FIELD MOUSE.’ 
fail is nearly four inches more. Its colour is yel- 
lowish brown above, and whitish on the under 
parts. The eyes are full and black. 
These animals are found only in fields and gar- 
dens. They live in burrows, a foot or more under 
ground; where they lay up great quantities of 
acorns, nuts, and beech mast. According to Buf- 
fom, a bushel of such substances has been some- 
times found in a single hole. These habitations 
are often divided into two apartments ; the one for 
living in with their young, and the other for their 
provisions. 
Often the little mouse, 
Illudes our hopes ; and, safely lodgkl, below 
Hath form’d his granaries. 
The nests of these little creatures may be dis- 
covered by the small heaps of mould thrown up at 
the entrance of their runs, which lead by winding 
paths to their magazine. 
A very remarkable instance of sagacity in this 
animal, occurred to the Rev. Mr. White one day, 
as his people were pulling off the lining of a hot- 
bed, in order to add some fresh dung. From out of 
the side of this bed leaped something with great 
agility, that made a most grotesque figure, and 
was not without much difficulty taken ; when it 
proved to be a large field mouse, with three or four 
young clinging to her teats by their mouths and 
feet. It was amazing that the desultory and ra- 
pid motions of the dam did not oblige her litter 
leir hold, especially when it appeared 
were so young ag to be both naked and 
Field mice are very prolific ; breeding more 
than once a year, and often producing litters of 
eight or ten at a time. They generally make the 
VOL, XI. ® 
to quit i 
that they 
blind. 
