A WILDERNESS IN NEW YORK 11 



Although it will eat Indian corn and grain of all 

 kinds, such material appears to form but a small 

 part of the mouse's diet. I have examined many 

 storehouses of the white-footed mouse, and never 

 yet discovered either wheat or corn in them, not- 

 withstanding the fact that the stores examined 

 were many of them located in the thickets border- 

 ing both corn and wheat fields. 



When Indian corn is left standing in stacks late 

 into the fall or winter, I must acknowledge that 

 the good judgment of the deer mouse often causes 

 it to select the stacks for a place to locate its 

 winter residence; the perfect shelter, abundant 

 food, and soft silk for nestmaking offer induce- 

 ments not to be overlooked by such a practical 

 mind. The damage done the farmer, however, is 

 so slight as not to be worthy of attention. As a 

 pet the white-footed mouse will be found to pos- 

 sess a timid and gentle nature, which, combined 

 with his small, agile, form, brown back, white 

 belly, delicate pink and white feet, and large, lus- 

 trous eyes, will seldom fail to win the affection 

 of any one who cares for him. The pair that were 

 captured in the muskrat house made willing cap- 

 tives, and lived contentedly in a high narrow cage 

 built for them of wire netting. 



A NEST OF THE SUMMER YELLOW BIRD 



still resting in the fork of maple in which it was 

 originally built, was fastened by wires to the side 

 of the cage near the top. The mice took imme- 



