MUS SYLVATICUS. 101 



neath ; ears larger and wider than in M. musculus, partly 

 hidden by the fur ; upper parts of the body dark ash-bro^WTi ; 

 the sides mth a mixture of many white and brown hairs ; 

 parts beneath white, or ash-white ; feet dirty white, longer 

 than in M. musculus, but not as long as in M. sylvaticus, 

 between which two species it appears to be intermediate ; 

 the head is thicker than in the first ; nose blunt. Fur very 

 dense, as long as in M. sylvaticus ; fore-feet furnished near 

 the toes with a few very short white hairs, their thumbs 

 very short, but with the nails distinct. 



Length of head and body, 3 inches 6 lines ; head, 1 inch ; 

 ears, 7 lines ; tail, same length as the body. — F. M. 



Has hitherto been observed only in Iceland (1838), where 

 it frequents houses, like the Common Mouse of Europe. 



Mus sylvaticus. 



Mus sylvaticus, Desm. Mamm. Sp. 477 ; Bell, Brit. Quad. 

 Long-tailed Field-mouse. 



Descriptio]!^. — Tail as long, or nearly as long, as the body, 

 slender and tapering, velvety, blackish above, white be- 

 neath ; head long ; muzzle tapering ; the whiskers very long ; 

 eyes large and prominent ; ears large, oval, oblong, with 

 the margin turned in at the base,, and a lobe within the 

 ear, near the base of the hinder margin, blackish at their 

 tips; legs long. The upper part and sides of the head, 

 neck, and body, and the outer surface of the legs yellowish, 

 mixed with blackish (or of a yellowish brown), darker on 

 the back, each hair being grey or ash at the base, then 

 yellow, and sometimes black at the tip ; under parts whitish, 

 with a yellowish-grey patch on the breast. Varieties occur 

 of white, brown, and dull yellow, the beUy, however, being 

 always white. 



Length of head and body, 3 inches 8 lines ; head, 1 inch 



