2327 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE.

reading in bed at night; and was on one occasion awoke
by feeling a sharp bite on his cheek, when he discovered
the curtains of his bed to be on fire. He made his escape,
but his house was burnt down, and he saw no more of his
rat. He was, however, convinced, and remained so for the
rest of his life, that his old companion had saved him from
being burnt to death, by biting his cheek; and thus making
him aware of his danger.

The Mouse. The mouse is a much more popular animal
than the rat, though taking its size and numbers into account
it is scarcely less destructive. No one weeps when the rat
suffers capital punishment, but many a tear has been shed
over a “dear little mouse”. The house mouse is too well
known to need description. Like rats, mice appear to act in
companies, either under leadership or by common consent,
Mrs. Bowdich describes a number of mice which she observed
during an illness frequently emerge from her bed-room closet
and gravely form themselves into a circle and apparently
hold a council. That they frequently combine to effect
purposes which they are unable to accomplish singly is well
known. Mrs. Bowdich describes an attempt made by a
combined force of mice to get possession of the dainties
provided for her as she approached convalescence. These
were placed under tin covers upon a chest of drawers, and
the mice were evidently of opinion that if they could only
climb to the top of these covers they would find them open
like a basin, and so effect an entry. Unable to gain a footing
on the smooth metal sides, “they mounted upon each other’s
shoulders and so accomplished the feat”, though like arctic
explorers they failed to find an open sea and were compelled
to return with disappointment. An organised attempt to
remove a cover from the bottom, when, on one occasion, it
had not been firmly set down, resulted in an accident similar
to those incident to human engineering, for the cover slipped
and many tiny hands were severely pinched. After this