THE FIELD MOUSE. 433 



tain with the utmost effrontery, that the}' have seen 

 the Rats in their formation, one half of the bodies 

 flesh, and the other half mud *. 



Rats swarm in Otaheite, where tliey feed on the 

 fruits of the country ; and they are there so bold, 

 as even sometimes to attack the natives when asleep. 

 The inhabitants hold them in abhorrence as unclean; 

 and. will even avoid killing them, lest they should be 

 polluted by the touch -f-. 



THE FIELD MOUSE |'. 



- The Field Mouse is well known in all the tempe- 

 rate parts of Europe ; where it frequents dry and. 

 elevated fields or woods. The general length of its 

 body is about four inches and a half ; and the tail 

 is nearly four inches more. Its colour is yellow- 

 ish brown above, and whitish on the under parts. 

 The eyes are full and black. 



These animals are found only in fields and gar- 

 dens. They live in burrows, a foot or more under 

 ground ; where they lay up great quantities of 

 acorns, nuts, and beech-mast. According to Buf- 

 fon,a bushel of such substances has been sometimes 

 found in a single hole. These habitations are often 

 divided into two apartments ; the one for living in 

 with their young, and the other for their provisions. 



* Sonniiii, iii. 6(3. f Pemi. Quad. ii. 438. 



X Synonyms.— rMus S>t-lVatic«s. Linn. — Wood Mouse. .VAr/w. — ' 

 Long-tailed I'icld Mou!«c. Sm. Buff'. — Sean Mouse, in some parts of 



Englaiu]. — Miilot. i?/<//'j«.— Field ^fouse. ' Penn. S/uni'n Gti.^ 



Zoo', pi. \^2.—Ec\^. '^uad G8?. 



Vol. r. F f 



