214 



LLOYDS NATURAL HISTORY. 



Characters. — Size nearly as in the last ; tail about one-half the 

 length of the head and body, and thickly haired ; colour of 

 upper-parts rich reddish-chestnut, the flanks grey, and the 

 under-parts nearly white ; tail dark brown above and white 

 beneath. Molars developing distinct roots in the adult ; the 

 first and third upper molars with five prismatic spaces, and the 

 second with four ; in the lower jaw, the first molar with seven, 

 and the other two with three such spaces. Length of head 

 and body about sH ^^ 4 inches; of tail, i^ inches. 



In the rooted molars of the adult, this species differs widely 

 from the preceding ; and, accordingly, while the latter is 

 assigned to a separate sub-genus known as Agricola, the present 

 form is sub-generically distinguished as Evotomys. 



DistrilDiition. — First recognised as a British species by Yarrell, 

 the Bank-Vole ranges through England and Scotland as far 

 north as Morayshire, beyond which it does not appear to have 

 been met with ; but, like both the other British members of the 

 genus, it is unknown in Ireland. In England it is generally 

 supposed to be a far less abundant species than the common 

 Field-Vole; but among a large series of specimens of Voles 

 recently collected for Mr. Oldfield Thomas, by far the greater 

 majority proved to belong to the one under consideration. In 

 Northumberland it occurs, but apparently not commonly ; in 

 Cumberland it has been recorded only from two localities; 

 while in Durham it has not been noticed, although it must al- 

 most certainly occur. Mr. Montagu Browne also states that it 

 is unknown in Leicestershire ; while in Devonshire it is either 

 extremely rare or very local. These instances will sufifice to 

 show that the distribution of the species over the country is 

 far from uniform. In a fossil state, the Bank-Vole occurs in 

 the "forest-bed" of Norfolk, as well as in several English caverns, 

 such as Kent's Hole near Torquay, Wookey Hole in Glamor- 

 ganshire, Brixham Cave, and another cave near Bristol, 



