NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 145 



HOUSE MOUSE. 



MUS MUSCULUS, Linnaeus. 



" Ye lyttel vulgar Mouse " is of course common about houses 

 and farm-yards. 



BKOWN RAT. 



MUS DECUMAN US, Pallas. 



Rats are rather rare in inland districts, while nearer the coast 

 they are very plentiful. Of late years they have become exceed- 

 ingly abundant on Handa and the Badcall islands, off the west 

 coast, whero they feed much on the eggs of the sea-birds ; at 

 Handa they have almost banished the Puffins from the island. 



Ohs. V/e have not been able to hear anything of the Black Rat 

 (M. rattus), in Sutherlandshire, nor does Mr Selby mention it. 

 Probably it was formerly found near the coast, but is now either 

 extinct or almost so. 



WATER-VOLE. 



ARVICOLA AMPHIBIUS {Linnaeus). 



Of the " Water Rat " Mr Selby observes that it is " common 

 upon many of the slower-running streams and on the islands of 

 the various lochs. The black variety (at first supposed to be a 

 distinct species), is met with about the head of Loch Naver, and 

 a large colony of the same inhabits a low sandy island on Loch 

 Laighal." This black race is also abundant in Assynt, and, we 

 believe, in various other parts of the county. 



COMMON FIELD-VOLE. 



ARVICOLA AGRESTIS {Linnaeus). 



Common ; we have observed it in the caverns of the limestone 

 rocks of Assynt. 



Ohs. The Red Field- Vole {A. glareolus), has not hitherto been 



recorded from Sutherlandshire, but from what we have observed 



of its distribution in other parts of Scotland, we think that it will 



probably be found in some districts. It seems to be a ™ 



spread but rather local species. 

 VOL. II. K 



Li.j I L I 8 R A R 





