this is not always the case. Any- 

 suitable herbage answers equally well for this purpose. 

 As winter draws near, these Mice seek shelter in some 

 earthy burrow, where a store of food is laid up against 

 the needs of the season. Here the animals hibernate 

 the greater part of the days of ice and snow, only 

 feeding at odd times, when awakened by a change of 

 temperature. Not a few of these Mice, when driven 

 from the cornfields, secure winter quarters amongst 

 the farmyard ricks, and here they live in peace and 

 plenty until the steam-thrasher sounds on the adjacent 

 ground. While very pretty and entertaining in their 

 ways, these Harvest Mice are inveterate warriors, and 

 give and take no quarter from any of their kith or kin. 

 Not only will they fight tenaciously with one another, 

 but they will kill their opponents, and devour the 

 carcasses with evident gusto. Like the Dormouse, 

 the spring sees the Harvest Mouse a mere shadow 

 of its autumn proportions. It takes only a few weeks, 

 however, to fatten this little animal, and fit it once 

 more for the duties that are its lot, when summer 

 winds shake the loaded heads of the wheat-fields. 



There is another Field Mouse which is almost 

 double the size of the one just named. This is 

 known as the Long-tailed Field Mouse, or Wood 

 Mouse. These two titles are, perhaps, necessary, for 

 the fact is, the animal takes as readily to the field as to 

 the wood. There can be no mistaking this Mouse, 



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