24. PANSE, R. “Das Gleichgewichts-
und Gehoerorgan der japanischen Tanzmaeuse.”
Muenchener medicinische Wochenschrift, Jahrgang
48, Bd. I: 498-499. 1901.
25. RAWITZ, B. “Das Gehoerorgan der
japanischen Tanzmaeuse.” Archiv fuer Anatomie
und Physiologie, Physiologische Abtheilung, 1899:
236-243.
26. RAWITZ, B. “Neue Beobachtungen
ueber das Gehoerorgan japanischer Tanzmaeuse.”
Archiv fuer Anatomie und Physiologie, Physiologische
Abtheilung, 1901, Supplement: 171-176.
27. RAWITZ, B. “Zur Frage ueber die
Zahl der Bogengaenge bei japanischen Tanzmaeusen.”
Centralblatt fuer Physiologie, Bd. 15:
649-651. 1902.
28. SAINT-LOUP, R. “Sur le mouvement
de manege chez les souris.” Bulletin de la
Societe Zooelogique de France, T. 18: 85-88.
1893.
29. SCHLUMBERGER, C. “A propos d’un
netzuke japonais.” Memoires de la Societe
Zooelogique de France, T. 7: 63-64. 1894.
30. WELDON, W. F. R. Mr. Bateson’s revisions
of Mendel’s theory of heredity. Biometrica,
Vol. 2: 286-298. 1903.
31. ZOTH, O. “Ein Beitrag zu den Beobachtungen
und Versuchen an japanischen Tanzmaeusen.” Archiv
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32. ANONYMOUS. “Fancy Mice: Their
Varieties, Management, and Breeding.” Fourth
edition. London: L. Upcott Gill. No
date.
CHARACTERISTICS, ORIGIN, AND HISTORY
The variety of mouse which is known as the Japanese
dancing or waltzing mouse has been of special interest
to biologists and to lovers of pets because of its
curious movements. Haacke in Brehm’s “Life
of Animals” (7 p. 337)[1] writes as follows
concerning certain mice which were brought to Europe
from China and Japan: “From time to time
a Hamburg dealer in animals sends me two breeds of
common mice, which he calls Chinese climbing mice
(Chinesische Klettermaeuse) and Japanese dancing mice
(Japanische Tanzmaeuse). It is true that the first
are distinguished only by their different colors,
for their climbing accomplishments are not greater
than those of other mice. The color, however,
is subject to many variations. Besides individuals
of uniform gray, light yellow, and white color, I
have had specimens mottled with gray and white, and
blue and white. Tricolored mice seem to be very
rare. It is a known fact that we also have white,
black, and yellow mice and occasionally pied ones,
and the Chinese have profited by these variations
of the common mouse also, to satisfy their fancy in
breeding animals. The Japanese, however, who are
no less enthusiastic on this point, know how to transform
the common mouse into a really admirable animal.
The Japanese dancing mice, which perfectly justify
their appellation, also occur in all the described
colors. But what distinguishes them most is their
innate habit of running around, describing greater
or smaller circles or more frequently whirling around
on the same spot with incredible rapidity. Sometimes
two or, more rarely, three mice join in such a dance,
which usually begins at dusk and is at intervals resumed
during the night, but it is usually executed by a single
individual.”
