THE HARVEST MOUSE. 4.35 



cles of Mouse, which hitherto appears to have been 

 only found in Hampshire. It is, he says, somewhat 

 of a Squirrel colour; with a white belly having a 

 straight line along the sides, dividing the shndes of 

 the back and belly. 



One of the nests of these little animals he pro- 

 cured. It was 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 wns no discover- 

 ing to what part it belonged. It was so compact 

 and well filled, that it would roll across the table 

 without being discomposed, though it contained 

 eight young Mice that were naked and blind. As 

 this nest was perfectly full, how could the dam come 

 at her litter respectively so as to administer a teat to 

 each ? Perhaps she opens the different places for 

 that purpose, adjusting them again when the busi- 

 ness is over ; but she could not possibly be contain- 

 ed herself in the ball with her young, which more- 

 over would be daily increasing in bulk. This won- 

 derful proceant cradle, an elegant specimen of the 

 efforts of instinct, was found in a wheat-field, sus- 

 pended in the eadof a thistle. 



Mr. White remarked, that though the Harvest 

 Mice hang their nests above the ground, yet in win- 

 ter they burrow deep in the earth, rind mak-e warm 

 beds of grass ; but their grand rendezvous seems to 

 be in corn-ricks, into which they are carried at har- 

 vest. — This gentleman measured some of rhem ; and 

 found that from nose to taij they vvere two inches 

 and a quarlcr, and their tails were two inches long« 



Ff 2 



