HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 3 8 7 



The MOUSE. 



THIS well-known little animal is diffufed in great 

 numbers over almoft every part of the world. It 

 feems a conftant attendant on man, and is only to be 

 found near his dwelling. Its enemies are numerous and 

 powerful, and its means of refiftance weak and inconfi- 

 derable : Its minutenefs feems to be its beft fecurity ; 

 arid it is faved from utter extinction only by its amazing 

 fecundity. 



The Moufe brings forth feveral times in the year, and 

 generally from fix to ten each litter. The young are 

 produced without hair, and in little more than fifteen 

 days are able to fubfift by themfelves; fo that the in- 

 creafe is prodigious. Ariftotle tells us, that having fhut 

 up in a veflel a Moufe big with young, and provided 

 plenty of grain for her and her offspring, in a fhort time 

 he found 120 Mice, all fprung from the fame flock. 



The Moufe, when viewed without the difguft and ap- 

 prehenfion which ufually accompany the fight of it, is a 

 beautiful little animal i Its fkin is fleek and foft, its eyes 

 bright and lively, all its limbs are formed with exquifite 

 delicacy, and its motions are fmart and active. 



Some few of this fpecies are of a pure white colour; 

 but whether they be a permanent kind, or only an acci- 



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