WILD MICE. ral 
tle creatures inhabit the low, wet meadows in great num- 
bers. When the heavy rains of autumr drive them out, 
they move to higher and drier ground, and look for some 
hillock, or old ant-hill, under which to dig their home. In 
digging they scratch rapidly with the fore-feet a few times, 
and then throw back the earth to a great distance with the 
hind-feet, frequently loosening the dirt with their teeth, and 
pushing it aside with their noses. As the hole grows deep- 
er (horizontally) they will lie on their backs and dig over- 
head, every little while backing slowly out and shoving the 
loose earth to the entrance. These winter burrows are only 
five or six inches below the surface, and sometimes are sim- 
ply hollowed out under a great stone, but are remarkable 
for the numerous and complicated chambers and side pas- 
sages of which they are composed. In one of the largest 
rooms of this subterranean house is placed their winter bed, 
formed of fine dry grasses. Its shape and size are about 
that of a foot-ball, with only a small cavity in the centre, 
entered through a hole in the side, and they creep in as do 
Arctic travellers into their fur-bags. 
“Thou saw the fields laid bare an’ waste, 
An’ weary winter comin’ fast, 
An’ cosy here, beneath the blast 
Thou thought to dwell.” 
