VOLES. 201 



realise the presence of an enemy." Too often, alas ! the Owl 

 is rewarded by a shot from the keeper's gun, under the 

 mistaken idea that it is after the Pheasants. 



As a final indictment against the Rat, it must be mentioned 

 that, according to Jesse, it will sometimes inflict damage upon 

 fruit-trees growing against walls by eating tlie buds and young 

 leaves. 



Says Mr. Trevor-Battye, *'Rats are remarkably clever 

 climbers. I have seen a Rat more than once running nimbly 

 all about the small branches of an oak-tree, and collecting 

 lichen ; presumably for a nest-lining." 



THE VOLES. GENUS MICROTUS. 

 Microtus^ Schrank, Fauna Boica, vol. i. p. 72 (1798). 



Head with a blunt, rounded muzzle, and short ears, which 

 are almost buried in the fur ; tail short and hairy ; soles of the 

 feet naked ; molar teeth generally growing continuously, and 

 thus not developing roots, and composed of two longitudinal 

 rows of triangular prisms set alternately to one another. 



The Voles are more clumsily-built animals than the Mice, 

 and have less agile movements; while, in addition to the 

 points noticed above, their limbs are relatively shorter and 

 their eyes smaller. They comprise a considerable number of 

 species distributed over Europe, North America, and Asia 

 north of the Himalaya, a few just impinging on the north-west 

 frontier of India. Instead of frequenting the neighbourhood 

 of human habitations and other buildings, like the Mice, the 

 Voles are inhabitants of the open country, burrowing and 

 forming runs in meadows and fields, or dwelling by the sides 

 of rivers and ponds. All of them appear to be strictly 

 vegetable feeders. 



As to their affinities, the Voles show but distant kjnship with 



