WILD MICE. 81 



an enormous number, and keep up the slaughter through 

 the whole year; for when the loggerhead shrike retreats 

 southward in the autumn, the great northern shrike comes 

 from British America to supply his place through the win- 

 ter. Then all the hawks, from the nimble little sharp-shin- 

 ned to the great swooping buzzard, -prey upon mice, and 

 in winter hover day after day over the knolls where they 

 have been driven by floods in the surrounding lowlands, 

 pouncing upon every one that is imprudent enough to 

 show his black eyes above ground. As for the marsh- 

 hawk, it regularly quarters the low fields like a harrier, and 

 .eats little but mice. The owls, too, are constantly after 

 them, hunting them day and night, on the prairies and in 

 the woods, esteeming them fine food for the four owlets in 

 the hollow tree hard by; while the sand-hill crane and 

 some of the herons make a regular business of seeking the 

 underground homes, and digging out the timorous fugitives 

 with their pick-axe beaks. In addition to all the rest, the 

 farmer everywhere persecutes the mouse, as a pest to his, 

 orchards and crops. 



Has the poor little animal, then, no friends whatever ? 

 Very few, except his own endurance and cunning; yet he 

 is already so numerous, and increases so rapidly, that all his 

 enemies have not been able to rid the earth of him, but 



