330 
MISSOURI MOUSE. 
the wind arose and blew a gale ; all of us were a-foot in a few moments ; 
and amid some eonfusion, our guns, loaded with ball, and our ammunition, 
were placed under the best covering we could provide, our beds huddled 
together under the tent along with them, and some of us crawled in on 
top of all, while others sought shelter under the shelving bank of the 
river. This storm benefitted us, however, by driving before the gale the 
mosquitoes, to keep off which we had in vain made a large lire, before 
we laid ourselves down for the night.” 
As there is little grain, of any kind grown in this part of the country, 
the Missouri Mouse no doubt exists on the seeds and roots of wild plants 
entirely, of which it is able to layup a store for the winter in holes in the 
ground. It may, however, possibly resort to the patches of corn planted 
by the squaws of some of the Indian tribes, at the time that grain is ripe. 
We brought with us from this country, when we returned home, some ears 
of a very small corn, (maize,) which ripens early, and bears its fruit near 
the ground. Having planted it on our place, we found that it was ad- 
vanced enough to be eaten at table as a vegetable, several weeks before 
the ordinary kinds of corn known about New-York. W^e, therefore, dis- 
tributed some of the seed among our farming neighbours, and likewise sent 
some to England to Lord Derby and other friends, but this was unfortu- 
nately lost. We incline to believe that this corn would ripen well in the 
climate of England or Scotland. Unluckily, ours has become mixed by 
having been planted too near common corn, and is now depreciated or re 
duced to nearly the same thing as the latter. 
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. 
This species was discovered in the State of Missouri. 
GENERAL REMARKS. 
The Missouri Mouse bears some resemblance to the common and very 
widely distributed White-footed Mouse. Its comparatively heavy and 
clumsy form — its large head and short tail have induced us to regard it as 
a distinct species. In the mice, shrews, and bats, we have no doubt 
several interesting species will yet be detected in our country. 
