220 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Instance of sagacity. 



grotesque figure, and was not taken without much 

 difficulty; when it proved to be a large field 

 mouse with three or four young clinging to her 

 teats by their mouths and feet. It was amazing 

 that the desultory and rapid motions of the datn 

 did not oblige her litter to quit their hold, espe- 

 cially when it appeared that they were so young 

 as to be both naked and blind. 



Field mice are very prolific; breeding more 

 than once a-year, and often producing litters of 

 dght or ten at a time. The nest for their young 

 is generally made near the surface of the ground, 

 nd often in a thick tuft of grass. 



THE HARVEST MOUSE. 



THIS diminutive animal which hitherto ap- 

 pears to have been only found in Hampshire, is 

 somewhat of a squirrel colour; with a white 

 belly, having a straight line along the sides di- 

 viding the shades of the back and belly. 



One of the nests of these little quadrupeds was 

 procured by the Rev. Mr. White. It was most 

 artificially platted, and composed of blades of 

 wheat: perfectly round, and about the size of 

 a cricket-ball; with the aperture so ingeniously 

 closed, that there was no discovering to what 

 part it belonged. It was so compact and well 

 filled that it would roll across a table without 

 being discomposed, though it contained eight 



