from their mature coat in that their upper 

 parts were a bluish gray instead of 

 brown. By the time they were of a 

 month's age, a faint light brown hue be- 

 gan to appear on their sides. This spread 

 gradually upward, until in a couple of 

 weeks they were brown with the excep- 

 tion of their white breasts and a dark 

 line down the center of their backs. In 

 another week or two this line disappeared 

 also, and the mice were babies no longer. 

 I noticed that their coats were darker in 

 winter than in summer. 



One could not wish for a prettier sight 

 than a mother white-foot and her babies 

 in their nest, the snowy under parts of 

 the entire family contrasting beautifully 

 with the light-brown back of the mother 

 and the silvery gray of the young ones. 



My wood-mice did not breed again 

 until April, when they had two young 

 ones, and, about the first of June, three 

 more. As they were kept in a warm 

 room, they bred much earlier than they 

 would in a wild state. The real breeding 

 season is any time through the summer 

 and early fall. 



On another occasion I had a mother 

 wood-mouse and five young, born in cap- 

 tivity. I released these in a small frame 

 building, formerly a pigeon house. I ex- 

 pected that the mice would leave as soon 

 as possible, but no, they built a cozy nest 

 of feathers high in a corner .and' lived 

 there happily for several weeks, until an 

 accident destroyed the mother and one 



young one, when the rest disappeared. 

 During their stay in the house, they had 

 traveled to a plum tree, about fifteen feet 

 distant, and collected a number of plum 

 stones which they carried to their nest. 

 These, with the grain I supplied them, 

 formed their food. They must have trav- 

 eled a short distance for their drinking 

 water, too. In captivity, I find that a 

 white-foot needs a constant supply of 

 clear water, drinking with a lapping 

 motion, as would a squirrel or a rabbit. 



Wood-mice are ver^' dainty in their 

 habits. If well cared for, they have little 

 or no odor, and to see one make its toilet 

 will thoroughly convince you of its clean- 

 liness. They frequently give their coats 

 a good brushing, sitting on their 

 haunches and using both fore paws in 

 dexterously cleaning their fur. To see 

 them carefully brush their tails is ex- 

 tremely amusing, for they are very par- 

 ticular about those long members, and 

 seem to be as proud of them as would 

 the squirrel of his superb brush. 



If any interested person is desirous of 

 learning the ways of wild animals, let 

 him begin with the woodmice. The little 

 white- feet are exceedingly amusing, and 

 easily cared for, and can be taken in any 

 good mouse trap which captures alive. 

 Larger cages, with the surroundings as 

 natural as possible, might reveal many 

 more pleasing traits, and the little 

 forester receive at least part of the inter- 

 est due him. 



B. A. E. 



68 



