THE BANK MOUSE 415 
the Dormouse in having no regular plan of attack. Mr English 
has observed that when carrying a nut to its burrow or store 
it uses the three methods in use amongst rats: it either seizes 
the pointed end between the teeth and jumps along with head 
high in the air, or it wedges the burden between the chin 
and fore legs, or rolls it along the ground. 
The Bank Mouse sometimes causes damage to young 
plantations, but this seems to occur chiefly in Scotland ;' 
climbing the trees, it eats out the buds, especially of larch, 
and devours the bark to the end of the branches, which, if very 
small, are first gnawed off and allowed to drop. 
Sometimes in its climbing expeditions it accidentally 
meets with booty in young birds,? and it is stated to be 
fond of many kinds of insects, and of molluscs.2 Lastly, it is 
an inveterate cannibal, and in captivity has been known 
to kill and devour the reputedly unpalatable Common 
Shrew.* It may thus be described as omnivorous and 
cannibalistic in contrast to the almost entirely vegetarian, 
though also cannibalistic, Grass Mouse.’ Its diet is well 
shown by the ordinary contents of its stomach, a yellow 
substance “like pease-pudding,” in contrast to the chewed 
grass to be found in those of entirely vegetarian species.° 
In feeding, it either holds its food down with its fore paws, 
or sits upright and handles it like a Dormouse. When 
devouring the carcase of a fellow-mouse, although it never 
eats the skin, it does not invert it as would a shrew; 
it merely turns back as much of the skin as is necessary to 
get at the brain and thorax, after which the carcase usually 
receives no more attention.” 
1 First reported by Rev. G. Gordon (Zoologist, 1844, 425), who later sent specimens 
to Alston (in Bell) from Morayshire ; also mentioned by Service (So/way, 206) ; H. S. 
Gladstone for Dumfriesshire ; Robert Thompson (Vaz. Hist. of a Highland Parish, 
82, 1900) for Nairnshire ; and William Taylor for Llanbryde, near Elgin. Similarly 
in Norway, according to Collett, attacks are most conspicuous in the north, possibly 
as a result of scarcity of food on the ground. 
2 Victor Fatio. 
3 E.g. Helix nemoralis, and 7. aspersa; C. Wright, per Adams. 
4 Alston, in Bell. 
5 The facts are well put by R. I. Pocock, Zoologtst, 1897, 507. 
®° W. E. de Winton, in R. Lydekker. 
7 Adams, WS. 
