MAMMALS OF MINNESOTA. 181 



stump in a clover field, several quarts of clean red clover seed 

 collected by a family of these mice. 



Dr. Samuel Lockwood in the "American Naturalist" for 1871 

 contributes a delightful chapter on the musical capacities of 

 the wood mice. This we quote almost entire as placing the 

 animal before us in vivid and novel light and applying almost 

 as well to the present species. 



"Last spring my friend, Philip Ryall, Esq., brought from 

 Florida a mouse which he had captured in his residence there. 

 He says that for a number of nights a low sound of a more or 

 less musical nature had been heard proceeding, as was sup- 

 posed, from the chimney, and which was very naturally attrib- 

 uted to the chimney swallow. One day a small mouse came 

 from under the hearth into the middle of the floor of the sitting- 

 room, sat up and sang for about a minute and retired. This 

 explained the mystery. Its nightly music and its daily visit 

 were continued, almost invariably, the visit being limited to 

 the same small area of the floor. It was determined to capture 

 the little stranger, which, after many unsuccessful attempts, 

 was finally accomplished. Last June the interesting little fel- 

 low was very kindly passed into my custody. My first concern 

 was to add to its comfort by enlarging its cage, also to provide 

 in every possible way a condition of things suited to its nature. 

 For all this I was amply rewarded in the fine health and the 

 musical performances that followed. 



"*A little study soon determined that the pretty creature 

 belonged to the Vesper mice. It is known by the popular 

 names of Jumping mouse, Wood mouse and White- footed mouse. 

 Our specimen is one of the smallest of its own genus, for the 

 precise species is the one known to naturalists as Hesperomys 

 cognatus Leconte. This fact, so novel, once determined gave 

 additional zest to my purpose to make it an object of especial 

 study. To give it individuality, as it was fast becoming a pet, 

 I named it Hespie, which name, as its object was female, was 

 certainly appropriate. I thought she soon learned to know me, 

 and certainly I soon came to regard her with attachment. Yet, 

 the truth told, she was a pretty, pert and unamiable little miss, 

 and would permit no familiarity, always biting the finger that 

 attempted to touch her. Her animation, agility and graceful- 

 ness of motion were wonderful. Sometimes a fly would enter 

 the cage, when she would spring at and catch it, sometimes 

 with her mouth and at others with her hands. This she would 

 eat with great relish. So uniformly quick were her motions, 



