. Animal snapshots and how made . feasts upon beech-nuts and grain, the existence of the white-footedmouse is one of eternal and anxious vigilance; itsbright eyes must be ever on the watch for the shadowof hawk and owl, -whose descent means swift andsilent death; its sharp ears must be ever listeningfor the slightest stirring among the leaves, which mayherald the coming of its dread enemy—the weasel. I was once passing through a thicket, when anunfamiliar sound caused me to stop to listen. Peer-ing through the brush I discovered a screech owlstanding on the side of an old birds nest, only asho
. Animal snapshots and how made . feasts upon beech-nuts and grain, the existence of the white-footedmouse is one of eternal and anxious vigilance; itsbright eyes must be ever on the watch for the shadowof hawk and owl, -whose descent means swift andsilent death; its sharp ears must be ever listeningfor the slightest stirring among the leaves, which mayherald the coming of its dread enemy—the weasel. I was once passing through a thicket, when anunfamiliar sound caused me to stop to listen. Peer-ing through the brush I discovered a screech owlstanding on the side of an old birds nest, only ashort distance ahead of me. It was after sundown,but the light was sufficient to enable me to see objectsquite distinctly some distance away. The little owl The White-Footed Mouse 131 was absorbed in tearing apart what at iirst sight Isupposed to be the birds nest. So intently was heengaged in this task that I approached unobserved,and when within thirty feet of the bird I discoveredthat a white-footed mouse had placed his home on. The Nest of the White-footed Mouse the top of the birds nest. The owl evidently knewthat it was the abode of a mouse, for he was openingthe nest by using both his beak and claws. Sud-denly a white-footed mouse sprang clear of the nest,which was not more than four and a half feet abovethe ground, and struck upon the dried leaves the screech owl dropped upon him andbore him away in his talons to some evergreens near by. 132 The White-Footed Mouse This was the only time that I ever caught the screechowl in the act of hunting the white-footed mouse. As a pet the white-footed mouse is very captivity it resembles in .many ways 4Jie,flyingsquirrel, especially in its fondness for climbing aboutyour person and hiding in your pockets.
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectani, booksubjectbirds
