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Entered according to Act of Congress, in June,lßGß,by J. W. Burke k Cos., in the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the So. District of Georgia
VOL. 11.
Written for Burke’s Weekly.
THE WHITE MICE.
Mamma,” said Alice Single
\ * W/'' ton, as she and her little sister
May came into the room, flush
ed with their morning walk,
“as we went down the street, towards
Grandmother’s, we saw
some of the prettiest
little white mice. They
were so tame, and the
boy that had them could
make them do so many
cunning things.”
“ Oh yes, Mamma,”
said May, “and two of
the little creatures got
on top of their cage and
played with a straw.
One would take it in
his mouth and move off
with it, and the other
would run after him,
and take it away from
him, and then walk on
his hind legs and hold •'
the straw up, as if it '
was a gun ; and they
did so many other
funny things.”
“Yes, my dears,”
said their mother, as
soon as there was a lull
in the conversation,
“there are few animals
more beautiful than the
white mouse. But can
you tell me something
about mice ? We have been reading an
excellent work on Natural History, and
you will recollect that we read the chap -
ter on mice only a few days ago. Le
me see if you, Alice, can tell me to
what order the mice belong?”
“To the order ot Rodentia, orgnaw
ers. They take their name from the
Latin word rodere, to gnaw. They com
prise at least five families : The Sciuridce
or squirrel family ; the Saccomyidce, or
gopher family; the Muridce, or rat
family; the Hystricidcc, or porcupine
family; and the Leporidee, or hare
family.”
“ To which of these families do the
mice belong ?”
“ To the Muridae, or rat family, which
includes all the species of rats and mice,
of which there are more than three hun
dred, some of which are found in every
country on the globe. None of them
are large—the muskrat being the largest
—while some of them are among the
smallest of known animals.”
“ Is there any difference between the
rats and mice of America and other
countries ?’ ’
“Yes, ma’am. Those of the old
world are called mures , while those of
America are known as sigmodontes.
The old world rats are characterized by
very large and broad molar teeth, while
the new world rats and mice have these
teeth narrower.”
“ Name some of the mice which are
best known with us.”
“ The harvest mouse of South Caro
ina and Georgia, and the States west-
MACON, GEORGIA, SEPTEMBER 12, IS6B
ward of us, is less than two and a half
inches long from the tip of the nose to
the tail. In color it is a grayish-brown
above and a grayish-white beneath, while
the regions about the mouth and chin
and feet are white. A mouse very
similar to this is found in California and
is called the long-tailed harvest mouse :
and there are two other species in the
’ United States, but I have seen no de
scription of them.
“Another genus found in the United
States are known as the white-footed
mice. Os these there are about fifteen
distinct species found in this country,
i only one of which is peculiar to the
South, the rice-field mouse of South
Carolina and Georgia. The white-foot
ed, or deer mouse, is found as far South
; as Virginia, and the red mouse as far
i South as Georgia; while several species
: of this family are common in most parts
j of the United States.”
“Can you tell me something about
; field mice ?”
“This genus is represented in the
United States by more than twenty
species, about half of which are found
only in the United States. The i*ed
backed mouse, which is found in the
Northern States, is about the size of the
common house mouse. The only spe
cies lean find mentioned as being found
at the South is the prairie meadow
mouse of the Missis
sippi Valley, though I
should think, mother,
that the rice-field mouse
ought to be classed with
the field mouse, but it
is not.”
“ No, they are of dif
ferent genus, and if
you were to see them
together and examine
them closely, you would
find very many points
of difference.”
“ But, mother, I can
find nothing in the
book of Natural History
about white mice. Are
they a distinct genus or
species?”
“I think not, my
daughter. At least,
like you, I am unable
to find them put down
as a distinct species in
any of the latest works
on Natural History at
my command. I am
inclined to think that
they belong to some
one of the species of
white-footed mice ; but I shall make
further search, and if I can find out
anything more about them, will speak
of it at some future time.”
“ Thank you, dear mother. I am so
glad we saw the boy with the mice, for
it has given us occasion for such a nice
talk.”
Fruits. The fruits of the earth
spring, bud, grow green, grow ripe,
and then wither; but the fruits of the
Spirit shall never decay. If they have
filled God’s vineyard on earth, they shall
flourish in his Eden of Heaven forever.
NO. 11.