218 ANECDOTES OF ANIMALS. 



plaited blades of wheat, split into narrow strips with 

 their teeth ; and in them will often be found nine little 

 mice. These nests are suspended to some stalks or 

 thistles. 



I can bear witness to the possibility of taming mice, 

 for I kept six in a box for several months, which were 

 so well fed that they did not attempt to gnaw their 

 dwelling. I had a sort of little cart constructed for 

 them, with bone buttons for wheels and a packthread 

 harness ; and on being taken out of the box, they re- 

 mained perfectly quiet till the harness was put upon 

 them, and when that was done, they started at full gallop 

 along the top of a square piano. Of course, care was 

 taken to turn them back when they reached the end ; 

 but they soon learned to turn of their own accord, and 

 performed their journey with as much regularity as 

 well -trained horses. Death deprived me of my steeds ; 

 but I suspect it was in consequence of the injudicious 

 cramming which I bestowed upon my favourites. 



During an illness of some weeks' duration, mice were 

 to me a source both of amusement and annoyance ; the 

 former certainly predominated. A wainscot ledge ran 

 round the room in which I lay, and it was their delight 

 to scamper after one another upon this projection ; but 

 us the head of my curtainless bed was close to it, they 

 so frequently diverged on to my face, that I was obliged 

 to have it drawn at least a yard from the wall. Some- 

 times also they dragged away my pocket-handkerchief, 

 which, from not being immediately missed, was not re- 

 covered till sundry holes had been nibbled in it. A 

 small table stood by my bed- side, having on it a basin 

 fall of cold tea, which formed my night beverage. Ou 

 one occasion my light was extinguished, and I heard a 



