iSSg.] The Song of the Singing Mouse. 483 
peromys mouse eat a large portion of one of the same species, 
though there was plenty of food in the cage at the time ; and, 
as with this Mus, it started its cannibalistic operations with 
the head of its companion. 
These two mice were not very good specimens as mice go. 
The mother was small and thin and her offspring, at first, 
equally miserable in appearance ; but an abundant food supply 
finally bettered their condition. Fourteen more young, di- 
vided into four litters, were born to this musical rodent in the 
course of the year and seven months of her captivity, and the 
incidents detailed in the account of the first were repeated with 
slight variations. One morning it was discovered that the 
singer had devoured her spouse, though, be it said in her 
favor, he may have died first. The family was thus broken 
up, and the probable cause, in consequence, transferred to a 
bottle of alcohol, where she at present remains. 
As I have said, it was the time at which the mouse was 
the weakest, when made to exercise greatly and breath fast, 
that the singing was chiefly noticeable, and I think a few quo- 
tations from some other notes on the subject will tend in the 
same direction. Mr. Wm. H. Edwards, in the AMERICAN 
Naturalist, Vol. III., p. 551. says: "The captive seemed 
pleased with his quarters, and soon manifested his content at 
the quality and regularity of his rations by singing his unvary- 
ing tune at all hours." When ejected from his bed " he would 
manifest his displeasure by flying across the cage into the 
wheel, which he would make spin, emitting all the while his 
peculiar note with great shrillness and rapidity." 
The Rev. Samuel Lockwood, in his note on " A Singing 
Hesperomys," printed in the AMERICAN NATURALIST, says : 
" A very noticeable fact was that a great deal of the little 
creature's song was poured forth while at play— that is. while 
in actual 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 eat at 
the same time, literally in the same breath." Mr. Lockwood 
thought that this last might be suggestive of a physiological 
