Hoivell — Mammals of the Middle 3Iiss{ssi2)]n Valley. l29 



which border the east side ot the lake. They live in crevices and caves 

 into which they carry large quantities of sticks, leaves, and other rubbish. 

 Their habits in this locality are thus like those of N. pennsylvanica and 

 unlike those of rtibida in the Southern States where this species lives in 

 swamps and builds its nests in hollow logs or trees and in the branches 

 of trees some distance from the ground. The swamp conditions were 

 present at this northern station, l)ut the adjacent clifi's evidently proved 

 more attractive to them, as is usually the case Avith the members of this 

 genus. 



Three adults aiid one young, all in worn pelage, were captured at M'nli 

 Lake ]May 24, 25, and in January, 11)10, eight more adults in full fresh 

 pelage were secured l)y a local trapper. 



Microtus pennsylvanicus (Ord). 



KASTEUX MEADOW MOUSE. 



The conmion meadow mouse occupies the l>Iuegrass region of Ken- 

 tucky, l)ut was not found in other sections of the State. It was rather 

 common at ^Midway, where specimens were taken, and Dr. ]Mearns has 

 also taken them at Lexington. Their range proba))ly does not extend 

 much farther south or west than this. None were found in southern 

 Illinois or in the AVa]>ash Valley in Indiana. Hahn records the .'^iwcies, 

 however, from Bloomington and Bascom, Indiana.* 



Microtus ochrogaster (Wagner). 

 i'];aii;ie .meadow mouse. 



This is the common meadow mouse of the upper ^lississippi Valley, at 

 least as far south as southern Illinois and Mi.s.souri. Unlike the eastern 

 species (M. pennsijloanictis) they prefer dry situations, and are frequently 

 found in matted grass along roadsides and in old meadows. They have not 

 as yet been taken in Kentucky, but in a grass field at ^lauunoth Cave I 

 found a few mouse signs which I believe were made by this species. Hahn 

 records the species from various points across the State of Indiana, t and 

 Langdon speaks of them as common in the vicinity of Cincinnati. t 



Specimens were taken at tlie following localities: 



Missouri : Horseshoe Lake, (i; INIarble Hill, 3. 



Illinois: Olive Branch, 3; AVolf Lake, 1 ; McClure, 1 ; Odin, 2; Olney, 2; 

 Kansas, 2. 



Fiber zibethicus (Linnaeus). 



MUSKRAT. 



]\Iuskrats are common on all the streams in the region visited, particu- 

 larly in the St. Francis River, ^Missouri, and on Horseshoe Lake ( near Olive 

 Branch), Illinois. IMany thousands are trapped here every winter, but 

 at the time of my visit (April and ]May ) their numbers had 1:)een greatly 

 reduced and they were very shy and difficult to secure. A few breeding 



* Mammals of Indiana, 33d Ann. Rep. Dept. Geol. & Nat. Resources of Indiana, pp. 

 536, 507, 1909. 



f Mammals of Incliana, 1. c. pp. 509, 510. 



t Journ. Chicinuati Soc. Nat. Hist., Ill, p. 307, 1880. 



