Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 October 1891 — The Economical Mice of Iceland. [ARTICLE]

The Economical Mice of Iceland.

Dr. Henderson, in his Travels, givei uis testimony to the correctness of tin popular belief amongst the natives o( icolaud, of the remarkable instinct of a species of momm, the accounts of which imve been doubted by some naturalists He says: ‘ This animal, which is sup posed by Olafsen and Povelsen (writers on zoology) to be a variation of the wood, or economical mouse, displays a surprising degree of sagacity, both in conveying homo its provisions, and the manner in which it stocks them in the magazine appropriated for that pur pose. In a country, says Mr. Pennant, whore berries are but thinly dispersed, these little animals are obliged to cross rivers to make their distant forages, tin ir return with the booty to the r.iajr a/.i'K s, they are obliged to repais the »tr< am ; of which Mr, Olafsen (OlofvD and Povelsen) gives the following ac count: ‘The parly, wnioh consists o< from six to ten, relect a flat piece ot some light, substance on which ihr-y place the berries on a heap in the mid die; then, by their united force, bring it to the water’s edge, and, after launching it, embark, and place temcelves round the heap, with the heads joined over it, and their backs to the watec, their tails pendant in the stream, serving the purpose of rudders.’ Mr. in his ‘Tour in Iceland,’ ridi--dies the idea of any such process, and says, that every sensible Icelander laughs at the account as fabulous.” Dr. Henderson then goes on to corroborate the statements of Olafsen and Pennant: “Having been apprised of the doubts that were entertained on this subject, befoie setting out on my second excursion I made a point of inquiring of different individuals as to the reality of the account, and lam happy in being able to say, that it is now e.itablistrsd as an important fact in natural history, by the testimony of two eye witnesses o f unquestionable veracity, the clergyman of Driamslak, and Hiidame Heuedictson. of Stiekesholm, botli of whom assured me. time they had seen the expedition performed repeatedly. Madame B. :n particular recollected hav ng spent a di-.‘.fir nooa, in hei younger day- at me margin ot' a small lake on which these skillful navigators had embarked, and amused herself and her companions by driving them away from the of the lake as they approached them. 1 was also informed that they make use of drkd mushrooms as sacks, in which they convey their provisions to the river, and thence to their homes. Nor is the structure of their nests lose remarkable. From the surface of the ground a passage runs into the earth, similar t< that of the Icelandic houses, and term mates iu a large and deep hole, intended to receive any water that may find its way through the passage, and serving at the same time as a place for their novel craft. About two thirds of the passage, in two diagonal roads, lead to their sleeping apartment and the magazine, which they always contrive ”jo ! k®ep from wet."— The Alia, f Aim now cornea a chemist and ffcdfls the theo-v that unbolted flour k lb® most nutritious, by stating that e» jeritn nts show that it is harder to d A Fit. The moat sensible plan to follow to eat what experianoa hat proved —m with TOO.

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