THE MOUSE. 



557 



Like the rat, it frequents both town and country, doing an infinity of damage in the 

 former, but comparatively little harm in the latter. In the country it attaches itself 

 mostly to farmyards, where it gains access to the ricks, and when once firmly established, 

 is not so easily dislodged as its larger relative the rat. However, if the rick be kept 

 under cover, the Mice cannot make any lengthened stay, for the cover keeps off the 

 rain, on which they chiefly depend for drink, and they are then obliged to leave the 

 stack in search of water. If the rick be placed on staddles, it will be then safe from 

 these little pests. 



In the town they are not so objectionable as in the country, for they can only annoy 

 the human inhabitants, and cannot inflict real damage upon them. They are bold little 

 creatures in their way, although easily startled ; and, if permitted to carry out their noisy 

 sports undisturbed, run about an inhabited room with perfect nonchalance. The walls 

 of many of the college rooms at Oxford are papered over canvas, and the Mice run 

 scuffling and squeaking between the canvas and the plaster as if they were the legitimate 



COMMON MOUSE. Mas Musculus. (Brown, White, and Pied) varieties. 



owners of the place, and the tenants were only located there in order to cater for their 

 benefit. Many a wall is riddled with holes that have been made by the irritated ocur- 

 pants making furious lunges with a toasting-fork always unsuccessful, by the way at 

 the noisy little creatures as they scurry about behind the paper. 



They are odd little animals, and full of the quaintest gamesomeness, as may be seen 

 by any one who will only sit quite still and watch them as they run about the room which 

 they specially affect. They are to the full as inquisitive as cats, and will examine any 

 new piece of furniture with great curiosity. 



Mice are very easily tamed, and, as far as my own experience goes, the common brown 

 Mouse is more readily brought under subjection, and more docile, than the white or albino 

 variety. I have kept many a set of Mice, brown, white, and mottled, and have always 

 found them to be very susceptible of kindness. To tame a young brown Mouse is 

 an easy task ; but it must be remembered that, as all Mice are very cleanly animals, 

 the strictest care is needful to rid their cage of all impurity. Their bedding should 

 be constantly changed, and the false floor of their cage should be double, so that while 



