THE HARVEST MOUSE. 423 



showed that these reeds actually contained about fifty nests of 

 this little mouse. During the breeding season these were of the 

 usual globular form, of the average size of a man's fist, and 

 showing near the top a small circular opening for the entrance of 

 the little animal. But the winter nests were quite different. 

 These were composed of various mosses, and were attached to 

 and between several stems of reeds, exactly like the nests of the 

 Eeed Warblers, but more fusiform, of from six inches to a foot in 

 height, and from three to four inches in diameter. They showed 

 no inlet, and were placed at the height of a foot over the water's 

 level. The animal when entering had to remove the upper part 

 of the covering, which was less densely interwoven, and was con- 

 cealed between the moss. It appears evident that the building 

 of these nests was a just calculation of being safe against the 

 danger of drowning, in the same way that Swans and Moorhens 

 have been observed to build their nests in time of flood above the 

 reach of the rising water. Some of the mice in the case above 

 noticed went a step further, and adapted to their own requirements 

 the deserted nests of aquatic warblers, which they covered with a 

 cap of grass. 



The manner of feeding is very like that of a Squirrel, sitting 

 up on the haunches and holding the food in the fore paws. Mr. 

 Rope has thus described the mode in which a grain of wheat is 

 manipulated : — " Sitting up and holding the grain in a horizontal 

 position between the fore paws (one being placed at each end), 

 the little animal begins dexterously and rapidly turning it round, 

 like a wheel on its axle, at the same time applying it to the edge 

 of his sharp incisors, and by their means slicing off the outer skin 

 or bran, and letting it fall like the shavings from the tool of a 

 wood-turner at his lathe, to whose operations the whole process 

 bears a striking resemblance ; nor does he begin eating till he 

 has reduced the grain to a perfectly white and almost cylindrical 

 body." On one occasion Mr. Rope was surprised to see one 

 devouring the seed of the broom. 



Mr. J. H. Gurney has remarked (Zool. 1884, p. 112) that the 

 Harvest Mouse in confinement is very fond of Canary seed, as 

 much so, he says, as of wheat ; and in spring he found that they 

 appreciated twigs of hazel, the leaf-buds and partly expanded 

 leaves of which they devoured with great avidity. A bunch of 

 fresh moss with the earth adhering to the roots was also a great 



