536 Life-histories of Northern Animals 



cerning which Kennicott writes:^ It pairs, "but two pairs 

 never occupy the same hole," and further, *'in summer the old 

 males do not live with the females and young, but are generally 

 with the females in spring, although an old male has been 

 found in November with a female and her suckling young." 



BREED- As late as October 23 (1884), while drawing in the last 



YOUNG of the oats, I found the nest of this species with 5 new-born 

 young. It was a mass of frayed oat blades and grass, placed 

 in a hollow on the surface of the ground and in the stubble. 



Bailey found that in Minnesota its preferred home-site 

 was in some little dry mound or tussock.^ 



The following from my Journal shows that they have 

 young also as early as April, if, as I believe, the note belongs 

 to the present species: Carberry, July 2, 1902. Robert 

 McCullough tells me that while harrowing, late last April, he 

 disturbed a common Field-mouse that made off, carrying a 

 young one in its mouth, but, finding the burden too heavy for a 

 rapid escape, it suddenly dropped the little one, and, after 

 hastily rooting the earth over it with its nose, left it. But pres- 

 ently finding that the man was not disposed to be troublesome, 

 regained courage, and, cautiously returning, recovered and 

 carried off the little one in its mouth. McCullough stood 

 within eight feet and saw everything very clearly. He has 

 often seen this Mouse go of^ with the young hanging on be- 

 hind, but this was the only time when he saw the young carried 

 in the old one's mouth. 



This species at times carries its young attached to the 

 teats, as do many others, probably all of the Family. 



HABITS, I kept two or three Little Voles in a box for several weeks 



in the autumn of 1882, and made the following notes: 



Carberry, Man., December i6th. The Field-mice kept 

 since the threshing live and thrive. The most noticeable thing 

 about them is their fondness for building. When in the bare 



* Quad. 111., 1857, PP- 99 ^.nd 98. 



* Rep. Cm. Dep. Agr. (for 1887) 1888; p. 445. 



ETC 



