744 General Notes. [August, 
PSYCHOLOGY. 
A Curious Suprrstition.—A neighbor, residing on a small 
farm near me, has, on several occasions, spoken of his experience 
with “hog mice.” He came to this country many years ago 
from Northamptonshire, England, where he had often seen these 
strange animals. They are also occasionally seen by him herein 
Iowa. This mythical rodent is about the size of a barn mouse, 
but its striking peculiarity, as to outward appearance, is, that it has 
a head and face fashioned exactly like that of a hog. It isa very 
“uncanny ” little beast. If it merely runs across the body of a 
sleeping person, or of a domestic animal, such unfortunate person 
or animal will be grievously afflicted with lameness or soreness 
wherever the mouse sets down one of its little feet! Serious dis- 
ability often comes from the touch of the “’og mouse.” In some 
extreme cases the affliction is well-nigh incurable, and may even 
last a life-time. ae 
My old friend said that it was no hearsay matter with him. He 
“had seen ’og mice both in Northamptonshire and ‘ere in Ha- 
merica.” One of his colts “ was disabled by a’og mouse running 
hover hit, and was a long, long time getting well.” 
A striking peculiarity of the hog-faced mus, according to mA 
old friend, is that it is never seen at rest, but is always “on a dea 
run,” as if fleeing from pursuit. tl 
I tried to reason him out of this absurd belief, but he stoutly 
asserted that he had often seen these animals and witnessed the 
deleterious effects of their presence; that his knowledge was 
positive, and that there could be no mistake about the matter. 
herefore, must be merely local. It is certainly a very sıinguk 
one, and worthy of being “i 6 
class.— Charles Aldrich, Webster City, Iowa, July 1, 1880. 
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