ALONG FOUR-FOOTED TRAILS 



tiful as many others of their relatives that live 

 throughout the fields and prairies of North 

 America. 



The captured mice I placed in a box made 

 especially for them, the bottom being lined with 

 tin and the sides and top made of wire netting. 

 They were given a plentiful supply of dirt, a 

 few pieces of bark and a small bunch of grass 

 and leaves. They turned out to be very active 

 creatures, seldom being quiet except when eat- 

 ing, or sitting up washing their faces or hands, 

 or when asleep. Many of these delicate little 

 animals die from fright when in captivity. But 

 the two dainty little ones whom fate decreed 

 should walk into my trap were of a more prac- 

 tical frame of mind. They at once explored 

 every portion of the inclosure running up the 

 sides, or along the top, grasping the meshes 

 with their delicate, slender, pink toes. Then 

 they darted down and scampered under the 

 grass and leaves that formed a mass in one cor- 

 ner of the box. The male was a trifle larger 

 than his mate and his black whiskers were longer. 

 He seemed to move in such a serious way and 

 to direct the mouse-doings of their new home ; 



