THE DOMESTIC MOUSE. 



Mus Musculus. -LiNN. 

 PLATE XXV. 



Ears about half the length of the head ; tail a little 

 shorter than the head and body ; general colour of the up- 

 per parts greyish-brown, of the lower yellowish-grey. 



Mus Musculus, Linn. Syst. Nat. I. 83 ; Desmar. Mammal. 301 ; 

 Jenyns, Brit. Vert. Anim. 31 ; Bell, Brit. Quadr. 308. 



FROM the Rats to the Domestic Mouse the transition 

 is rather abrupt, if we look to the size of these ani- 

 mals, but not so if we have regard to form, for the 

 Mouse is but a small edition of the Rat, although 

 its head is proportionally less elongated than that of 

 the black species. Its body is moderately full, its 

 neck short, its head tapering, with the muzzle rather 

 pointed, its eyes prominent and of moderate size, 

 its ears very broad and rounded. The legs are 

 short, the feet delicate, the tail about a sixth part 

 shorter than the head and body. The mystachial 

 bristles are numerous, very long, and slender; the 



