TENANTS OF WINTER BIRDS' NESTS 49 



will find a replica of the gray squirrel's nest, only, 

 of course, much smaller. This handiwork of the 

 white-footed or deer mouse can be found in almost 

 every field or tangle of undergrowth ; the nest of 

 a field sparrow or catbird being used as a founda- 

 tion and thickly covered over and tightly thatched 

 with leaves. Now and then, even in mid-winter, 

 we may find the owner at home, and as the weasel 

 is the most bloodthirsty, so the deer mouse is the 

 most beautiful and gentle of all the fur-coated folk 

 of our woods. With his coat of white and pale 

 golden brown and his great black, lustrous eyes, 

 and his timid, trusting ways, he is altogether 

 lovable. 



He spends the late summer and early autumn 

 in his tangle-hung home, but in winter he gen- 

 erally selects a snug hollow log, or some cavity 

 in the earth. Here he makes a round nest of fine 

 grass and upon a couch of thistledown he sleeps 

 in peace, now and then waking to partake of the 

 little hoard of nuts which he has gathered, or he 

 may even dare to frolic about upon the snow in 

 the cold winter moonlight, leaving behind him no 

 trace, save the fairy tracery of his tiny footprints. 



Wee, sleekit, cow'rin', timorous beastie, 

 0, what a panic's in thy breastie! 

 Thou need na start awa sae hasty, 



Wi* bickering brattle ! 

 I wad be laith to rin an' chase thee, 

 Wi* murd'ring prattle! 



Robert Burns. 



