THE SHORT-TAILED FIELD MOUSE. 



65 



37.— Short-tailed Field Mice. 



Forest alone 30,000 mice were caught in about three 

 months, and a much greater number destroyed by stoats, 

 weasels, kites, hawks, owls, crows, &c., and also by cats 

 purposely turned out. In the New Forest about the same 

 number were al-o destroyed, and it was calculated that 

 the total destruction, including those caught in pits and 

 traps, and those killed by other animals, and by their 

 own species (for when their food fell short they attacked 

 and devoured each other), amounted in the two forests 

 to more than 200,000. 



