THE HARVEST MOUSE. 



99 



thus the common organs of perception, hearing, seeing, 

 smelling, are precluded from action : but by the sensi- 

 bility of the spines, he seems fully acquainted with 

 every danger that may threaten him ; and upon any 

 attempt to uncoil himself, if these spines be touched, 

 he immediately retracts, assuming his globular form 

 again, awaiting a more secure period "for retreat : 



A, A, are spines of the hedgehog enlarged ; 



S, a segment, to show the numerous tubes of communication. 



The harvest mouse (mus messorius) in some seasons 

 is common with us, but, like other species of mice, 

 varies much in the numbers found. I have seen their 

 nests as late as the middle of September, containing 

 eight young ones entirely filling the little interior cavity. 

 These nests vary in shape, being round, oval, or pear- 

 shaped, with a long neck, and are to be distinguished 

 from those of any other mouse, by being generally sus- 

 pended on some growing vegetable, a thistle, a bean- 

 stalk, or some adjoining stems of wheat, with which it 

 rocks and waves in the wind ; but to prevent the young 

 from being dislodged by any violent agitation of the 

 plant, the parent closes up the entrance so uniformly, 

 with the whole fabric, that the real opening is with 

 difficulty found. 



