Feb. 33, 1924 
Life Habits of Meadow Mice 
525 
merous shallow burrows in the ground, connected by a network of tiny 
roadways under the old grass and fallen vegetation, which protects them 
from the view of overhead enemies; build soft clean nests of fine grass 
and plant fibers under or on the surface of the ground, and in these nests 
raise their large families of young, and generally live a sociable, com¬ 
munistic, primitive type of animal life. While not highly endowed with 
even rodent intelligence, they are quick to adapt themselves to the 
food supply that is available, to the best possible means of protection 
from enemies, and to make the best of what, from the point of view o£ 
even a squirrel, might seem a very humble existence. 
VOICES 
Meadow mice are by no means dumb, as some have asserted, though 
to our gross ears they may seem so. The young have many forms of 
minute whimpering, whining, crying sounds which seem to have a mean¬ 
ing to their mother. As she leaves the nest, and perhaps interrupts their 
meal, there is a fine little complaining jumble of whimpers from the very 
young, to which she pays no attention. If one tumbles out of the nest 
and lies wriggling helplessly on the floor it cries with a vigor that brings 
a quick parental response and is carried back and replaced in the nest. 
If it falls far enough to be slightly hurt but not to be greatly injured a 
sharp squeal of pain sets the mother frantic to find and help it. 
The adults and the older young have little talky squeaks and sharp 
cross squeaks and savage squeals, and in a fight a blur of squeaks and 
squeals and guttural growls, not far different from a dog fight on a very 
small scale. Then there are chatterings of teeth at each other and stamp¬ 
ings and scratchings on the ground when rivals meet, all of which, and 
probably much more that we miss, have an evident meaning to them. 
A stranger or friend is recognized, either by voice, odor, sight, or other 
token, as quickly as we recognize a friend or foe. 
DISPOSITIONS 
In their home life these mice are sociable, friendly, playful, and happy 
among the members of a well-fed family or colony, but are savage fighters 
in the case of rival males or of females in defense of young, or among 
strangers. When hungry or without comfortable nests or living con¬ 
ditions, they become cross and quarrelsome, will fight among themselves* 
even to the death, and will eat those killed, especially the young. 
They are fond of meat at any time, have no scruples against cannibal¬ 
ism, and will generally kill and eat newly born young not protected by 
the mother. Being ready fighters and always on the defensive, they 
will usually bite anything that catches or touches them, but can be 
safely handled, either by catching them firmly in the hand from above 
or by letting them run over the hands or arms or from one hand to the 
other. They are not easily so tamed as to be gentle and safe to play~ 
with, but, unlike many of the native mice of other groups, are not timid 
and nervous. 
INDIVIDUALITY 
There is great individuality, however, in dispositions and habits, some 
mice being comparatively timid and nervous, while others are more 
gentle and confiding, seeking rather than avoiding notice. Some are 
