139 
in words, but which strikes the eye familiar with the subject. We ven- 
ture to assert that we can distinguish, in North America, about twenty 
kinds of Hesperomys leucopus, upon characters at least as constant, relia- 
ble, and tangible as those hitherto held to define the greatest part of the 
‘species’ that have been in vogue of late years.” 
It will be seen in the preceding synonymy, that many of these species 
are abandoned. Dr. Coues, after an exhaustive review of this species 
and the nominal species referred to it (Monograph of North American 
Rodentia), admits three geographical races or varieties, gossypinus, sonore- 
ensis, and eremicus, which, however, grade into each other insensibly. 
Distribution and Habits —This species ranges from the Atlantic to the 
Pacific, and from the Arctic regions south to Mexico. 
This mouse is decidedly a lover of timbered lands. Mr. Kennicott 
says he has never observed it on the prairie. It is found on wooded 
farms, but not in large fields clear of trees, stumps, and logs. Its nest is 
usually in an old stump or hollow log, and occasionally in hollow trees 
some distance above the ground. It even occupies deserted birds’ nests. 
Dr. Hoy has observed it nesting in the thick branches of thorn trees 
eight or ten feet above the ground. These nests were of grass, spherical 
in form, the entrance being a small hole at one side. 
This species is active on the ground, and climbs readily. It docs not 
burrow. It is sometimes gregarious; a dozen have been found together 
in winter. It does not hibernate, but travels about either on or under 
the snow. This species is nocturnal, and so escapes hawks. Owls and 
Weasels prey upon it; and Mr. Kennicott has found the Milk Snake 
(Ophibolus doliatus) under logs near its nests. Its numerous enemies keep 
it from increasing rapidly, although it is a prolific species, producing 
two or three litters annually, of from four to six young. The young are 
dragged away from the nest, attached to the teats of the mother, when 
disturbed. The female shows much affection for the young, moving with 
great caution, and, in one instance, was observed to return and remove 
one which had lost its hold and been brushed off. 
This species is not at all carnivorous; it feeds on seeds and leaves of 
grasses and trees, also on acorns and nuts. It lays up stores for winter, 
stripping off the shells of beechnuts and other seeds with no apparent 
reason. Several quarts of clean Red Clover seed have been found in a 
stump, stored away by this Mouse. 
The White footed Mouse is a pretty little animal, delicately colored 
and neatly formed. It occasionally gnaws the bark from fruit trees, but 
sticks to wooded lands so persistently that it cannot, on the whole, be 
considered injurious to the farmer. It is timid in captivity, not at all 
