Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 3, 1802).djvu/259

237&#93; MOU rvhole length, together with tliC tail, not exceeding 4§ or 5 inches. It chiefly infests the county of Hants, where it is very numerous, especially during the harvest. — This creature constru6ls its nest of a circular form, v/ith blades of corn, which it deposits above the eurfaice of the ground between the straws of standing grain, and fre- quently in thistles, wheie the fe- male produces from six to eight young ones at a time. The harvest-mice never enter bouses ; but are often carried into rickf.:, among sheaves of corn 3 one hu fid red having sometiaies been found in a single rick, on taking it down to be housed. Those reuiain- hig in the field, sheher themselves during the winter beneatli the ground, into v/hich tiiey burrow deeply, forming their beds or nests, of decayed grass. They may also be taken by means of the traps above mentioned. 3. The musculus, or Common Mouse, which has a 'ery long, scaly, and almost naked tail : ex- clusively of w hich, it is about three inches and a half in length. Ihis species is uncommonly prolific, producing several times in the year, five or six young at a litter. There are several varieties of the common mouse, v/hicli are chiefly distinguished by their colour, such as black, yellowish, spotted, &c. ; but the most rare and beautiful are white, with red eyes — 'they are in some degree capable of being tanked, especially by means of mu- sic, to which ail mice are singu- larly attached. The common mouse inhabits all temperate climates, and is chiefly found in houses and izi barns, whither it resorts for the sake t)t' food, deyyuring ^^aiu^ breads M O U £237 cheese, butter, oil, &:c. it is ex- ceedingly timid, and very ijiajislej never leaves its abode exceptij^ig for food ; and retires on the slightest alarm. These little depredators may ba destroyed in houses by tiie cxjm- mon traps, baited with cheese : in barns, it will be necessary to allure them by means of sluged leather, grease, or other animal food j and, in chambers where cheese is pre- served, with malt- meal. As, how- ever, all these methods are ti'ouble- sorae 5 and, as the exposirjg of poi- sonous substances may be attended with danger, we shall communi- cate a remedy that is bot.h safe and eflicacious: Take a few handfuls of wheaten flour, or m.^It-meal, knead it into a dough, and let it grow sour in a warm place 5 thea mix with it finely levigated iron filings, form the whole into small balls, and put tiiem into the holes frequented by mice. On eating this preparation, they are inevita- bly killed. ■ Another way to extirpate thera is, b}' keeping cats, dogs, owis, or hedge-hogs, in the places infested ith mice or rats. But tiie mot^t efieftual method uf preventing thti? devastations in barns, the il<jo?s ojf which they frequently undermiiie, consists in laying beneath the latter a stratum of flints, fragments of glass mixed with sand, or broken cinders. It has likewise been pro- posed to construct such floors on piers ot brick, raised about 16 or IS inches above the ground, so that dogs or cats may have a fre^ passage beneath the building. — Sec also Corn, vol. ii. p. tip; and Mullein. 4. Tiie arvaUs, or Meadow- mouse, is from three 10 six inches iu length; dwelling in busliy places, corn-