THE WOODLAND VOLE 95 



In discussing the habits of the pine mous? i:i Indi na, Quick and 

 Butler state that, "As a rule the piue mice winter in a last sum- 

 mer's nest which is a round ball of blue grass blades, from four 

 to six inches in diameter; the interior is composed of fine grass 

 Avhich is nicely bound together with longer blades. The nest is 

 generally placed beneath a pile of leaves or in an old stump. In 

 winter collecting single specimens are generally observed occupying 

 these old nests. 



' ' The pine mouse, in winter lives upon the tender roots of young 

 hickories, the young sprouts of the white clover {Tnfolium repens), 

 the fruit of the red haw (Crataegus coccinea h.) and the tuberous 

 roots of the wild violet {Viola cucullata Ait.). The first of these 

 he uses for luncheon while excavating his runways. It is never 

 found stored in his burrows, but as his passages approach these 

 roots they expand, laying bare a large portion of the root from 

 which the bark is generally entirely removed. The other products 

 we find buried, the latter in numerous deposits, some of which 

 contain a gallon of tubers and extend eighteen inches below the sur- 

 face of the ground. This latter article evidently forms the bulk 

 of their winter food."^'' 



So far as tiie writer is able to determine this is the only form of 

 pine mouse for which authentic records from the state are at hand. 

 The localities represented are Thayer, Ottumwa, and Iowa City. 

 In addition, Vernon Bailey in North American Fauna, No. 17, 1900, 

 records four specimens from Council Bluffs. See map, page 81. 



It would thus seem that this form is distributed throughout 

 southern Iowa, Iowa City being the most northerly point in the 

 state from which it has been taken. Iil states farther to the south 

 and east of us this form is more abundant. The type locality was 

 Stilwell (Boston Mountains), Indian Territory. 



Economic Importance and Methods of Control. — While the wood- 

 land vole is apparently not sufficientl.v common or widely dis- 

 tributed in the state to be considered of ma.ior economic importance, 

 both its numbers and area of distribution are likely to increase, 

 with probable resultant damage. It is further probable that some 

 of the dan!age now attributed to the mole may be the work of Ihis 

 animal, owing to the fact that tlie latter is not generally known 

 to the ordinary observer. G-arden crops are sometimes seriously 

 injured, l^oth the planted seeds and the tender eTOwing plants 



"Quick, E. R, and Butler, A. W., The Habits of Some Arvicolinae : Am. Nat., 

 XIX, No. 2, 116, 1885. 



