506 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NEW JERSEY. 



prostrate trees. The females have generally three litters during 

 the spring and summer, probably a fourth. Do not libernate. 

 Feed on seeds of grasses and some grain, and lay up considerable 

 stores for winter use. Is very seldom met with in woods, and 

 scarcely more frequent is it in grain-fields." 



A. pinetorum, Le C. Field Mouse. Pine Mouse. 



Tail I length of head and body. 



"Abundant. Frequents high and dry fields, and burrows and 

 lives more in corn-fields than other localities. During the winter 

 its nest is generally found under a fence, and very frequently 

 close to the fence-post if it be at all rotten. Stores up large 

 supplies of grain and roots, also beech-nuts, when the mice are 

 nesting near beech trees." 



FIBER, Cuv. 



F. zibethicus, L. Muskrat. 



The largest of our Muridce. 



" Formerly was much more abundant than at present, but i& 

 still numerous. Strictly aquatic, in a measure gregarious, and 

 at all times omnivorous. Muskrats feed largely upon Unios in 

 the summer, and the roots of aquatic plants at other times. 

 Occasionally suckers are caught and devoured by them, they 

 being ab(Ait the only fish too sluggish in movement to easily 

 escape pursuit. They build nests of hay in trees, a short dis- 

 tance above the water, and during the day lie on them, sunning 

 themselves. These nests are used by them in winter, when they 

 sleep the greater portion of the time. They also burrow into 

 the banks of the streams, and frequently these burrows are but 

 several entrances to one chamber. The opening is always under 

 water. In the chamber the young are born, and it is in these 

 burrows they spend most of their time during the summer ; but 

 if drowned out by freshets they take refuge in the winter nests 

 in the trees. Although so frequently .seen moving about during 

 the day, they are strictly a nocturnal animal. The fur of the 

 animal is valued sufficiently to render them worthy the trapping, 

 and their flesh is by no means unpalatable, especially the tails." 



