64 DENIZENS OF THE DESERT 



denly thrown forward, but as quickly* thrown 

 backward when landing. 



They are easily trapped, and recently I 

 caught a little fellow in a box trap and for a few 

 days kept him a captive in order that I might 

 more closely observe some of his habits. As 

 soon as he found himself in the cage, he made a 

 careful inspection of it to find an exit. But dis- 

 covering none, he sat down on his haunches, 

 grabbed his whiskers in his forepaws, and 

 stroked them like an old man in deep thought, 

 and I could imagine him saying to himself: 

 " Now-let-me-see. What am I to do next?" 

 At another time I found him with his tail 

 brought forward beneath his haunches on 

 which he was sitting. All of a sudden he 

 grasped its end with his forepaws and with a 

 very funny motion began running his hands 

 over it, the movement much resembling the 

 reverse of that made by a man when climbing 

 a rope; this over, he cleaned his whiskers and 

 ran off into the corner. 



Mice are a humble folk, but a diligent, assidu- 

 ous people. I have never seen creatures that 

 could work more unremittingly when once 



