48 
FIELD MO USB. 
the little drops* either of rain or dew* that hang 
at the extremities of the straw. Aristotle gives 
us an idea of their prodigious fecundity* by as- 
suring us* that having put a mouse with young into 
a vessel of corn, in some time after he found a 
hundred and twenty mice* all sprung* from one 
original. The early growth of this animal implies 
also the short duration of its life* which seldom 
lasts above two or three years. This species is 
very much diffused* being found in almost all parts 
of the ancient continent* and having* been ex- 
ported to the new. They are animals that* while 
they fear human society* closely attend it ; and* 
although enemies to man* are never found but 
near those places where he has fixed his habita- 
tion. Numberless ways have been found for des- 
troying* them ; and Gesner has minutely described 
the variety of traps by which they are taken. Our 
Society for the Encouragement of Arts and Manu- 
factures proposed a reward for the most ingenious 
contrivance for thatpurpose ; and Goldsmith says 
he observed almost every candidate passing off des- 
criptions as inventions of his own. He thought 
it was cruel to detect the plagiarism* or frustrate 
the humble ambition of those who would be 
thought the inventors of a mouse-trap. 
They are diffused over America* but are believ- 
ed to have been introduced from Europe. Their 
hair* when examined by the microscope* exhibits a 
very curious appearance. 
Field mouse. 
TiIe field mouse is well known in all the tempe- 
rate parts of Europe ; where it frequents dry and 
elevated fields or woods. The general length of 
its bodv is about four inches and a half : and the 
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