Meadow mouse

“ Three species of meadow mice are known to inhabit the park, and of these, two are so similar that the positive field identification of each is difficult in most instances. Only the Cascade meadow mouse, or water vole, shows sufficiently distinctive characteristics to permit easy recognition. Of the two similar species, the Oregon meadow mouse is probably most likely to be encountered. ”

“ These were the trails of the shaggy-coated, crop-eared, short-legged, shorttailed meadow mouse. This firm crust had opened to him the opportunity of safety in paths that had been before dangerous in the extreme. He knew where{145} chestnuts had lain open to the sky for months, but he dared not go into the open path to get them. Fox, cat, skunk, weasel, hawk, owl, crow, all watched the paths and the edges of the thick grass for him. He must burrow or die. ”

“ In speaking of mice, we have two important species commonly known as the meadow mouse and the other species known as the white-footed mouse. The meadow mouse is the one that does so much damage to the orchard trees and young nursery stock if unprotected, and the white-footed mouse may be responsible for some of this when present in great numbers, but of the white-footed mouse this much good can be said:
Squirrel guards.
Much of its diet, especially of the mother mouse during the [Pg 87] time that she is nursing her young ones, is made up of insects. ”

“ Now, it was a pity that in Pleasant Valley, where Farmer Green's meadow lay, there were many of the fat-loving kind. Not only Peter Mink and Tommy Fox, but Grumpy Weasel, Solomon Owl, Ferdinand Frog, Henry Hawk and even Miss Kitty Cat were usually on the watch for Master Meadow Mouse. Naturally, he soon learned to be on the lookout for them. And if he hadn't seen them first he would never have grown up to be Mister Meadow Mouse. [3]
In spite of all those enemies, Master Meadow Mouse managed to enjoy life in Farmer Green's meadow. Usually he found plenty of seeds to eat. ”

“ The wind has gently murmured through the blinds, or puffed with feathery softness against the windows, and occasionally sighed like a summer zephyr lifting the leaves along, the live-long night. The meadow-mouse has slept in his snug gallery in the sod, the owl has sat in a hollow tree in the depth of the swamp, the rabbit, the squirrel, and the fox have all been housed. The watch-dog has lain quiet on the hearth, and the cattle have stood silent in their stalls. ”

“ Very small eyes Tail short, about one-third total length Brown fur, gray on underside
The Meadow Mouse is by far the most common mammal of Castle Neck. Its burrows may be seen just under the grass in all areas having ground cover. It feeds on many of the trees in the area, chewing the bark around the base. This girdling will eventually kill the tree. While this habit makes Meadow Mice undesirable, they fortunately prefer the smaller herbaceous plants when they are available. Although common, Meadow Mice are seldom seen because their days are spent running through their burrows. ”

“ While as for meadow mice—well, Peter Mink had surprised many a one swim [101] ming in the brook. If it hadn't been for the meadow mice perhaps he wouldn't have visited the brook so often.
Even in winter Master Meadow Mouse just had to have his cold dip now and then. So he ran one of his many snow tunnels to the brook, making a little opening that led under the ice, where the water had fallen away and left a cavern. Just because there was skating for Johnnie Green on top of the brook it mustn't be supposed that Master Meadow Mouse wasn't going to have a swim when he wanted one. ”

“ Only the Cascade meadow mouse shows any marked deviation in its habits, being semi-aquatic, at least in summer, with a marked preference for marshy or boggy meadows, taking to the water readily to escape danger, and burrowing along the banks of small streams. ”

“ Rang up the timid shrews, and one darted among the dead leaves and moss, as though hotly pursued; aroused the squirrels, and creeping stealthily down an oak’s extended arms, a pair passed by, thinking by their cunning to escape my notice; called forth a white-footed mouse, daintiest of all our mammals, that picked its tortuous way to the meadow from its bush-nest in the briers. What folly to suppose there is no life about you because it eludes your search! ”

“ It is seen in half the creatures that one meets. A meadow-mouse is no sluggard at other times, and a lazy deer-mouse is a contradiction; but with what measured steps and slow a mouse comes hobbling over the dead leaves about the maple I am perched in! The creature looks at the sky, then at the ground, and finally at a sorry shrub with seedless pods. ”

“ Microtus pennsylvanicus is the most common meadow mouse of the eastern United States. It ranges westward through Canada and southward in the Rocky Mountains. A number of races occur in this extensive range. In northeastern Washington the eastern meadow mouse is locally common, being confined to marshes and damp meadows. Well-used runways are made through the dense vegetation and piles of feces and blades of grass are deposited therein. A number of broods are raised in a season, for young of many different ages are taken together in midsummer. ”

“ They went out on little hunting-trips by night, with Mother Fox, to lonely hillside pastures, where she taught them to hunt field-mice in the withered grass. In the starlight, they would steal up to some promising clump, and rising on their hind legs peer far forward, with ears pricked up to catch the faintest squeak and eyes alert to note the tiniest movement in the grass. They learned to spring and pounce like lightning, with outspread paws, just ahead of where the grass stirred ever so slightly. If successful, they would kill with one nip a plump, round-headed, short-tailed meadow-mouse. ”

“ Now, however, coming to a series of wild meadows, he lingered to hunt meadow-mice. Among the roots of the long grass the mice had innumerable hidden runways, through which they could travel without danger from the hawks and owls. Crouching close to one of these runways, the big cat would listen till a squeak or a faint scurrying noise would reveal the passing of a mouse. Then a lightning pounce, with paws much wider apart than in his ordinary hunting, would tear away the frail covering of the runway, and usually show the victim clutched beneath one paw or the other. ”

“ And Master Meadow Mouse remarked that it was very careless of Farmer Green. "He might have waited till the snow comes, at least, before cutting the grass," said Master Meadow Mouse.
"You'd better move to Cedar Swamp with us," Mrs. Bobolink suggested. "It's a fine place. I know, for we lived there last fall."
But Master Meadow Mouse didn't want to move.
"The grass will grow again," he explained. "Farmer Green can't stop the grass from growing, no matter how often he cuts it." ”

“ Sometimes a young Meadow Mouse does not want to stop drinking his milk when it is time for his mother to leave the nest, so he just hangs on to her with his tiny, toothless mouth, and when she goes she drags him along on the ground beside her. ”

“ Description.—The Townsend meadow mouse is a large-bodied, long-furred mouse with a tail of moderate length. Head and body measure about 8 inches, the tail about 2-1/2 inches. The legs are short and the ears scarcely project through the fur on the head. In summer the color is dark reddish-brown. The winter color is dark brownish-black. Underparts are paler, more grayish brown, than are the upper parts. ”

“ The delicate lace traceries of the masked shrew, shown in Fig. 4, are almost invisible unless the sun be low; they are difficult to draw, and impossible to photograph or cast satisfactorily but the sketch gives enough to recognize them by.
The meadow mouse belongs to the rank grass in the lowland {192} near the brook, and passing it toward the open, running, water we may see the curious track of the muskrat; its five-toed hind foot, its four-toed front foot, and its long keeled tail, are plainly on record. ”

“ Subspeciation in the Meadow Mouse, Microtus montanus, in Wyoming and Colorado BY SYDNEY ANDERSON
Microtus montanus reaches the eastern limits of its geographic distribution in Wyoming and Colorado. There the mountains, but in general not the lowlands, are occupied by this species. A certain minimum of moisture may be of direct importance to the mouse and certainly is indirectly important, because certain hydrophytic or mesophytic grasses used by the mouse for food, for protection from enemies, and for shelter from the elements are dependent on the moisture. ”

“ Life had become very easy for Master Meadow Mouse. He didn't even have to leave home to get all the corn he could eat. He simply crept out of his nest, and right there in his cornshock he had two dozen ears of ripe corn. ”

“ There's always some danger in traveling—so I've heard."
His cousin on the bank had stopped running and now stood still and watched him anxiously until the raft had borne Master Meadow Mouse out of sight around a bend.
As the flood swung the craft toward the further side of the creek Master Meadow Mouse beheld a long-legged fisherman standing in the water. Not only did the fisherman have long legs. He had a long bill as well. And he was standing like a statue, waiting for a fish to swim past him. [76] A fish, or a frog, or a mouse! ”

“ The Pennsylvania meadow mouse is an abundant mammal along the Alaska Highway. Alcorn obtained specimens at most of his trapping stations, frequently in company with Microtus oeconomus at the more northern localities. A preferred habitat was grassy areas and willow clumps along streams or at the edges of lakes. ”

“ As it is, their enemies, which are practically every predatory animal and bird, can barely keep them in check. Meadow mice serve as a valuable source of food for the smaller predatory animals such as coyotes, foxes and for the various hawks and owls.
There are four species of these mice that have been found in Yellowstone Park:
Sawatch Meadow Mouse: Microtus pennsylvanicus modestus. A medium-sized mouse with upperparts dull ochraceous, sprinkled with black. Underparts soiled whitish to ashy or cinnamon. In winter many black hairs along upperparts and underparts with wash of creamy white. ”

“ He met dozens of the big Meadow Mouse family that night. And every one of them was intent on picking out a shock of corn to live in.
Luckily there were shocks enough for all—and more. And no disputes arose. Some wanted to settle near the fence. [53] Some preferred to live in the middle of the field. Many decided to make their new homes near Broad Brook, so they could enjoy a swim now and then without having to travel far to get to the water.
Master Meadow Mouse was one of the best swimmers. He found a huge shock that stood near the bank of the brook. ”

“ Long-tailed meadow mice are widely distributed over the western United States, Canada, and Alaska. In Washington the long-tailed meadow mouse has been taken in many habitats. One specimen was taken along a small, temporary stream through sagebrush in the Upper Sonoran Life-zone. ”

“ It was something that had been handed down to him along with his short tail and his reddish-brown back.
Somehow, as she stood and gazed at Master Meadow Mouse the kitten thought he was growing bigger every moment. She began to feel uneasy about pouncing on him. It was one thing to clap a paw down on the back of somebody that was running away from her. And it was an [14] entirely different matter to seize a person that didn't try to escape, but faced her almost boldly.
"Hunting isn't so much fun as I expected," she muttered. For a moment or two she was tempted to scamper back to the farmhouse. ”

“ You never saw a Meadow Mouse with a long tail, did you? Of course not. What a sight it would be! Why, everybody on the Green Meadows would laugh themselves sick at the sight! You see you need to be slim and trim and handsome to carry a long tail well. ”

“ And the moment she was within his reach Master Meadow Mouse gave her a smart nip on the nose with his sharp little teeth.
The kitten squalled. And she backed [15] hastily away. "You'd better run!" she advised Master Meadow Mouse. "I shall not give you another chance!"
But he stood fast. And the kitten didn't give him another chance, either to run from her, or to bite her nose again. She fell into a sudden panic and bounded awkwardly away toward the farmhouse.
And then Master Meadow Mouse ran. He ran home as fast as he could go.
[16]
The whole Meadow Mouse family enjoyed swimming. ”

“ Very soft, fluffy plumage muffles their flight so that they can drop upon a meadow mouse creeping through the grass in the stilly night before this wee, {226} timorous beastie suspects there is a foe abroad. ”

“ These lines intersect and cross at every conceivable angle, and as the meadow mice clan are ever friendly toward one another, any particular mouse seems at liberty to traverse these miles of mouse alleys. ”

“ These specimens are less gray and more brown than specimens more typical of M. l. vellerosus from the Liard River area.
Alcorn found the long-tailed meadow mouse in widely separated areas. Most specimens were obtained in grassy situations near water or on moist ground. The single male from Summit Pass in British Columbia was taken above timberline.
Microtus longicaudus littoralis Swarth
Long-tailed Meadow Mouse
Microtus mordax littoralis Swarth, Proc. ”

“ These paths seem an invention of the meadow mice, and, affording them a unique escape from danger, they doubtless, in a great measure, account for the extreme abundance of the little creatures. When a deer mouse or a chipmunk emerges from its hollow log or underground tunnel, it must take its chances in open air. It may dart along close to the ground or amid an impenetrable tangle of briers, but still it is always visible from above. ”