GNAWimi AKIMALS KODEN'J'S 139 



their ways and habits, know what trap to set for 

 them, and where and how to set it. 



For the bank vole Mr. Lydekker recommends a 

 common four-trap made out of three pieces of lath 

 and a couple of roofing tiles with a split bean or 

 piece of cheese as bait. Mr. Millais recommends a 

 common mouse-trap if the vole is only required for 

 study, but to rid the garden of a nuisance he advises 

 the little " nipper '^ trap baited with bread or cheese, 

 and Mr. Hope says a few hemp-seeds scattered round 

 the trap serve as a useful ground-bait, while I have 

 found a little aniseed is an irresistible attraction. 

 Lemmings belong to the same sub-family of Eodents 

 as the voles. The Norwegian lemmings are strange 

 and interesting beasts, which periodically travel 

 in hordes fiom the high ground down to the 

 valleys, devastating everything on their track, but 

 never returning whence they came. 



The five kinds of English voles are : (1) The bank 

 vole, (2) the field vole, (3) water vole, (4) the Orkney 

 vole, (5) the Skomer vole. Of these the first three 

 kinds are widespread, while the rest are local. 



The Bank Vole. 



This animal is the most mouse-like of the voles 

 both in form and habits. It has a more pointed 

 muzzle than the field vole and a longer tail. The 

 head and body together measure 3 to 4 inches and 

 the tail about one half this length. The back is rich 

 reddish-chestnut, the flanks grey, and the under part 

 white. The molars of the adult have forked roots 



