CHAPTER III 

 BEHAVIOR: DANCE MOVEMENTS 



THE peculiarities of behavior of the dancing mouse are 

 responsible alike for the widespread interest which it has 

 aroused, and for its name. In a little book on fancy varieties 

 of mice, in which there is much valuable information con- 

 cerning the care of the animals, one who styles himself "An 

 old fancier" writes thus of the behavior of the dancer: "I 

 believe most people have an idea that the waltzing is a stately 

 dance executed on the hind feet; this is not so. The per- 

 former simply goes round and round on all fours, as fast as 

 possible, the head pointing inwards. The giddy whirl, after 

 continuing for about a dozen turns, is then reversed in direc- 

 tion, and each performance usually occupies from one to 

 two minutes. Whether it is voluntary or not, is difficult to 

 determine, but I am inclined to think the mouse can refrain 

 if it wishes to do so, because I never see them drop any food 

 they may be eating, and begin to waltz in the midst of their 

 meal. The dance, if such it can be called, generally seizes 

 the mouse when it first emerges from its darkened sleeping 

 place, and this would lead one to suppose that the light con- 

 veys an impression of shock to the brain, through the eyes, 

 which disturbs the diseased centers and starts the giddy 

 gyrations. The mice can walk or run in a fairly straight line 

 when they wish to do so." Some of the old fancier's state- 

 ments are true, others are mere guesses. Those who have 

 studied the mice carefully will doubtless agree that he has 

 not adequately described the various forms of behavior of 



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