424 TfiE ZOOLOGIST. 



treat to them. They eagerly burrowed into this, probably in 

 search of small insects. As to its insectivorous propensity, 

 the Harvest Mouse has been found by many observers to be 

 partial to flies of several kinds, which they catch very adroitly, 

 and without the least apparent effort or exertion. The Rev. W. 

 Bingley, in his * Memoirs of British Quadrupeds,' has given an 

 interesting account of the Harvest Mouse in captivity, and thus 

 describes its dexterity as a fly-catcher : — 



" One evening as I was sitting at my writing desk, and the animal was 

 playing about in the open part of its cage, a large blue fly happened to 

 buzz against the wires; the little creature, although at twice or thrice the 

 distance of her own length from it, sprang along the wires with the greatest 

 agility, and would certainly have seized it had the space betwixt the wires 

 been sufficiently wide to have admitted her teeth or paws to reach it. I 

 was surprised at this occurrence, as I had been led to believe that the 

 Harvest Mouse was merely a graminivorous animal. I caught the fly, and 

 made it buzz in my fingers against the wires. The mouse, though usually 

 shy and timid, immediately came out of her hiding place, and, running to 

 the spot, seized and devoured it. From this time I fed her with insects 

 whenever I could get them, and she always preferred them to every other 

 kind of food that I offered her." * 



On this subject Mr. Rope, writing also of a mouse of this 

 species observed in captivity, has remarked (Zool. 1884, p. 57): — 

 " On a fly being put into the cage, the mouse, instead of rushing 

 about after the insect, appears at first to take no notice whatever 

 of it ; but when the latter, in buzzing about the cage, approaches 

 within its reach, in the twinkling of an eye he has it firmly 

 grasped in his paws, and it is devoured almost before one can 

 realize the fact of its being caught ; the wings and legs are 

 generally rejected. These mice will probably devour many other 

 insects, and I have seen woodlice eaten by them." Even a cock- 

 roach, large as it is, fares no better, although there is a certain 

 amount of hesitation in seizing this more formidable-looking prey. 



Although an accomplished climber, every movement being 

 performed with ease and grace, the Harvest Mouse has not the 

 extraordinary speed and activity so characteristic of the House 



* This observation is confirmed by the Kev. P. Bartlett (Zool. 1843, 

 p. 287), who adds that it drinks water eagerly; and I have seen those which 

 I kept in confinement lap milk with avidity ; the tiniest tongue and the most 

 miniature process of lapping imaginable. 



