462 Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 

 17. FIELD MOUSE; MEADOW MOUSE; VOLE 



MICROTUS PENNSYLVANICUS (Ord) 



The Meadow Mouse is abundant in all suitable situations about 

 the lake. The extensive areas of semi-marshy grassy land supply 

 an ideal habitat for this noxious but interesting little animal. 

 Wherever there are meadows or marsh ground covered with 

 grasses there these mice will be found, their labyrinthine runways 

 forming an intricate network under the dead grass where their 

 nests are numerous and usually quite conspicuous. These run- 

 ways are very common in the low marshy meadows such as are. 

 usually submerged during the winter and spring, during which 

 time the mice must retreat to higher ground. They do not hiber- 

 nate but continue very active throughout the winter. In the spring 

 when the snow melts away their runways that were under it be- 

 come quite conspicuous. 



This species is very destructive to grasses and other cultivated 

 crops. When the corn is cut and left in shocks in the field these 

 mice establish themselves in nearly every shock, building a nest 

 near the center and feeding destructively upon the corn. The 

 amount of damage done in this way to the average field of corn is 

 very considerable and far in excess of that done to the poultry yard 

 by the hawks which, if not destroyed by the farmer, would do 

 much to hold the Field Mice in check. The Marsh Hawk, Sparrow* 

 Hawk, Pigeon Hawk and Cooper's Hawk, as well as the various 

 owls all prey on these mice. 



On October 24, 1904, a Meadow Mouse was found on the lake 

 shore, beheaded, possibly by some bird of prey. November 1, 

 1904, a cat was seen with one. December 11, 1904, one was seen 

 near a muskrat house in Norris Inlet marsh. 



18. PINE MOUSE 



PITYMYS PINETORUM SCALOPSOIDES (Audubon & Bachman) 



Probably not common. We know of only one specimen taken 

 at the lake. It was secured November 29, 1913, and sent to the 

 National Museum where it was identified by Mr. N. Hollister. 



19. MUSKRAT 



ONDATRA ZIBETHICA (Linmeus) 



The Muskrat is a familiar and well-known animal throughout 

 North America wherever there are marshes, ponds or streams. 

 Among the hundreds of small lakes and smaller ponds in northern 

 Indiana there is probably not one that is not the home of one to 



