VALUABLE AID* *8l 
great hope through them of determining some 
vexed questions concerning their species; but 
unfortunately three of them were devoured 
by mice given to the old ones for food. The 
other three died, one after the other, the last 
at the age of eleven months. The remarkable 
thing about their history is, they were never 
known to have taken any food, although every 
effort was made to find something the little things 
would eat. With the old ones she had nearly 
three years’ acquaintance ; and many pages might 
be written about them, were snakes only univer- 
sal favorites. 
fj/N the spring of 1875, Mr. Hersey, a young 
@1 naturalist, came to Mrs. Maxwell’s assistance, 
and they arranged to alternately take charge of 
the museum and to collect for it. He was, like 
her, inspired with an enthusiastic love of dis- 
covery, and was untiring in his researches, travers- 
ing, alone, mountains and plains, camping wher- 
ever night overtook him, in his tent, with miners 
or in their deserted cabins. Once, while occupy- 
ing one of the latter, the mountain rats — little 
animals, so common in that region, that an ac- 
count of their “ tricks and manners ” must not be 
omitted — treated him very uncivilly. 
Not in the least appreciating his efforts for a 
better understanding between men and animals, 
