The Kangaroo Rat 



him a fairy. When I saw him I said, " Why, 



it's only a Kangaroo Rat." But after I had 



watched him a couple of weeks in the cage I 



realized fully that millions of little creatures 



with such energy, working for thousands of 



years, could not but change the whole surface 



of a country, by letting in the frost and rain, as 



well as by their own work. Then I was obliged 



to concede that Perodipus was more than Rat 



or Brownie ; he was nothing less than a Geo- §>v ^ 



logical Epoch. f~'} '»"" 1 \'\ 



H fry A *S 



iv r^LU. Ay ^nN— 



There was one more lesson, a great surprise, 

 in store for me. It is well known to scientists 

 that the common House-mouse has a song not 

 unlike that of some Birds. Occasionally gifted 

 individuals are found that fill our closet or 

 cellar with midnight music that a Canary might 

 be proud of. Further investigations have shown 

 that the common Deer-mouse of the Eastern 

 woods also is a gifted vocalist. 



Now, any cow-boy on the upland plains will 

 tell you that at night, when sleeping out, he has 



253 



