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The body is fomewhat lefs than that of the Field- 
Moufc; and the tail is only half the length of the 
body. 
Thefe creatures Inhabit the temperate tracts of 
RulTia and Siberia. In Ruflla they are often mi- 
gratory, and frequently very injurious to grain. 
At times they wander in prodigious troops, de- 
ftroying every profpeft of the agriculturift's gain. 
In particular, about the year 1764, they made great 
ravages in the rich country about Cavan ; arriving 
in fuch numbers, that they a) mod filled the 
houfes; and became fo very bold, as to carry off 
the bread from the tables in fight of the inhabi- 
tants. They make their retreats a little below 
the furface of the earth, which in fuch places ap- 
pear elevated. Each retreat has a long gallery, 
with a chamber at the end, in which the animals 
depofit their winter food, confiding of various 
forts of feeds. 
Mouse, CEconomic; the Mus CEconomus of 
Pallas. This animal has fmall eyes; naked ears, 
iifually hid in the fur; ftrong limbs; and blackifh 
teeth. The colour is variegated with black and 
yellow, dufiw on the back, and from the throat to 
the tail hoary. The body is about four inches and 
a quarter long; and the tail is upwards of one inch. 
It is a native of every part of Siberia and Kamt- 
fchatka; and is even found v/ithin the arftic cir- 
cle. 
Pallas gives thefe animals the appellation of 
Mures CEconomi, or CEconomic Mice, from 
their curious way of living. They frequent 
damp foils, and fhun the fandy; forming burrows 
beneath the upper cruft of the turfy ground, in 
which there are many chambers with feveral en- 
trances. In the firft they form magazines for 
winter food, confiding of various forts of plants, 
which they colleft in fummer with infinite pains; 
and on funny days expofe their dores to the open 
air in order to render them more effe6tually dry. 
They never touch their hoards during the fummer, 
but live on berries, and other vegetable produc- 
tions. 
They make periodical migrations out of Kamt- 
fchatka, where they colleit in the fpring, and go 
off in incredible multitudes. Like the lemmang, 
they proceed in a direft courfe, differing neither 
rivers nor mountains to impede their progrefs. 
In their paffage, they often become a prey to va- 
rious land and fea animals: but, with refpe£t to 
the human fpccies, they are perfectly fafe, the 
Kamtfchadales paying them a kind of fuperditious 
veneration; and, when they find them Iving either 
weak or half dead through fatigue, on the banks, 
after eroding fome river, they negleft not to ren- 
der them every poffible affidance in their power. 
Thefe animals purfue a wedward courfe at their 
fird fetting out ; then decline to the fouthward; 
and, after traverfing an amazing extent of coun- 
try, return again, with their numbers much dimi- 
nidied, aboiit 06lober. The Kamtfchadales are 
greatly alarmed at their migrations, as they pre- 
lage rainy feafons and an unfuccefsful chace ; but, 
on their return, expreffes are fent to all parts with 
the pleafing intelligence. 
Animals poffeffing fuch fingular habits, feldom 
fail to become the objefts of fabulous narrative 
and weak credulity, particularly among unpo- 
liftied nations; confequently, many incredible do- 
ries are related concerning them : among others, 
that they cover their provifions with poifonous 
herbs, previous to their migrations, in order to 
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dedroy othar animals of the fame genus w'hicU 
would attempt to plunder their magazines; and 
that if they diould happen to be pillaged, they 
drangle themfelves from vexation, by fqueezing 
their necks through the forks of dirubs, 
Mouse-Red ; the Mus Rutilus of Pallas. This 
fpecies has naked ears, and a very hairy tail ; the 
colour, from the middle of the forehead along 
the back to the rump, is an uniform pleafant 
tawny red; the fides are light grey and yellow; 
the under-fide of the body iswhitidi; and the 
tail is dudcy above, and light below. The body 
is about four inches long, and the tail about 
one. 
Thefe creatures inhabit Siberia, and various 
parts within the ar6tlc circle. Sometimes they 
miake their way into houfes and granaries; but 
commonly live under logs of wood, or trunks 
of trees, eating every thing that comes in their 
way. 
Mouse, Hare-Tailed ; the Mus Lagurus of 
Linnaeus. This animal is between three and 
four inches long; and has a long head, diort ears, 
and diort dender limbs. The fur is very fofc 
and full, cinereous on the upper part, mixed with 
duflcy; and along the back there runs a dark 
line. 
Thefe Mice inhabit feveral parts of Ruflia and 
Siberia, fi equenting dry firm foils, in which they 
make burrows with two entrances; one oblique, 
leading to the ned; and the other perpendicular. 
The male has ufually a didinft habitation j but 
fometimes the fexes live together. When feveral 
males meet, they fight' with amazing refolution, 
the conqueror devouring the vanquldied; and 
the mate of the deceafed indantly fubmits to the 
embraces of the form.er, even though pregnant. 
They are extremely falacious; and, when heated^ 
emit a mufky fmell. They bring forth fix at a 
time; and fieep a confiderable part of their lives,! 
rolled up like the marmot. They diew a drong 
predileftion for the dwarf iris, but feed on all 
forts of feeds. They have alfo very carnivorous 
appetites; for they v/ill devour each other, and 
even others of different fpecies, of the fame fize 
as themfelves. They migrate in great troops j 
and are therefore called by the Tartars, Dfliilkis 
Zizchan, or the Rambling Mice. 
Mouse, GREOAPaous; the Mus Gregarius of 
Linnseus. This animal has a blunt nofe; a fmall 
mouth; and naked ears, appearing above the 
fur. The hair on the upper part of the body is 
black ; the throat, belly, and feet, are whitifli ; 
and the tail, which is about a third part of the 
length of the body, is thinly covered with white 
hair, the end being black and afli-coloured. 
This fpecies, which is fomewhat larger than 
the common Moufe, is found in Germany and 
Sweden. It eats fitting ereil, like the fquirrel j 
and burrows like the rabbit. 
Mouse, Shrew. The Shrew-Moufe feems to 
form a link in the chain of fmall animals, and 
to fill up the interval between the rat and the 
mole; which, though they refemble each other 
in fize, differ greatly in figure, and are very 
didant fpecies. The dldinguifliing charadleridics 
of the Shrew are ; that it has two cutting-teeth 
in each jaw, pointing forwards; a long dender 
nofe ; fmall ears ; and five toes on each foot. 
Mouse, Shrew, Common ; the Sorex Araneus 
of Linnseus. This fpecies is about the fize of 
the domedic Moufe j but differs greatly from it 
in 
