Feb., 1912. Mammals of Illinois and Wisconsin — Cory. 223 



Mole Mouse {Microtus pinelorum scalopsoides). 



Type locality — Long Island, New York. 



Distribution — From southern New York to North Carolina on the 



Atlantic coast and to northern Georgia in the interior, west through 



part of Kentucky and the greater portion of Indiana and Illinois 



to the Mississippi River. 

 Special characters — Total length less than 5.50 inches; tail short, less 



than one inch long; ears small; fur soft, suggesting that of a Mole; 



claws on front feet longest. 

 Description — Upper parts dark chestnut brown, paling slightly on 



sides; under parts plumbeous gray, more or less tinged with buff; 



tail brown above, paler beneath; feet light brown. 

 Measurements — Total length, 4.90 in. (125 mm.); tail vertebrge, .88 



in. (22 mm.); hind foot, .67 in. (17 mm.). 



The Mole Mouse or Mole-like Vole is an inhabitant of the woods, but 

 it also frequents adjacent overgrown fields. It constructs underground 

 tunnels just beneath the surface, which are marked by ridges of loose 

 soil, resembling those made by a Mole but smaller. The nest is gen- 

 erally built on the ground under old logs or piles of brush, although it 

 is sometimes in a burrow w^hich is deeper than the runways. The 

 young are usually 3 or 4 and several litters are born in a season. The 

 food consists principally of roots, both of wild and cultivated plants. 



