MAMMALS. 1 3 1 



locating his victim, and the dexterity of his move- 

 ments, were subjects for wonder. 



It is said that a mole cannot live for more 

 than twelve hours without food, and from personal 

 experience I am inclined to credit the statement 



Although most people, and especially women, 

 appear to abhor house-mice, they are pretty little 

 creatures, with interesting ways, which we seldom 

 have an opportunity of studying on account of their 

 cunning and timidity, brought about by a long, 

 long period of persecution. A year or two ago 

 I had a mouse in my office which used to come 

 out of its hole and scamper all over the room 

 during the luncheon-hour when I had no callers 

 and all was quiet. One day I placed a bit ot 

 cheese inside my leather hand-bag, and, opening 

 it, thrust the end of a stick of lead-pencil in the 

 gape just by the hinge, with one end protruding, 

 so that 1 could quickly snatch it out and allow 

 the bag to close. When all was still he came 

 out of his hiding-place and ran round and round 

 the bag several times, then jumped upon it and 

 sat for ever such a while, and eyed first me 

 and then the cheese, as much as to say, " No tricks 

 now ; is it fair and square ? " Finally, he popped 

 inside, but instantly sprang out again to see if all 

 was right. The next time he went in he stayed 

 and, creeping up on tiptoe I very quietly snatched 

 the pencil away, and the bag closed and made 

 him a prisoner. Did I kill him? Not a bit of it, 



