OF SELBORNE. 5.9 



straight line along their sides divides the 

 shades of their back and belly. They never 

 enter into houses ; are carried into ricks and 

 barns with the sheaves ; abound in harvest ; 

 and build their nests amidst the straws of 

 the corn above the ground, and sometimes 

 in thistles. They breed as many as eight 

 at a litter, in a little round nest composed 

 of the blades of grass or wheat. 



One of these nests I procured this Au- 

 tumn, most artificially platted, and com- 

 posed of the blades of wheat ; perfectly 

 round, and about the size of a cricket-ball ; 

 with the aperture so ingeniously closed, 

 that there was no discovering to what part 

 it belonged. It was so compact and well 

 filled, that it would roll across the table 

 without being discomposed, though it con- 

 tained eight little mice that were naked and 

 blind. As this nest was perfectly full, how 

 could the dam come at her litter respec- 

 tively so as to administer a teat to each ? 

 Perhaps she opens different places for that 

 purpose, adjusting them again when the 

 business is over : but she could not possibly 



