WILD MICE 119 



for a few moments, when all was still. " There," 

 I said, "that mouse is dead." Presently the rat- 

 tling of the trap recommenced, and continued so 

 long at short intervals that going to sleep was 

 out of the question. I fancied the mouse was 

 too strong for the trap, so I went upstairs to 

 investigate. The captive was dead; sure enough, 

 and I was more puzzled than ever. On examin- 

 ing him closely, I found the fur on his back was 

 wet and much rumpled. I concluded, therefore, 

 that his companions had seized him there, and 

 had been tugging away at him to drag him out 

 of the trap, causing the rattling I had heard. 

 No other explanation seems probable. 



The least mammal in our woods is the little 

 mouse - like shrew, scarcely more than three 

 inches long, tail and all. And it is the shyest 

 and least known. One gets a glimpse of it 

 only at rare intervals, while sitting or standing 

 motionless in the woods. There is a slight 

 rustle under the leaves, and you may see a tiny 

 form dart across a little opening in the leafy 

 carpet. Its one dread seems to be exposure to 

 the light. If it were watched and waited for by 

 a hundred enemies, it could hardly be more hur- 

 ried and cautious in its movements. And when 

 once captured and fairly exposed to the light, 



