1917] The Ottawa Naturalist. 93 



It often appears that they are even more industrious in this 

 regard during the winter than during the summer; as in the former 

 ruse the wonderful network of passages to be seen in the spring when 

 the snow disappears, gives one some idea how industrious these little 

 mammals must be under the blanketing snows. Here in the dim, 

 ghostly light of their subterranean quarters far beneath the snow, in 

 the wintry stillness, one cannot help but picture them scurrying to and 

 fro, from point to point, feeding a little here and there as fancy 

 dictates, upon the roots and stems of the abounding vegetation. And 

 a warm nest of dead grass blades and fibres somewhere in the maze, 

 in which to curl when the cold is intense, and possibly many in one 

 nest cozy and warm. 



Sometimes when the snow is not dee]) their tunnels reach the 

 surface and here in a brief scamper across the snow, they make their 

 way to another tunnel and disappear. These passages over the snow 

 are never of great length, as a rule not exceeding two or three feet, 

 and wisely so, no doubt, for the}' instinctively feel that a ''bolt from 

 the blue" might suddenly end their worthless careers. 



Along the banks of ditches and creeks facing the south especially, 

 where the grass is rank, the}' often have beautiful little tunnels con- 

 structed through the growth, leading to a pocket in the bank, com- 

 pletely arched over by vegetation, where they sit and feed. By lifting 

 up the thick growth in these places, one often sees these small tempor- 

 ary dwellings where the mice feed and play. Often a thin deposit of 

 excrement completely cover.-, the floor of these miniature caverns, 

 indicating a prolonged use by the mice for purposes of feeding and 

 retirement. 



During the summer they are not so much in evidence, due partly 

 to a more even diffusion of individuals over fields and meadows and 

 also to the fact that the constantly growing vegetation for a certain 

 period, erases the more prominent runways, as seen in winter and 

 spring, but even so their presence may be detected if sharply looked for. 



A favorite place at all times is the old fence lines or bottoms, 

 stone piles, decaying rail heaps in dense grass and all similar places. 

 Here they build their ne^ts and rear their young during the warmer 

 months. Oftentimes the nest is cunningly constructed in a hollow 

 cup in the ground or the base of a sheaf in a stook left in place for 

 some time. The nest itself is of neat design and is completely arched 

 over similar to an Ovenbird's nest, but constructed of lighter materials, 

 mostly fine grass blades and plant fibres, with a small almost imper- 

 ceptible opening on one side, leading to the warm, soft, spherical, 

 interior. The outside dimensions vary, but would probably average 

 about six inches, the interior about three inches in diameter. 



The vole has many natural enemies and well it is that Nature 

 has provided for a proper balance in this matter. Among these 



