THE WHITE -FOOTED MOUSE 



the winter months the mice about my cabin 

 look to me for food. By catering to their 

 wants I have mastered their calls for food and 

 water. I keep a loaf of bread on the floor, 

 and it is no unusual thing to see a dozen mice 

 eating and fighting around the food. When- 

 ever I forget to supply the bread, the mice 

 come out of their nests and drum the long 

 roll, the call over their telephone, to attract 

 my attention. If I am reading or writing 

 and do not heed the call, they continue the 

 long roll, drumming on books, tinware, papers, 

 and on the wooden shelves. The moment I 

 look up or speak, all hands drum the food- 

 call, a long followed by a short roll. 



The call for water is two short rolls. The 

 danger-call is two long rolls drummed rapidly 

 and vigorously. The young mice learn to 

 drum when nearly full-grown, but understand 

 and answer the drumming of the mother- 

 mouse when quite young. I have had proof 

 of this more times than I can remember. 



An old mouse, a pet of long standing, on 

 cool nights takes her family to the roof of the 

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