V.X.,' 



A MOUSE THAT LIVES IN THE MUD. 



A MOUSE, my children! A mouse with no particular head, and 

 no particular feet, and no particular tail. A mouse that does not 

 know the taste of cheese, and that never saw a mouse-trap ; a mouse 

 that cannot squeak, and that actually lays eggs! How the little 

 brown fellow, whom you hear scampering and squeaking in the 

 wall, would open his bright black ej'es if he were to hear of such a 

 mouse as this. 



" That creature ainouse?" he would say. ""Where is its long, 

 beautiful tail? Where is itg sharp nose, and its pretty white teeth, 

 and its four trim little feet, with their dainty claws? Pooh! I don't 

 believe it's a mouse at all ! " 



Between you and me, my dears, the little brown fellow is right, 

 and this strange creature is not really a mouse; but that is what it 

 is called, — the sea-mouse. 



Brownie might well be proud, however, if he could claim it as his 

 cousin, for it is one of the most beautiful creatures in the world. 

 This little lady in the picture now, — you see nothing beautiful in 

 her, for she is drawn in plain black and white ; but if you were to 

 see her as she really is, your eyes would be fairly dazzled by her 

 brilliant beauty. Her long, oval body is covered with a thick coat 

 of hair,, and every single hair in this coat is a tiny bit of living 

 rainbow, flashing back the light in a thousand many-colored rays. 



