434 THE HARVEST MOUSE. 



Often the little Mouse 

 lUudes our hopes ; and, safely lodg'd, below 

 Hath form'd his granaries. 



The nests of these little creatures may be dis- 

 covered by the small heaps of mould thrown up at 

 the entrance of their runs, which lead by winding 

 paths to their magazine *. 



A very remarkable instance of sagacity in this 

 animal, occurred to the Rev. Mr. White one day, 

 as his people were pulling off the lining of a hot- 

 bed, in order to add some fresh dung. From out of 

 the side of this bed, leaped something with great 

 agility, that made a most grotesque figure, and 

 was not without much difficulty taken ; when it 

 proved to be a large Field Mouse with three or four 

 young clinging to her teats by their mouths and feet. 

 It was amazing that the desultory and rapid motions 

 of the dam did not oblige her litter to quit their 

 hold, especially when it appeared that they were so 

 ypung as to be both naked and blind -j-. 



Field Mice are very prolific ; breeding more than 

 once ?iryear, and often producing litters of eight or 

 ten at a time, They generally make the nest for 

 their young very near the surface of the ground^ and 

 often in a thick tuft of grass, 



THE HARVEST MOUSE ^, 



The Rev. Gilbert White seems to have been the 

 first who examined this diminutive and slender spe- 



* Trauf. of Bath Soc. vol. vi. f White's Selbornc. 



J Synonyms. — Mus Messorius. Kerr, Shav. — Less Long-tailecl 

 rield Mouse. Harvest Mouse. JPtvi;;. 



