42 



FANCY MICE. 



of their colouring. The upper part of the body is, in this 

 case, of a rich fawn-colour, the under-portion being white, 

 and a curious little patch behind each ear is also white. 

 Their fore paws and feet are delicately beautiful, like those 

 of the common mouse, and their tails are covered with a 

 curious skin, having the appearance of corrugations. They 

 are in all their habits, as in their looks, more akin to the 

 Tole than to the mouse, and their bodies are larger in pro- 

 portion to their heads than in the case of mice. They have 

 a curious way of pricking and depressing their ears according 

 to the nature of the sounds they notice around them, which give 

 them a very alert and intelligent air ; and the pair which were 



Fig. 12. Box for Spiny Mick. 



for a short time in my possession were very fairly tame. The 

 ingenuity of their real owner had contrived for them a very 

 delightful box, with a glass top and sliding door of per- 

 forated zinc. Inside the box was a little le>an-to house, 

 which, however, the Spiny Mice seldom inhabited, preferring 

 to tunnel long holes through the meadow hay with which 

 the box was filled. At the extreme end of one of these holes 

 they had their storehouse, where a large variety of eatables 

 were accumulated, apparently with a view to some future 

 winter, like the Dormouse's hoard. 



The treatment of Spiny Mice is very simple, as they are 

 entirely frugivorous. They are fond of nuts, fruit, corn of 



