THE WAYS OF MEADOW: MICE 67 



pushing blindly along beneath the sod, fears no 

 danger from the hawk soaring high overhead. 



,The method of the meadow mice is between 

 these two : its stratum of active life is above the 

 mole and beneath the chipmunk. Scores of sharp 

 little incisor teeth are forever busy gnawing and 

 cutting away the tender grass and sprouting 

 weeds in long meandering paths or traUs through 

 the meadows. As these paths are only a mouse- 

 breadth in width, the grasses at each side lean 

 inward, forming a perfect shelter of interlocking 

 stems overhead. Two purposes are thus fulfilled : 

 a delicious succulent food is obtained and a way 

 of escape is kept ever open. These lines intersect 

 and cross at every conceivable angle, and as the 

 meadow mice clan are ever friendly toward one 

 another, any particular mouse seems at liberty 

 to traverse these mUes of mouse alleys. 



In winter, when the snow lies deep upon the 

 ground, these same mice drive tunnels beneath it, 

 leading to all their favourite feeding grounds, to 

 all the heavy-seeded weed heads, with which the 

 bounty of Nature supplies them. But at night 

 these tunnels are deserted and boldly out upon the 

 snow come the meadow mice, chasing each other 

 over its gleaming surface, nibbling the toothsome 

 seeds, dodging, or trying to dodge, the owl- 

 shadows; living the keen, strenuous, short, but 

 happy, life which is that of all the :wild meadow 

 folk. 



