240 The American Naturalist. [March, 
drop it), letting the forepaws hang listlessly over the breast, and, 
turning the head to one side in a bewildered sort of way, assumed 
a most idiotic expression. 
MICE AND MUSIC. 
In 1804 Dr. Samuel Cramer, of Virginia, communicated to Dr. 
Barton the following very curious account of the influence of 
music upon the common House Mouse. He said: “One even- 
ing in the month of December, as a few officers on a British man- 
of-war in the harbor of Portsmouth were seated around the fire, 
one of them began to play a plaintive air on the violin. He had 
scarcely performed ten minutes when a mouse, apparently frantic, 
made its appearance in the centre of the floor, near the large 
table which usually stands in the ward-room,—the residence of 
the lieutenants in ships of the line. The strange gestures of the 
little animal strongly excited the attention of the officers, who, 
with one consent, resolved to suffer it to continue its singular 
actions unmolested. Its exertions now appeared to be greater 
every moment. It shook its head, leaped about the table, and 
exhibited signs of the most ecstatic delight. 
“ It was observed that in proportion to the gradation of the tones 
of the soft point the ecstacy of the animal appeared to be increased, 
and vice versa. After performing actions which an animal so di- 
minutive would at first sight seem incapable of, the little creature, to 
the astonishment of the delighted spectators, suddenly ceased to 
move; fell down and expired without evincing any symptoms of 
pain.” ? 
The anecdotes herein submitted are more entertaining than 
important; they contribute but little to our enlightenment on the 
main point. As a totality they are sufficient to show that an in- 
teresting field of inquiry is offered to us, that experiments are 
worth the making, and that only by carefully devised experi- 
ments can satisfagtory data be obtained. 
2 The Thila. Med. and Phys. Jour., Vol. 1, 1804, as quoted by Dr. Merriam in his 
'“ Mammals, ete. 
