Field-Mice. 



Ill 



The species are abundantly distributed throughout the continent, and 

 are known by the name white-footed and hamster-mice in the Northern, 

 red and long-tailed mice in the Middle, cotton and rice field mice in the 

 Southern, and prairie-mice in the Western States. They are all eminently 

 injurious, and in some sections are a great nuisance. 





The White-footed Mouse {Hesperomys leucopus) is very generally known 

 in New England and the North. It often takes up a residence in dwelling- 

 houses, where it has all the habits of the common brown mouse. It does 

 considerable mischief in nurseries of young trees by gnawing off the tender 

 bark, and eating the young buds ; but as it lives more generally in fields 

 and meadows, in long grass and weeds, than in cultivated grounds, it is 

 less troublesome than the arvicolinae. 



The white-footed mouse builds a large nest, usually in the branches or 

 hollow trunk of a tree. It often occupies a deserted bird's nest, which it 

 enlarges to meet the wants of its family. It is more prolific than the pre- 

 ceding, having two or three litters of six or eight young in the year. 



The most important group of the mice is the arvicolinae, in which are 

 included all our short-tailed meadow or field mice, — Anncola. These are 

 distinguished by their short, thick body; short tail, usually less than half 



