. The American natural history; a foundation of useful knowledge of the higher animals of North America. Natural history. CHEEK-POUCH MICE AKD RATS 91 mice escaped into the sage-brush. Near by stood an old-fashioned buggy. Next morning, when the photographer hfted the cushion of his buggy-seat, and opened the top of the shallow box underneath, the five mice, with their heads together in a droll-looking group, loolved out at him in surprise and curiosity, with- out attempting to run away. But very soon it became our turn to be surprised. We found that those industrious little creatures had gath
. The American natural history; a foundation of useful knowledge of the higher animals of North America. Natural history. CHEEK-POUCH MICE AKD RATS 91 mice escaped into the sage-brush. Near by stood an old-fashioned buggy. Next morning, when the photographer hfted the cushion of his buggy-seat, and opened the top of the shallow box underneath, the five mice, with their heads together in a droll-looking group, loolved out at him in surprise and curiosity, with- out attempting to run away. But very soon it became our turn to be surprised. We found that those industrious little creatures had gathered up every particle of their nest, and every seed of their winter store, and carried all of it up into the seat of that buggy! The nest had been carefully re-made, and the seed placed closed by, as before. Considering the number of journeys that must have been necessary to carry all those materials over the ground, and climb up to the buggy-seat, the industry and agility of the mice were amazing. By wajf of experiment, we again removed the nest, and while the mice once more took to the sage-brush, we collected all the seed, and poured it in a pile upon the ground, as before. During the following night, those indomitable little creat- ures again carried nest and seed back into the buggy-seat, just as before. Then we gathered up the entire family of mice with their nest and seed, and transported them to New York. The Grasshopper Mouse,' originally de- scribed by Audubon and Bachman as the Mis- souri Mouse, and often called the Mole Mouse, is mentioned in order to caution western observ- ers against confusing it with the preceding species. In some respects it strongly resembles the white- footed mouse, being aU white underneath, in- cluding its legs. It can readily be distinguished by its large fore claws and its short, stumpy tail, which is only about one-third as long as the head and body. Its upper surface is brownish-gray. Its fur is very fine and soft, and hence it is some
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookp, booksubjectnaturalhistory
