Feb. 23,1924 
Life Habits of Meadow Mice 
53* 
seems to be a bar even to the existence of the mice, but in the Temperate 
Zones they breed continuously through the warm seasons. 
Cover, or some secure place in which to construct the nests, seems 
necessary for favorable breeding conditions or for the contentment of the 
animals. In fact, where not protected from overhead enemies by some 
concealing screen of vegetation or other cover they are soon exterminated. 
Scarcity of individuals may often tend to retard or entirely to check 
reproduction. The mice may be left stranded out of reach of mates, 
when breeding perforce ceases until stimulated by a gradual influx from 
other localities. 
Discontent with environmental conditions, nature of soil, lack of water, 
terror of enemies, or any other disturbing elements might well prevent 
breeding and scatter the individuals. A change from an old cage to a 
new and better one will sometimes cause several days of unhappiness, 
struggle and effort to escape, gnawing at the wires, frantic running round 
and round the walls, impatience and snappishness with each other, and 
especially a savage attitude of females toward the males. 
On the other hand, breeding is evidently stimulated by rich 'food, 
mild weather, safety, quiet, sociability, comfortable living conditions, and 
general contentment. How far this would continue without degener¬ 
ation of the vigor of the species has not been determined, but for a time 
at least the stimulating effects of abundance and prosperity are pro¬ 
nounced. 
FOOD HABITS 
In their native habitat meadow mice feed to a great extent on grasses 
and sedges, selecting the tender new shoots in spring, the inner hearts at 
the base in summer, the green and ripening seeds in summer and autumn, 
and the tender bases, dormant sprouts, roots and root stalks, bulbs, 
tubers, and the bark and buds in winter. They feed also on the 
clovers and a great variety of meadow and upland plants, eating both the 
green tops, flowers, and seeds, and the roots. 
In times of scarcity, especially in winter and under protection of snow, 
the mice eat the inner bark and tender cambium layer from shrubs, 
trees, and vines, often completely girdling the trunks as high as they 
can reach above ground and stripping the roots well below the surface. 
In fields, gardens, orchards, and home grounds the mice show a fond¬ 
ness for grains of all kinds, most garden vegetables, and the bark of many 
fruit and ornamental trees, shrubs, and vines. Often they cut down and 
destroy and waste far more growing vegetation than they eat. 
STORES 
In times of abundance, and especially in autumn, food is stored for 
future use. Along the upper Missouri for ages Indian tribes have gath¬ 
ered part of their winter food by robbing the mouse stores of ground 
beans, artichokes, and other tubers. Several quarts or a peck of these 
beans and tubers are often taken from a single cavity, and a person can 
sometimes gather several bushels a day from the mouse stores (3). In 
other parts of the country various roots, tubers, and bulbs are stored. 
In captivity the mice will often secrete all surplus food under or near the 
nest, sometimes filling their nest boxes full of seeds, grains, and vege¬ 
tables. In cold weather when the young are about to be bom, the mother 
stores up all spare food and places it around the nest where it can be 
