300 MlTRIDiE. 



There are several varieties of the Common Mouse. 

 One of the most common, and which is perpetuated by 

 breeding, is the albino, which is frequently kept as a pet. 

 It becomes exceedingly tame, running about the table, 

 and allowing itself to be taken in the hand without 

 manifesting any alarm. Another variety, which is said 

 to be common in India, is the Pied Mouse, the colours 

 of which are dark brown and white. The Rick Mouse, 

 or, as it is called in Scotland, the Barn Mouse, is larger 

 and darker than the House Mouse ; and we have speci- 

 mens of the ordinary size, which are nearly black above, 

 and very dark grey beneath, taken in Hertfordshire and 

 Warwickshire. 



Besides these, there is the pale grey variety, to which 

 we have already alluded, and another which has the 

 ordinary colour, more or less patched with white. Both 

 of these, with a pale buff variety, which is not rare, 

 have the black eyes of the Common Mouse, and are not 

 therefore albinoes. Their peculiarity in colour is not, 

 however, due to age, as examples may be found of all 

 sizes. 



The English word Mouse, the Anglo-Saxon Mas, the 

 German Maus, the Danish Muys, the Latin Mus, are all 

 evidently modified from the Greek MS;, which is proba- 

 bly derived from /mueiv, to hide. The Italian Sorice, and 

 the French Souris, are as obviously from the Latin Sorex, 

 now employed in our systematic catalogues to designate 

 the genus of the Shrews. 



The head of the Mouse is taper, the muzzle rather 

 acute ; the ears and the eyes smaller than in M. syhaticus, 

 the former rounded, but shorter and narrower than in 

 that species ; the whiskers also are shorter, the tail less 

 slender and flexible, and the legs rather shorter. The 

 fur is greyish-brown above, grey beneath ; ears, feet. 



