LONG-TAILED MELD MOUSE. 295 



between the pegs, in such a position that one end is sup- 

 ported by the twine, whilst the other remains upon the 

 ground. The Mice, in eating the bean, which they will 

 not fail to do, severs the string, and the brick falls upon 

 them. Tiles or slates may advantageously be substituted 

 for bricks, but they require that one be also placed upon 

 the ground for a floor, as their weight would not be suflS- 

 cient to destroy the Mice, if loose soil only were beneath. 

 We have sometimes known nearly a dozen of these Mice 

 taken in a garden by the above trap, in a single night. 



When driven by hunger, they do not strictly confine 

 themselves to vegetable food : they will eat various 

 animal matters — young birds, or mice, or even each 

 other, the smaller and weaker falling victims to the 

 stronger. 



It is very prolific, breeding in many instances more 

 than once in the year, and bringing from seven to ten 

 young at a time. " Un homme de ma campagne," says 

 Buifon, " en prit un jour vingt-deux dans un seul trou : 

 il y avoit deux meres et vingt petits." 



There is no doubt that this species is the Mus domesticus 

 medius of Ray, as is clearly shown by the following quota- 

 tion: — " Caput longius quam in mure domestico minore 

 vulgari, oculorum orbitte ut et oculi majores et prominen- 

 tiores ; auriculae latiores et rotundiores." * 



The Long-tailed Field Mouse is too common in Europe 

 to render necessary an enumeration of the countries 

 which it inhabits. The following remarks by the Rev. 

 Leonard Jenyns, would seem to point out a variety of 

 this species which is found on the tops of the Irish 

 mountains. He says : " One of these was taken in the 

 county of Kerry, at an elevation of 2,500 feet above the 

 sea-level. The only" respects in which they difier from 



* Rail Syn. Quad. p. 218. 



