hesperomys leucopus

Mouse \Mouse\ (mous), n.; pl. {Mice} (m[imac]s). [OE. mous, mus,
   AS. m[=u]s, pl. m[=y]s; akin to D. muis, G. maus, OHG. &
   Icel. m[=u]s, Dan. muus, Sw. mus, Russ. muishe, L. mus, Gr.
   my^s, Skr. m[=u]sh mouse, mush to steal. [root]277. Cf.
   {Muscle}, {Musk}.]
   1. (Zool.) Any one of numerous species of small rodents
      belonging to the genus {Mus} and various related genera of
      the family {Muridae}. The common house mouse ({Mus
      musculus}) is found in nearly all countries. The American
      {white-footed mouse}, or {deer mouse} ({Peromyscus
      leucopus}, formerly {Hesperomys leucopus}) sometimes lives
      in houses. See {Dormouse}, {Meadow mouse}, under {Meadow},
      and {Harvest mouse}, under {Harvest}.
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   2. (Naut.)
      (a) A knob made on a rope with spun yarn or parceling to
          prevent a running eye from slipping.
      (b) Same as 2d {Mousing}, 2.
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   3. A familiar term of endearment. --Shak.
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   4. A dark-colored swelling caused by a blow. [Slang]
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   5. A match used in firing guns or blasting.
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   {Field mouse}, {Flying mouse}, etc. See under {Field},
      {Flying}, etc.

   {Mouse bird} (Zool.), a coly.

   {Mouse deer} (Zool.), a chevrotain, as the kanchil.

   {Mouse galago} (Zool.), a very small West American galago
      ({Galago murinus}). In color and size it resembles a
      mouse. It has a bushy tail like that of a squirrel.

   {Mouse hawk}. (Zool.)
      (a) A hawk that devours mice.
      (b) The hawk owl; -- called also {mouse owl}.

   {Mouse lemur} (Zool.), any one of several species of very
      small lemurs of the genus {Chirogaleus}, found in
      Madagascar.

   {Mouse piece} (Cookery), the piece of beef cut from the part
      next below the round or from the lower part of the latter;
      -- called also {mouse buttock}.
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Deer \Deer\ (d[=e]r), n. sing. & pl. [OE. der, deor, animal,
   wild animal, AS. de['o]r; akin to D. dier, OFries. diar, G.
   thier, tier, Icel. d[=y]r, Dan. dyr, Sw. djur, Goth. dius; of
   unknown origin. [root]71.]
   1. Any animal; especially, a wild animal. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
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            Mice and rats, and such small deer.   --Shak.
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            The camel, that great deer.           --Lindisfarne
                                                  MS.
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   2. (Zool.) A ruminant of the genus {Cervus}, of many species,
      and of related genera of the family {Cervid[ae]}. The
      males, and in some species the females, have solid
      antlers, often much branched, which are shed annually.
      Their flesh, for which they are hunted, is called
      {venison}.
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   Note: The deer hunted in England is {Cervus elaphus}, called
         also stag or {red deer}; the fallow deer is {Cervus
         dama}; the common American deer is {Cervus
         Virginianus}; the blacktailed deer of Western North
         America is {Cervus Columbianus}; and the mule deer of
         the same region is {Cervus macrotis}. See {Axis},
         {Fallow deer}, {Mule deer}, {Reindeer}.
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   Note: Deer is much used adjectively, or as the first part of
         a compound; as, deerkiller, deerslayer, deerslaying,
         deer hunting, deer stealing, deerlike, etc.
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   {Deer mouse} (Zool.), the white-footed mouse ({Peromyscus
      leucopus}, formerly {Hesperomys leucopus}) of America.

   {Small deer}, petty game, not worth pursuing; -- used
      metaphorically. (See citation from Shakespeare under the
      first definition, above.) "Minor critics . . . can find
      leisure for the chase of such small deer." --G. P. Marsh.
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