Rock Vole 



of the elements, their only protection being that furnished by fragments 

 of driftwood and wrecl<age. Where the mice are abundant a labyrinth 

 of well-beaten paths crosses the sand in every direction along which 

 the mice run when pursued. The only burrows are short ones 

 evidently intended to reach the soft parts of the beach grass which 

 forms their food. They construct nests or forms, open at the top and 

 large enough to hold one animal, which are scattered about 

 everywhere. In autumn they lay up stores of the soft stems of the 

 beach grass {Ammophila) for winter use. These are buried in the 

 sand, as much as a peck being concealed in one place. (See Miller — ■ 

 "The Beach Mouse of Muskeget Island.") 



Rock Vole 



Microtns chrotorrJiinns Miller 



Also called Yellow-cheeked Meadow Mouse 



Length. 6.60 inches. 



Description. Similar to the meadow mouse but with a yellowish or 



fulvous patch on each side of the face at the base of the whiskers. 

 Range. New Brunswick and Quebec and southward to the White 



Mountains, Adirondacks and Catskills. Allied varieties occur in 



Labrador and Newfoundland. 



Of the habits of the rock voles but little is known. Mr. Miller 

 found them in the White Mountains living in the crevices of rock 

 mounds overgrown with sedges and bushes, and they seemed to 

 have no regular runways. In New Brunswick Mr. Bangs states 

 that they live in the deep spruce forests and appear to be diurnal 

 in habits. 



Varieties of tiie Rock Vole 



/. Rock Vole. Microtus chrotorrhinus Miller. Description and 



range as above. 

 2. Labrador Rock Vole. M. chrotorrhinus ravus Bangs. Similar, 

 but light patches larger covering nearly the whole face. 

 Rang^e. Labrador. 

 ^. Newfoundland Rock Vole. M. terrce novcp Bangs. Similar but 

 larger with duller cheek patches. 

 Range. Newfoundland. 



X18 



