Illustrative Anecdotes of the Animal Kingdom

by Samuel G. Goodrich

The black and gray squirrels of the western country frequently emigrate, in immense numbers, from one district to another. They may be often seen swimming across the Ohio; and it is not uncommon for persons to stand upon the banks, and kill them as they come to the shore, being then in an exhausted state.

THE MOUSE.

Of this genus there are many species, including not only the domestic mouse, but several other kinds, as well as the various kinds of rats. The common mouse was not originally a native of this country, but was introduced from Europe. The same may be said of the common rat. These animals are spread over nearly the whole world, seeming always to be the attendants upon man.

Miscellaneous Anecdotes.—"On a rainy evening," says Dr. Archer, "as I was alone in my chamber in the town of Norfolk, I took up my flute and commenced playing. In a few moments, my attention was directed to a mouse that I saw creeping from a hole, and advancing to a chair in which I was sitting. I ceased playing, and it ran precipitately back to its hole. I began again to play, and was much surprised to see it reappear, and take its old position. It couched upon the floor, shut its eyes, and appeared in ecstasy, being differently affected by the music I played, as it varied from slow and plaintive to lively and animated."

A gentleman who was on board a British man of war, in the year 1817, states that, as he and some officers were seated by the fire, one of them began to play a plaintive air on the violin. He had scarcely performed ten minutes, when a mouse, apparently frantic, made its appearance in the centre of the floor. The strange gestures of the little animal strongly excited the attention of the officers, who, with one consent, resolved to suffer it to continue its singular actions unmolested. Its exertions now appeared to be greater every moment; it shook its head, leaped about the table, and exhibited signs of the most ecstatic delight. After performing actions that an animal so diminutive would at first sight seem incapable of, the little creature suddenly ceased to move, fell down, and expired, without evincing any symptoms of pain.

An officer confined to the Bastille, at Paris, begged to be allowed to play on his lute, to soften his confinement by its harmonies. Shortly afterwards, when playing on the instrument, he was much astonished to see a number of mice come frisking out of their holes, and many spiders descending from their webs, and congregating round him while he continued the music. Whenever he ceased, they dispersed; whenever he played again, they reappeared. He soon had a numerous audience, amounting to about a hundred mice and spiders.

Mr. Olafsen gives an account of the remarkable instinct of the Iceland mouse. In a country where berries are but thinly dispersed, these little animals are obliged to cross rivers to make their distant forages. In their return with the booty to their magazines, they are obliged to repass the stream. "The party, which consists of from six to ten, select a flat piece of dried cow-dung, on which they place the berries on a heap in the middle; then, by their united force, they bring it to the water's edge, and, after launching it, embark and place themselves round the heap, with their heads joined over it and their backs to the water, their tails pendent in the stream, serving the purpose of rudders." Remarkable as this story is, the truth of it is confirmed by many people who have watched the arrangements of the tiny navigators.

THE DORMOUSE.

Mr. Mangili, an Italian naturalist, made some curious experiments upon the dormouse. He kept one in the cupboard in his study. When the thermometer was 8° above the freezing point, the little animal curled himself up among a heap of papers, and went to sleep. It was ascertained that the animal breathed, and suspended his respiration, at regular intervals, sometimes every four minutes. Within ten days from his beginning to sleep, the dormouse awoke, and ate a little. He then went to sleep again, and continued through the winter to sleep some days and then to awaken; but as the weather became colder, the intervals of perfect repose, when no breathing could be perceived, were much longer—sometimes more than twenty minutes.

THE RAT.