168 



THE MOUSE. 



perform the office of scavengers by devouring tbe mass of vegetable 

 and animal offal which is daily cast into those subterranean passages, 

 and which would speedily breed a pestilence were it not removed by 

 the ready teeth of the Rats. So that, when kept within proper bounds, 

 the Rat is a most useful animal, and will continue to be so until the 

 drainage of towns is constructed in a different manner. 



Rats are very cleanly animals, always washing themselves after 

 every meal, and displaying the greatest assiduity in making their toilet. 

 They also exhibit considerable delicacy of palate wherever they find a 

 sufficiency of provisions, although they are in no way nice in their diet 

 when pressed by hunger. If, for example, a party of Rats discover an 

 entrance into a butcher's storehouse, they are sure to attack the best 

 parts of the meat, utterly disdaining the neck, the shin, or other coarse 

 pieces. 



There is one peculiarity in the structure of Rats which is worthy of 

 notice. These animals are able not only to ascend a perpendicular 

 tree or wall by the aid of their sharp hooked claws, but also to 

 descend headforemost with perfect ease. In order to enable them 

 to perform this feat, their hind-legs are so made that the feet can 

 be turned outward, and the claws hitched upon any convenient pro- 

 jections. 



However unpromising a subject the Rat may appear, it has often 

 been tamed, and is a very much more educatable animal than could be 

 supposed. It will obey its master's commands with promptitude, and 

 has been known to learn very curious tricks. 



" Y" little vulgar Mouse," as it is quaintly termed by old Topsel, is 

 a truly pretty little creature, with its brown-gray back, gray throat and 



abdomen, soft velvety fur, its lit- 

 tle bright black bead-like eyes, and 

 squirrel-like paws. A detailed 

 description of so familiar an an- 

 imal would be quite unnecessary, 

 and we will therefore proceed to 

 its habits and manners. 



Like the Rat, it frequents both 

 town and country, doing an in- 

 finity of damage in the former, 

 but comparatively little harm in 

 the latter. In the country it at- 



rp . T., , ,, ,,, , taches itself mostly to farmyards, 



Ihe Mouse (i/us MitscuUis). , .^ . ^ . .-, - i 



' where it gams access to the ricks, 



and when once firmly established is not so easily dislodged as its larger 



relative the Rat. However, if the rick be kept under cover, the Mice 



cannot make any lengthened stay, for the cover keeps off the rain, on 



