THE OREGON SPORTSMAN 149 



fibers. The mouse finally ran out at the bottom of the house 

 from one of the several burrows or doorways leading out along 

 the top of each of the supporting branches and as he was out 

 of reach of my arm when first seen and too close to be safely 

 shot, I watched him run slowly and steadily along the top of 

 one branch and' across to another until at the right distance for 

 a shot with my pocket collecting pistol. I could take no chances 

 of losing so precious a specimen, but wanted to watch every 

 move and learn as much of its habits as possible. It crept cau- 

 tiously along the branches entirely mouse-like in its motions and 

 not even Peromyscus-like in sprightly activity. It ran freely 

 from one branch to another and could have gone on for miles 

 among interlaced branches without coming nearer to the ground. 

 It made no leaps or quick motions, but seemed entirely at home, 

 and with its sharp, curved claws is evidently well adapted to an 

 arboreal life. Its warm yellow-brown fur, long black tail and 

 dark feet distinguish it from other mice of the region. 



Other nests were found, some higher but none much lower 

 down. Some were larger and evidently older and one encircled 

 the tree trunk, resting on the whorl of seven radiating branches. 

 Some had only one nest and others had as many as five. The 

 nests were fresh and clean and always of the same material, the 

 fine midribs of a great number of spruce needles, the sides of 

 which had served as food. The feces were deposited around the 

 outside of the house and helped to build up its solid walls and 

 render it weatherproof. 



Green tips of twigs were found in the houses and even in 

 the nests that were in use and the stomach of the one mouse 

 taken contained only a milky green pulp, evidently of the young 

 spruce leaves. 



Recently a series of a dozen specimens of apparently this 

 species have been received from Mr. H. E. Wilder from Hum- 

 boldt county, California, with interesting notes on habits. Mr. 

 Wilder found these in low spruces, sometimes only 20 feet from 

 the ground, and one nest within reach of his hand. It is to be 

 hoped that others will be found in Oregon and that more will 

 be learned of their habits. 



