The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1901-03-15
THE MOUSE AT HOVE.
LITTLE RODENT LIVES LOO
WITHOUT FOOD.
Il Agile and GRACEFUL Not At Avn
oious In Disposition. lie Mar Es.n iis
Trained Mo.t Active at NiEht--Diy
Tanned.

The common little house nous Is
probably the best-known wild annal
In America. II Is almost impossible
10 avoid learning something OF thtip-
pearance and habits Of this little ~
low. for he acts as a private tutoi on
'he subject In almost every housetad.
As few Of us are fond enough Of I'M,
however. to pay strict attention vlin
he presents himself as an object leson,
a brief description OF his external ~
pearance may not be out Of place. In
a certain quaint dictionary | Ge
possessed the definition OF mos
was given as "a small rat" and thah
not such very bad one. after d.
except for the fact that the reader
apt to be less familiar with the apper.
ance OF rat than OF a mouse. II
total length OF the latter animal
about six and three-eighths inches,
which the tail takes up nearly On,
half. HlG head Is longlsh and his 10 /
sharp. His ears are large and erbt |
with very little hair on either surfAo /
His legs are slender, aud his delldai
little toes are provided with shar |
slightly hooked nails His tail II
round and tapering. soaly and VITA |
slight covering OF short hair. In colo
he is dusky gray above and ashy be
meath. His eyes and most OF bill
whiskers are black. and his front teeth
are yollowlsh.
Altogether he is "A very dainty little
fellow. and II persons would only stop
to study him little. instead OF throw.
ing things at him or calling In the cat
ever time he puts In an appearance,
they would soon find him a very In
telligent and attractive companion. lie
is agile and graceful In his movements.
and not at all vicious In disposition,
says a writer In the Hartford Times.
For some time past have had a mum
Der Of mice In captivity. and | fnd
them very amusing pets. They will
eat anything. and are 30 tame that they
will take food from my hand or drink
from a little vessel held In the fingers.
They are most active at night but
often play about In the daytime. They
are very bright. and Immediately give
their attention to any unusual sight OF
sound. To do this they usually paus,
with their head slightly on one side
and with a most lnqulring look In thell
eyes. After eatlns they wash them.
selves very rapidly with their front
paws Where there Is an abupdanc,
OF food mice eat great deal, but the,
seem able to live ON very little. Ant
when once well established In hous,
they manage 10 get along SOMEHOW
even II the provisions are carefully
locked up for ronths at time. Wien
hungry. however. they are very pGsc-
vering In their efforts to get food and
will gnaw their way into boxs and
eupboards. scale walls. and evei cross
ceilings. when the latter are rough
enough to AFFORD hold for theli sharp.
hooked claws. They have been known
10 descend rope and eat up The con-
tents OF n basket hanging from the
ceiling. They make their ness OF
scraps OF paper, wool rags or any soft
material, which they usually chop up
very small with their teeth. These
homes are usually made In hole In
tho wall or beneath the floor or In an
old box, drawer or other convenient
place. often when clearing out an old
desk or trunk one comes upon such al
nest, made Of nne particles OF old let.
terB. penwlpers, and such like things
There are several filters Of young
every year, and generally from four b
ten In litter, When the young onG
are born they are very small, pink H.
Ito creatures. naked and blind Tle
mother Is devoted to them aud tenls
them with great care and evident q
fectlon. When they are few we'd,
old they begin to come out Of thl
hole to play about and see what DC
world Is made OF. They may easllybe
distinguished from the older ones BY
a their smaller size and younger Looks
4 when II becomes necessary to des.ruy
b mice, perhaps the most humane wa 10
! do IL Is with spring trap, whth Nlls
Q them instantly with blow. Pdsdaing
;. is very cruel, and this method Is also
a menace to human life, not ,nly be-
q cause II Is always dangerous to have
z poison where there is a possAllay OF
1 children getting hold OF H. bui be.nuse
- the mice are apt to die In be valls,
u uoors aud other inaccessible Iacss.