130 The White-Footed Mouse 



corn and singing his beautiful solo. I observed him 

 without interruption for ten minutes, not over four 

 feet from him. His song was not a chirp, but a con- 

 tinuous song of musical tone, a kind of to-wit-to-wee- 

 woo-woo-wee-'woo, quite varied in pitch." 



This does not mean necessarily that the white- 

 footed mice as a species are musical or that they have 

 any considerable vocal power. I believe, on the con- 

 trary, that they are nearer mutes attracting attention 

 by drumming with their toes, a habit similar to the 

 " thumping" of rabbits. 



In spite of midnight revels and feasts upon beech- 

 nuts and grain, the existence of the white-footed 

 mouse is one of eternal and anxious vigilance; its 

 bright eyes must be ever on the watch for the shadow 

 of hawk and owl, whose descent means swift and 

 silent death; its sharp ears must be ever listening 

 for the slightest stirring among the leaves, which may 

 herald the coming of its dread enemy the weasel. 



I was once passing through a thicket, when an 

 unfamiliar sound caused me to stop to listen. Peer- 

 ing through the brush I discovered a screech owl 

 standing on the side of an old bird's nest, only a 

 short distance ahead of me. It was after sundown, 

 but the light was sufficient to enable me to see objects 

 quite distinctly some distance away. The little owl 



