Sept. 9, 1911.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
419 
White-Footed Mice. 
It seems to be almost a universal character¬ 
istic of human nature to delight in the com¬ 
panionship of animals. The man who pokes 
fun at his neighbor's bulldog usually takes pride 
in his horse; and the woman who has most to 
say about her friend's angora, or poodle, is 
sure to keep a canary. So, while there are 
those who scoff at the idea of pet mice, there 
are others who find interest in such creatures. 
For some reason, I have never taken to the 
foreign species of white mice, or the crazy 
Japanese waltzing breed, but have been con¬ 
tent to cultivate the native white-footed mice, 
which are of considerable interest to one who 
cares to take the trouble to become familiar 
with their habits. The common house mouse 
is a foreign species, introduced from abroad 
many years ago. Although I have kept them 
in confinement, I have never been able to find 
them interesting or desirable as pets. l’lie 
white-footed mice, however, are freer from the 
objectionable odor that clings to everything 
with which the house mouse comes in contact, 
are quiet and cleanly in their habits, and, withal 
more desirable than the white mice or the 
Japanese mice commonly seen in captivity. 
The white-footed mice are widely distributed, 
being found in the country districts throughout 
nearly all of North America. They are. per¬ 
haps, more common than any other of the 
native quadrupeds taking the country as a 
whole, although nowhere sufficiently numerous 
to cause any particular damage to agricultural 
interests. In this respect there is a marked 
contrast between them and the short-tailed 
meadow mice, which frequently become so 
numerous in restricted localities as to destroy 
orchards by girdling the trees, as was reported 
in Kansas a few years ago; or doing great in¬ 
jury to alfalfa fields, as was the case in the 
Humboldt valley in 1907. 
While there are a great many different 
species of white-footed mice recognized by 
naturalists, such classification is of little in¬ 
terest to the ordinary individual looking for an 
interesting pet. To such persons they may be 
known generally as wood mice and prairie 
white-footed mice. Here in Iowa we have a 
representative of each that will perhaps be 
fairly typical. The wood mouse is larger than the 
prairie species, and lighter in color, usually be¬ 
ing known as deer mouse, because of the re¬ 
semblance in coloration to the Virginia or red 
deer. This species climbs trees as readily as 
squirrels do, and I have found them living in 
hollow limbs in the top of a large tree. The 
nest is usually to be found under convenient 
protection on or near the ground. The young 
wood mouse is lighter in color than the mature 
specimen, and there is less contrast between 
the grayish brown of the back and the dull 
white of the underparts. It was upon this im¬ 
mature pelage that Audubon and Bachman 
based their supposed new species ( Mus michi- 
gancnsis), which for a long time was supposed 
to refer to the prairie white-footed mouse, and 
which led to confusion among those interested 
in the nomenclature of the various species. 
The prairie white-footed mouse is confined 
to the prairie region, from Ohio west to Ne¬ 
braska, and from Manitoba south to Oklahoma; 
while the wood mouse ranges over the same 
territory, and east to the Atlantic coast. Sim¬ 
ilar species as before mentioned are to be found 
in other parts of the country. The prairie 
MICE STUDIES. 
species is seldom, if ever, found in the woods, 
nor does the wood mouse wander far from the 
timber, although I have found both together 
under corn shocks in fields adjoining woodland. 
As they are everywhere common, and live in 
pairs, it is not difficult to procure specimens. 
In captivity they soon become accustomed to 
their quarters, and if kept where persons are 
constantly about, soon lose their fear, and may 
be readily handled. Interesting stories have 
appeared from time to time concerning the 
musical ability of certain white-footed mice. 
It has never yet been my privilege to hear one 
sing, but at times they have given expression 
to rather musical little chirps. 
In preparing a cage for these little animals, 
it is well to remember that they have been ac¬ 
customed to unrestricted liberty, and make it 
large enough to allow some freedom of move¬ 
ment. A cage may be made simple or elaborate 
as suits the inclination of the builder. A dry- 
goods box may be used, removing two sides 
and covering with common screen wire. Only 
be sure not to forget that these little mice have 
good teeth and know well how to use them. 
No cracks through which the light can shine 
should be left, as that gives them a clue to a 
way out. Include a small wheel with the cage 
furnishings to amuse the little fellows. Plenty 
of waste material, such as cotton cloth or paper 
should also be provided to allow them to make 
a liberal nest. As for food, the wood mouse 
seems to get along with grains, seeds, and sim¬ 
ilar articles of diet; while the prairie species 
craves bits of meat or insects in addition. Un¬ 
less something of the kind is furnished, your 
pets are likely to turn cannibals and eat each 
other. To insure their health, the cage should 
be cleaned frequently. Frank C. Pellett. 
Birds in Maryland. 
Cumberland, Md., Aug. 31 . — Editor Forest and 
Stream: The letter in your late issue of Mr. 
Lippincott’s about purple martins in Maryland 
reminds me that in Frostburg, twelve miles west 
of Cumberland, Mr. Annam, president of the 
National Bank of that place, takes great interest 
in a colony of martins that have had a box on 
the front of the bank building. They are now 
putting a new marble front on the building and 
boxes of marble have been provided for the 
birds, which have come to be looked upon as 
"mascots.” Maybe I can get Mr. Annam to 
give you more particulars. 
Another letter on wrens reminded me also of 
the fact that we have here Bewick’s wren. It is 
quite common. I have seen as many of that 
species as of the house wren. It was a new 
species to me, as I had never seen it until I 
moved here from New Jersey some five years 
ago. It is very domestic, building under rafters 
or house sills, and is a most useful insect de¬ 
stroyer. As a singer I might say it seems to 
surpass the song sparrow whose notes it slightly 
resembles, but is more carrying in its quality. 
Of the other wrens I have seen the winter 
wren, but as to frequency the Carolina wren sur¬ 
passes them all, it being in evidence either by 
voice or presence almost any hour or day of 
the year. 
A‘ few days ago I made an observation which 
may be of interest. On one of the barren hills 
to the east of the town on Aug. 26 I saw and 
identified a flock and several individuals of the 
prairie horned lark (Otoe oris alpestris prati- 
cola). This species is frequent here in winter 
and has been noted in Garrett county to the 
west of here on May 18, leading us to suppose 
they breed near here, probably in the Glade re¬ 
gion of Garrett county. It is probably still ex¬ 
tending its range, as years ago it was only a 
resident of the Mississippi valley, later extend¬ 
ing to the East, New York and the lake region. 
Now it seems to be coming south on the moun¬ 
tain ranges. I shall try to find out further about 
its breeding range. Edward Harris, Sr. 
The following interesting notes on “Martins 
in South Carolina” appeared recently in the 
Charleston News and Courier: 
Visitors to South Battery in the evening at 
about sunset have been much puzzled of late by 
the extraordinary noises issuing from some of 
the big live oak trees which add so much to the 
beauty of that famous pleasure park. The 
noises are of a sort difficult to describe, harsh 
and rasping for the most part, but broken now 
and then by a melodious flutelike note. They 
