32 The Dancing Mouse 



observed similar behavior in an albino dog which was deaf. 

 This suggestion is not absurd, for it seems quite probable 

 that the dancer has to depend for the guidance of its move- 

 ments upon sense data which are relatively unimportant in 

 the common mouse, and that by its varied and restless move- 

 ments it does in part make up for its deficiency in sense 

 equipment. 



The dancing, waltzing, or circus course movement, as it 

 is variously known, varies in form from moment to moment. 

 Now an individual moves its head rapidly from side to side, 

 perhaps backing a little at the same time, now it spins around 

 like a top with such speed that head and tail are almost in- 

 distinguishable, now it runs in circles of from 5 cm. to 30 cm. 

 in diameter. If there are any objects in the cage about 

 or through which it may run, they are sure to direct the 

 expression of activity. A tunnel or a hole in a box calls forth 

 endless repetitions of the act of passing through. When two 

 individuals are in the same cage, they frequently dance to- 

 gether, sometimes moving in the same direction, sometimes 

 in opposite directions. Often, as one spins rapidly about a 

 vertical axis, the other runs around the first in small circles; 

 or again, both may run in a small circle in the same direction, 

 so that their bodies form a living ring, which, because of the 

 rapidity of their movements, appears perfectly continuous. 

 The three most clearly distinguishable forms of dance are 

 (i) movement in circles with all the feet close together under 

 the body, (2) movement in circles, which vary in diameter 

 from 5 cm. to 30 cm., with the feet spread widely, and 

 (3) movement now to the right, now to the left, in figure- 

 eights (oo ). For convenience of reference these types of 

 dance may be called whirling, circling, and the -figure eight 

 dance. Zoth, in an excellent account of the behavior of the 

 dancer (31 p. 156), describes "manege movements," "solo 



