Mice and Voles 



as its size and colour clearly denote its species. Above 

 it is faint brown, with white underparts, and a brown 

 patch upon its breast. The feet are long and white, 

 head long, and ears also long and oval in form. 

 This Mouse generally builds its nest amongst grass 

 or matted herbage, and in winter seeks out some hole 

 wherein to hibernate during the inclement season ot 

 the year. Against this time of inactivity, the creature 

 stores up nuts, acorns, grain, and any cereals it can 

 gather, and it seems not to know when it has enough 

 laid aside for its winter wants. By the early spring 

 days the Long-tailed Field Mouse has its garner much 

 reduced, for it eats ravenously once it is awakened out 

 of its dormant state. When the dull grey fields are 

 taking unto themselves their summer greenness, the 

 Long-tailed Field Mouse is hunting with his mate 

 amongst the succulent blades, fearing no foe, unless 

 the furred and feathered bandits of the wilds. 



In the chapter " Rats — Real and Unreal" the Water 

 Vole has been noticed. There are only two others to 

 note here, but these are most interesting natives of the 

 woodland wilds. 



By way of studying these creatures, let us take the 

 Field Voles collectively. First of all, we see that 

 V^oles are somewhat removed from the true Mice by 

 the arrangement of their teeth, which in mammals is 

 always a distinctive feature. Again, Voles have shortish 

 tails, while Mice have longish ones, and the same 



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