THE COMMON MOUSE. 389 



It is therefore evident that the Mouse has no fear of light, but 

 that it only chooses darkness as a means of safety for its young. 



The rapidity with which the Mouse can make a nest is some- 

 what surprising. One of the Cambridge journals mentioned, 

 some few years ago, that in a farmer's house a loaf of newly- 

 baked bread was placed upon a shelf, according to custom. 

 Next day, a hole was observed in the loaf; and when it was cut 

 open, a Mouse and her nest were discovered within, the latter 



MOUSE NEST IN BOTTLE. 



having been made of paper. On examination, the material of 

 the habitation was found to have been obtained from a copy- 

 book, which had been torn into shreds, and arranged into the 

 form of a nest. 



Within this curious home were nine young mice, pink, trans- 

 parent, and newly born. Thus, in the space of thirty-six hours 

 at the most, the loaf must have cooled, the interior been ex- 

 cavated, the copy-book found and cut into suitable pieces, the 



