MILL CREEK. 209 



certainly the fur of these creatures would carry, in all 

 cases, a sufficient number of acari to bring about, in a 

 short time, a repetition of the plague. 



The supposed excessive dampness during autumn and 

 winter of many situations where the summer nests of 

 the mice abound has also been urged as a probable rea- 

 son for the marked exodus that, as we have seen, occurs 

 on the approach of cooler and wetter weather ; but the 

 exposure to sudden summer showers would, in this re- 

 spect, be more objectionable than the steadier rains and 

 gradual melting of snow during winter, when, as a mat- 

 ter of fact, they are less apt to suffer from water en- 

 croaching upon their nests than at other times, the frozen 

 condition of the rough surface tending to carry off the 

 water and prevent its soaking into the ground. I have 

 never found a nest that could not have been better 

 guarded from the damps of winter than from those ter- 

 rific cloud-bursts that recall the vivid description in 

 Genesis of the Noachian deluge. During such rain- 

 falls, for which August is noted, very many white-footed 

 mice are drowned. 



I have not been able to determine how late in the 

 spring they remain in these nests in the bushes; but 

 some time before the arrival of the cat-birds and thrushes 

 they have all sought again their earth retreats or cosey 

 nests in prostrate hollow logs, where they quietly pass 

 their summers. 



The slanting rays of the slowly setting sun penetrated 

 the shallow waters on either side of the boat; and so 

 gentle was the current that I had the wished-for oppor- 



