THE HARVEST MOUSE. 27 I 



The Harvest Mice are observed to be most 

 abundant about the month of September, when the 

 young ones are large and strong enough to run 

 about. The females build their nest amongst the 

 straws of the corn, above the ground, and some- 

 times in thistles. This nest is round and compact, 

 composed of blades of corn and grass, and is gene- 

 rally found to contain about eight young ones. 

 One of the nests is thus described by Mr. White of 

 Selborne. " It was most artificially platted, and 

 composed of blades of wheat; perfectly round, and 

 about the size of a cricket-ball ; with the aperture 

 so ingeniously closed, that there was no discover- 

 ing to what part it belonged. It was so compact 

 and well filled, that it would roll across the table 

 without being discomposed, though it contained 

 eight young Mice that were naked and blind. As 

 this nest was perfectly full, how could the dam come 

 at her litter respectively, so as to administer a teat to 

 each ? Perhaps she opens different places for that 

 purpose, adjusting them again when the business is 

 over ; but she could not possibly be contained her- 

 self in the ball with her young, which, moreover, 

 would be daily increasing in bulk. This wonderful 

 procreant cradle, an elegant specimejj of the efforts 

 of instinct, was found in a wheat-field, suspended 

 in the head of a thistle*/' 



White's Works in Natural History, i. p. 59. 



THE 



