A SINGING HESPEROMYS. 767 
now, although running about her cage, indulging in little gambols, 
indicating exquisite grace and agility, struck off into a truly beau- 
tiful strain of song. It occupied about three minutes, and had in 
it considerable scope and variety. First there was a clearly enun- 
ciated expression like that of the cooing of a turtle dove, a soft 
note, with a deliberate slowness. This changed into a series of 
more rapid notes strangely suggesting, though not so weird-like, 
the conchy clamor of the American cuckoo (Coccyzus), then clos- 
ing with a series of short, rapid sounds, like the tapping of the 
woodpecker on a tree. 
A very noticeable fact was, that a great deal of this little crea- 
ture’s song was poured forth while at play—that is, while in ac- 
tual activity ; and, take the wheel-play, for instance, when really 
in quite violent exercise. A thing, too, which much surprised me, 
was, that often when eating she sang and ate at the same time, 
literally in the same breath. This singular habit, so suggestive of 
a great physiological difficulty, led to an incident, which caused 
considerable merriment for those who witnessed it. I had been 
examining some insect larve on a twig of black alder. Without 
any real motive, a bit of the twig, about an inch long, and an 
eighth of an inch thick, was offered to Hespie. She was delighted, 
and at once began in her usual pretty way, sitting up, to eat the 
bark, although it is very bitter. Thus she sat “bolt upright ;” 
and the manner in which she held this little black stick in both 
hands up to her mouth, at the precise angle in which a fife is held, 
although nibbling away, yet singing at the same time, it looked so 
like a little fifer playing on an ebony fife that laughter was irresis- 
tible at the comical sight. 
Wishing to see how this Hesperomys would behave in company, 
I put into her cage a young domestic mouse about one-third grown. 
She was asleep in her little box. When she woke, it was a pretty 
sight. What animation! How the black eyes started and spar- 
kled! To me they seemed to snap with fire. The whole frame 
was in a quiver— first of astonishment, then with rage. It was 
not a ran— but a jump which she made at the little involuntary 
intruder, who received a nip that made it squeal in terror. We 
removed the little captive, who was so astonished that it was quite 
content to lie in our hand. Its terror had won our pity, and we 
restored to it its liberty. I had a friend who had once a singing 
domestic mouse, of very moderate musical ability, however. But 
