232 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. 



reading in bed at night; and was on one occasion awoke 

 by feeling a sharp bite on his cheek, when he discovered 

 the curtains of his bed to be on fire. He made his escape, 

 but his house was burnt down, and he saw no more of his 

 rat. He was, however, convinced, and remained so for the 

 rest of his life, that his old companion had saved him from 

 being burnt to death, by biting his cheek ; and thus making 

 him aware of his danger. 



The Mouse. The mouse is a much more popular animal 

 than the rat, though taking its size and numbers into account 

 it is scarcely less destructive. No one weeps when the rat 

 suffers capital punishment, but many a tear has been shed 

 over a "dear little mouse". The house mouse is too well 

 known to need description. Like rats, mice appear to act in 

 companies, either under leadership or by common consent. 

 Mrs. Bowdich describes a number of mice which she observed 

 during an illness frequently emerge from her bed-room closet 

 and gravely form themselves into a circle and apparently 

 hold a council. That they frequently combine to effect 

 purposes which they are unable to accomplish singly is well 

 known. Mrs. Bowdich describes an attempt made by a 

 combined force of mice to get possession of the dainties 

 provided for her as she approached convalescence. These 

 were placed under tin covers upon a chest of drawers, and 

 the mice were evidently of opinion that if they could only 

 climb to the top of these covers they would find them open 

 like a basin, and so effect an entry. Unable to gain a footing 

 on the smooth metal sides, " they mounted upon each other's 

 shoulders and so accomplished the feat", though Like arctic 

 explorers they failed to find an open sea and were compelled 

 to return with disappointment. An organised attempt to 

 remove a cover from the bottom, when, on one occasion, it 

 had not been firmly set down, resulted in an accident similar 

 to those incident to human engineering, for the cover slipped 

 and many tiny hands were severely pinched. After this 



