A HERMIT'S WILD FRIENDS 



coats to a dark lead color, which they retain 

 until the first moult. 



The white-footed mouse will eat about 



everything edible found in the woods. It is 



) . fond of mushrooms, and never, like human 



/I)lt ' i t Moi beings, eats of the poisonous varieties. I am 



sorry to state that it will eat young birds if 



small and helpless. It eats insects, berries, 



seeds, nuts, bread, cheese, and all kinds of 



meat. 



It stores up food for winter in holes in the 



ground and in hollow trees and logs. The 



-TV mice about my cabin store food in anything 



*-}-> that comes handy. I sometimes find a shoe 



half-full of nuts and corn. 



The white-footed mouse makes an interest- 

 ing pet when caged. One that reared a family 

 in captivity afforded me many proofs of in- 

 telligence. 



When the cabin was too cold for the little 

 ones she made them warm and cozy in a glob- 

 ular nest. If the temperature went up she 

 removed the top of the nest, and if the heat 

 from the stove fell directly into the cage she 

 134 



