JUMPING MOUSE. 
253 
DIMENSIONS. 
Indies. 
Length of head and body - 
do of tail 
Height of ear posteriorly - 
From heel to longest nail - 
HABITS. 
This species was familar to us in early life, and we possessed many op- 
portunities of studying its peculiar and very interesting habits. We doubt 
whether there is any quadruped in the world of its size, that can make its 
way over the ground as rapidly, or one that can in an open space so quickly 
evade the grasp of its pursuers. The ploughman in the Northern and Mid- 
dle States, sometimes turns up this species from under a clod of earth, 
when it immediately commences its long leaps. He drops his reins and 
hurries after it ; whilst the little creature darts off with great agility, pursu- 
ing an irregular zig-zag direction, and it requires an active runner to keep 
pace with it, as it alternately rises and sinks like the flying-fish at sea, and 
ere the pursuer is aware, is out of sight, hidden probably behind some clod, 
or concealed under a tuft of grass. We have frequently seen these mice 
start from small stacks of wheat, where the bundles had been tempo- 
rarily collected previous to their being removed to the barn. In such 
cases they usually effect their escape among the. grass and stubble. 
A rapid movement seems natural to this animal, and is often exhi- 
bited when it is not under the influence of fear, and apparently for 
mere amusement. Our kind friend Maj. Le Oostb, now of New-York, 
informs us, that he has seen it in former times, near the northern end 
of the Island of New-York, springing from the ground and passing 
with the velocity of a bird, until its momentum being exhausted it dis- 
appeared in the tall gras.s, apparently with ease and grace, again spring- 
ing forth in the same manner. It must not, however, from hence be 
believed that the Jumping Mouse walks on its hind feet only, and progresses 
at all times by leaps, without using its fore-feet. We have frequently seen 
it walking leisurely on all its feet, in the manner of the white-footed 
mouse. It is chiefly when alarmed, or on special occasions, that it makes 
these unusual leaps ; the construction of the body proves that this species 
could not for any length of time be sustained on its tarsi. In its leaps 
we have always observed that it falls on all its four feet. 
We experienced no difficulty in capturing this species in box-traps, and 
