139 



in words, but which strikes the eye familiar with the subject. "We ven- 

 ture to assert that we can distinguish, in North America, about twenty 

 kinds of Hesperomys leucoptis, upon characters at least as constant, relia- 

 ble, and tangible as those hitherto held to define the greatest part of the 

 ' species ' that have been in vogue of late years." 



It will be seen in the preceding synonymy, that many of these species 

 are abandoned. Dr. Coues, after an exhaustive review of this species 

 and the nominal species referred to it (Monograph of North American 

 Rodentia), admits three geographical races or varieties, gossypinvs, sonori- 

 ensis, and eremicus, which, however, grade into each other insensibly. 



Distribution and Habits. — This species ranges from the Atlantic to the 

 Pacific, and from the Arctic regions south to Mexico. 



This mouse is decidedly a lover of timbered lands. Mr. Kennicott 

 says he has never observed it on the prairie. It is found on wooded 

 farms, but not in large fields clear of trees, stumps, and logs. Its nest is 

 usually in an old stump or hollow log, and occasionally in hollow trees 

 some distance above the ground. It even occupies deserted birds' nests. 

 Dr. Hoy has observed it nesting in the thick branches of thorn trees 

 eight or ten feet above the ground. These nests were of grass, spherical 

 in form, the entrance being a small hole at one side. 



This species is active on the ground and climbs readily. It docs not 

 burrow. It is sometimes gregarious ; a dozen have been found together 

 in winter. It does not hibernate, but travels about either on or under 

 the snow. This species is nocturnal, and so escapes hawks. Owls and 

 Weasels prey upon it ; and Mr. Kennicott has found the Milk Snake 

 (Ophiholus doliatus) under logs near its nests. Its numerous ejuemies keep 

 it from increasing rapidly, although it is a prolific species, producing 

 two or three litters annually, of from four to six young. The young are 

 dragged away from the nest, attached to the teats of the mother, when 

 disturbed. The female shows much affection for the young, moving with 

 great caution, and, in one iastance, was observed to return and remove 

 one which had lost its hold and been brushed off. 



This species is not at all carnivorous ; it feeds on seeds and leaves of 

 grasses and trees, also on acorns and nuts. It lays up stores for winter, 

 stripping off the shells of beechnuts and other seeds with no apparent 

 reason. Several quarts of clean Red Clover seed have been found in a 

 stump, stored away by this Mouse. 



The White footed Mouse is a pretty little animal, delicately colored 

 and neatly formed. It occasionally gnaws the bark from fruit trees, but 

 sticks to wooded lands so persistently that it cannot, on the whole,ibe 

 considered injurious to the farmer. It is timid in captivity, not at all 



