THE FIELD MOUSE. 219 



Description, &c. 



THE FIELD MOUSE, 



THIS little animal is well known in all the 

 temperate parts of Europe; where it frequents 

 dry and elevated fields or woods. It is about 

 four inches and a half in length, exclusive of the 

 tail, which measures nearly four inches more. 

 Its colour is a yellowish brown above, and whitish 

 on the under parts. The eyes are full, black, 

 and lively. 



Mice have received their appellation from the 

 circumstance of their being found only in fields 

 and gardens. They live in burrows, twelve or 

 fourteen inches under ground; where they lay 

 up considerable quantities of acorns, nuts, beech- 

 mast, &.c. According to Buffon, a bushel of 

 these substances has been sometimes found in a 

 single hole. Their habitations are commonly 

 divided into two apartments; the one for living 

 in with their young, and the other as a store- 

 room for their provisions. Their nests may be 

 easily discovered by the small heaps of mould 

 thrown up at the entrance of their runs, which 

 lead by winding paths to the magazine. 



The Rev. G. White relates a singular instance 

 of sagacity in one of these animals, which occur- 

 red one day, as his servants were pulling off the 

 lining of a hot-bed, in order to add some fresh 

 dung. From out of the side of this bed, leaped 

 something with great agility, that made a most 

 I 



