558 “ SINGING ” MOUSE. 
one is in use, the other is getting dry after being thoroughly washed. Any soft substance, 
such as hay, cotton wool, or rags will suftice for their bedding ; but I have found that 
black cotton wool, or black “ ws adding,” as it is sometimes termed, is fatal to Mice in the 
course of a single night. Why it should be so I cannot venture to guess, but that such is 
the case I have had ‘practical experience, 
Mice are cunning creatures, and when they once have taken alarm at a trap, cannot be 
induced to put themselves within such peril, no matter how strong the inducement may 
be. Fora while it is possible to entrap them by changing the kind of bait as soon as 
they have begun to learn the result of eating that particular substance ; but in a few 
weeks the trap must be entirely removed until the animals have forgotten it. 
It is a marvellously prolific aninal, producing its young several times in the course of 
the year, and at a very early age. The nests are made in any sheltered spot, and formed 
from any soft substance, such as rags, paper, or wool, that the mother can procure. On 
taking wp some boards in my own room, I once found a Mouse-nest nearly as large as a 
man’s head, composed wholly of scraps of paper, and containing six or seven tiny red, 
semi-transparent mouselets, through whose little bodies one could almost see the substance 
of the nest on which they were lying. Another Mouse-nest which I discovered, was made 
in an old disused harmonicon, which had been put away in a cupboard, and was filled by 
the Mice with empty nutshells, the refuse of a bag of hazel-nuts which had been placed in 
the same cupboard; no very enviable bed, as one would fancy, arid the reason for its 
construction not at all obvious. 
3efore closing this account of the common Mouse, a few words are due to the “Singing 
Mice,” concerning whose musical accomplishments the scientific world is rather at issue, 
some persons thinking the song to be nothing more than a symptom of bronchitis, and 
others believing it to be voluntarily produced by the imitative powers of the performers. 
Ina letter to the /%eld newspaper, one of the correspondents gives a curious instance of 
“singing” which favours the former of these suppositions. A Mouse had been caught in 
a trap with weak springs, and being half choked by the wire pressing on its neck, gave 
vent to a twittering or chirruping not unlike that of a small bird. Other correspondents, 
however, who have met with examples of singing Mice, seem rather to incline to the 
opinion that the musical sound is produced by healthy animals, and is not owing to disease. 
A very interesting letter on this subject has been sent to me by the Rev. R. Th _Bampfield, 
of Little Barfield, in Essex, and seems also to favour the latter supposition. By the kind 
permission of the writer, I am enabled to present the account to the reader, and will 
_ leave him to come to his own conclusions on the subject. 
“Tn a former residence of mine, some Mice took up their abode behind the wainscot 
in the kitchen. From motives which few housekeepers would appreciate, we allowed 
them to remain undisturbed ; and most merry, cheerful little creatures they were. 
It seemed to us that a young brood was being carefully educated ; but they did not 
learn all their accomplishments from their parents. In the kitchen hung a good singing 
canary, and we observed that by degrees the chirp of the Mice changed into an exact 
imitation of the canary’s song; at least it was so with one, for though + several attempted 
it, one considerably excelled the rest. I am not sure that admiration of the music 
influenced them, for from the funny facetious way in which it was done, I should rather 
say it was out of mockery, or at least from a love of imitation. Yet the result was very 
pleasing; far inferior to the canary’s note in volume, strength, and sweetness, it was, 
perhaps, superior to it in softness and delicacy. 
Often have I listened to it with pleasure in the evening, when the canary was asleep 
with its head beneath its wing; and more than once have I ee a kitchen- -guest 
elance at the canary, then look round in some astonishment and say, ‘Is that a bird, sir, 
singing?’ One trustworthy person assured me that he too had had in his house a 
similar ‘Singing Mouse.’ I have, therefore, little doubt that if a young family of Mice 
were brought up from the first close to a canary or some other songster, some of them 
would learn to sing.” 
I have also been favoured with an account of a young singing .rat, which 
endeavoured to imitate the sounds produced by a piping-bullfinch and an ordinary 
