Evening star., 1949-12-08
This and That
Bv Charles E, Tr0ceweU

~ 1H"1eS Il. 'ptcUeH
Mice come up through the walls these
cold winter days.
Tidy houselolders resent the intrusion,
but if it is field mouse they should not be
worried.
These fine rodents make interesting attic
occupants, though they may sound as large
as rats in transit.
Field mice belong to the elite of the
rodent family. the largest in the world of
living things.
They are pretty. clean creatures, between
six and seven inches long, with nice fur Of
dark gray or brown, or mixture Of the two.
The field. or meadow mouse, as it is often
called. is believed to the most abundant
rodent in America.
Yet many local householders would be
willing to swear they had never seen one.
especially in their houses.
Some of them even would declare that
meadow mice do not come indoors.
The answer is a question: Why shouldn t
they?
They live in our suburban areas and seek
nice warm places in winter, just as the
common house mice do.
One should look carefully, therefore if a
mouse In found indoors.
therefore well worth pampering.
The common meadow mouse Is larger. and
heavier than our ordinary mice.
Its ears do not stick up, but are well
hidden in the fur. The legs are shorter, as
is the tall
Altogether, the field mouse more closely
resembles the hamsters, now enjoying popu-
larity as "toy bears"
At this point, word of warning should be
given to those who will receive hamsters,
Asiatic pouched rodents. for Christmas.
Easily kept and fed. and cleaner in small
quarters than most animals, these little
creatures are great favorites of children and
adults alike.
Often strips of paper are used in the
cages, and these offer a real danger, often
unrealized.
In burrowing around, the strips may be-
come wrapped around the soft body, and
with repeated turnings the animal may wind
the paper so tight that in time the plump
body becomes CONSTRUCTED to size no larger
than pencil. The animal, Of course. dies.
This is something to watch out for, since
no one would suspect such thing possible.
Materials used for bedding should not be
strips, but smaller particles.
4 X x
In nature, a field mouse will not come
close to a. house.
But large city suburbs are only semi
nature after all.
Meadow mice coming into town on ac-
count of food conditions may easily try to
take to garages and attics of houses.
The existence of trails leads them on.
These trails may be nothing more than the
scent of previous visitors of the rodent
family
It is probable that if house mice have ever
been in house, the scent remains for years.
living over from one cold spell to another.
*'* \
Meadow mice are among the most adapt
able Of living things.
Above the timber line. or below it, they
thrive and produce their young. In snowy
places they become almost white, and in red
clay soil areas turn almost red.
In snowy areas, where white lies on the
ground for months at time. the meadow
mice travel under the snow for long dis
tances, aiming to be at the site when
orchards, nurseries, lawns. gardens are CON-
ing into bloom.
It maybe realized that here is capable
animal, one not to be sneered at just because
it is mouse. Are you man or mouSe?
This question might well be answered by a
meadow mouse with pride. Sure, I'm q
mouse, and proud Of it," he could say. u
belong to the largest Of all mammal fam
lilies. We make up nearly one-fourth of all
four-f footed animals In North America. Who
would want to be man when he could be
! 4 nouse?" sr