WILD LIFE OF ORCHARD AND FIELD 



bottom of each chamber numerous runways pene- 

 trated the snow in all directions/' 



It is by means of these tunnels that they reach 

 the trunks of small trees to feed upon the bark, 

 which constitutes a large part of their winter food, 

 and thus vast damage is sometimes done to young 

 orchards; and they are fond of taking up their 

 quarters under shocks of grain or corn left stand- 

 ing in the fields, of which they devour enormous 

 quantities. When a w^ell - settled, but carelessly 

 farmed region offers them such opportunities, it is 

 not surprising that they do not find it necessary 

 to lay up large stores. 



Our field-mice eat a good many worms and in- 

 sects, and will even spring into the air and catch 

 flies, but none of them seem to have the habit of 

 the British voles of raiding the nests of bumble- 

 bees to get the comb and honey, which gave oc- 

 casion for that famous illustration of the processes 

 of natural selection in which the intimate connec- 

 tion is shown between the clover crop of a district 

 and the relative number of maiden ladies who in- 

 habit it! 



The deer -mice (Peromyscus) do not dig much, 

 but prefer to make their homes above ground after 

 the manner of squirrels. In prairie regions, to be 



184 



