M O U 
fields ; or, as BufFon obferves, in any country un- 
inhabited by mankind. Fearful by nature, but 
familiar from neceflity, it attends on the human 
race. Indeed, all it's motions appear to be regu- 
lated by fear and neceflity: to feek it's food is it's 
only inducement to leave it's hole; from which it 
feldom ventures farther than a few paces. Nor 
does it, like the rat, travel from one houfe to ano- 
ther, except compelled thereto; and, as it re- 
quires lefs nourifhment, fo it does lefs mifchief 
than that creature. 
As bold and intrepid animals are more eafily 
tamed than thofe which are cowardly and timid, 
the fearful being ever fufpicious; fo the Moufe is 
the moft feeble, and confequently the moft timid, 
of all quadrupeds, except the Guinea-pig; it can- 
not therefore be rendered perfeftly familiar. 
When fed in a cage, it retains it's natural appre- 
henfions ; and though it may be tamed to a cer- 
tain degree, it never difcovers the fmalleft attach- 
ment to it's benefaftors. 
No animal has more enemies than the Moufe, 
and few are fo incapable of refiftance: the cat, the 
fnake, the hawk, the owl, the weafel, and the rat, 
deftroy this race by millions; and, but for their 
amazing fecundity, they muft long fince have 
been extirpated. 
The Moufe breeds at all feafons, and feveral 
times in the year; and ufually produces fix or fe- 
vcn at a time, which, in lefs than a fortnight, are 
able to run about, and to fliift for themfelves. 
Ariftotle gives us an idea of the aftonifliing proli- 
fic quality of this animal, by aflTuring us, that hav- 
ing put a pregnant Moufe into a velTel of corn, 
he fliortly after found an hundred and twenty 
Mice, all fprung from one original. The early 
perfeftion of this creature implies the fhort dura- 
tion of it's life, which feldom exceeds two or three 
years. 
Thefe little animals are by no means ugly, but 
have a vivacious and elegant air; and that Ipecies 
of horror which fome people feel at the fight of 
them, arifes rather from afFeftation than any fur- 
prife or inconvenience they ever occafion. They 
inhabit all parts of the world, except the arftic 
regions; and in every country are perfecuted both 
by animals and human inventions. Numberlefs 
methods have been contrived for their deftruc- 
tion; and they are infallibly poifoned by the root 
of white hellebore and ftaves-acre, powdered and 
mixed with meal. 
Mouse, Long-Tailed Field; the Mus Syl- 
vaticus of Linnasus. The length of this animal, 
from the nofe to the tail, is about four inches and 
a half, and that of the tail four inches; the eyes 
are black, large, and prominent; the head, back, 
and fides, are of a yellowifh brown hue, mixed 
with fome dulky hairs ; the bread is of an ochre 
colour; the belly is white; and the tail is flightly 
covered with fhort hair. 
Thefe animals are found only in fields and 
gardens, where they feed on ants, acorns, and 
corn ; and in kme parts of England they are called 
Bean-Mice, from the havock they make among 
beans when firft: fown. They form large maga- 
zines in their burrows, for their winter provi- 
fions. But it generally happens that they pro- 
vide for the neceflTities of other animals : the hogs 
in particular come in for a fhare ; and the damage 
fuftained by the farmer in the fields, by their 
rooting up the ground, is principally occafioned 
by their fearch after the hoards of the Field-Mice. 
M O U 
The nefts which they provide for their young are 
generally very near the furface of the earth, and 
frequently in thick tufts of grals. They ufually 
produce from feven to ten at a time. 
Thefe animals are very generally difFufed over 
Europe. Wolves, foxes, weafels, birds of prey, 
and even their own fpecies, are their confi:ant and 
deftruftive enemies. 
Mouse, Field, Short-Tailed; theMusTer- 
reftris of Linn^us. The tail of this fpecies is 
only about an inch and a half long, terminating 
in a fmall tuft; and the length of the body is 
about fix inches. The colour inclines to that of 
the domeftic Moufe; the upper part being black- 
illi, and the belly of a deep afh-colour. 
This creature forms it's neft in moifi: meadows ; 
produces from fix to eight at a time; and evinces 
a remarkable afFeftion for it's young. It refides 
under ground ; lives on acorns and corn ; and forms 
a magazine of provifions againft the winter fealbn. 
Mouse, Harvest. This animal has more 
prominent eyes than the common fpecies; the up- 
per part of the body is of an iron colour, the 
iov/er being white; a fliraight line runs along the 
fides, dividing die colours; and the tail is fome- 
what hairy. The length of the body, from the 
nofe to the tail, is two inches and a half ; and that 
of the tail is about two inches. 
Thefe animals are found in amazing numbers, 
during the harveft feafon, in Hampfliire; but they 
never enter houfes. Many of them are carried 
into the ricks of corn along with the flieaves; 
and, on breaking up the ftacks, fome hundreds 
are frequently difcovered. In winter, they fhel- 
ter themfelves under ground, where they burrow 
very deep, and form comfortable beds of dead 
grafs. The nefl:s for their young are made above 
ground, between the reeds of ftanding corn. 
They bring forth about eight at a time. 
Mouse, Oriental; the Mus Cauda Mediocri 
Subnuda of Linnasus. This animal is chiefly of a 
grey colour; but it's back and fides are elegantly 
marked with twelve rows of fmall pearl -coloured 
fpots, extending from the head to the rump. The 
fize of this fpecies is about half that of the com- 
mon Moufe, and the tail about the length of the 
body. It inhabits India; in which country, and, 
in Guinea, there is another variety which fmelh 
like mufk, called Cherofo by the Portuguefe co- 
Ion ifi:s. 
Mouse, Barbary; the Mus Barbarus of Lin- 
naeus. This fpecies is lefs than the common 
Moufe ; it's general colour is brown, but the back 
is marked with ten flender fi:reaks ; on the fore- 
feet there are three toes furnilhed with claws, and 
the rudiments of a thumb j and the tail is nearly 
of the fame length with the body. 
Mouse, Virginian; the Mus Agreftis Ame- 
ricanus Albus of Seba. This animal has long 
whifl<;ers ; the ears and nofe are pointed ; the limbs 
are very flender and weak ; the tail is thick at the 
bafe, growing gradually fo from the rump, fothat 
the junflion cannot be diflringuiflied; but it de- 
creafes in the fame manner, and becoming very 
long and flender, terminates in a point. The co- 
lour of this fpecies is univerfally white. 
Mouse, Rustic; the Mus Agrarius of Pallas. 
This fpecies has a fharp nofe, an oblong head, 
and fmall ears lined with fur; the colour of the 
body and head are ferruginous, with a dulky line 
along the back; the belly and limbs are whitiih; 
and above each hind-foot there is a duflcy circle. 
The 
