78 MAMMALS. 



vole is distinguished by its shorter tail and by the posses- 

 sion of six pads on the sole of the hind-foot 



in lieu of five ' as in the water-vole. The 

 colouring is very similar. 



The Bank-Vole, or Ked Field- Vole, as it is often called, 

 is another destructive product of our fields and forests. 

 It seems exceedingly rare in our northern counties, and 

 is absent from Ireland and probably from 

 the extreme north of Scotland. It is distin- 

 guished by the tail being nearly black above and white 

 beneath, and covered with hair. The rudimentary thumb 

 of the fore-foot is also more conspicuous. In 

 manv P ar t s of the country this species is 

 scarcely distinguished from the field - vole. 

 In colour reddish above, white beneath. 



4. THE HARES AND RABBITS. 



The chances of the Hare increasing beyond bounds are 

 slight. For although it is exceedingly prolific, although it 

 is swift of foot, quick to scent danger, gifted 

 with eyes so placed as almost to see behind 

 as well as before, and, more important than all, pro- 

 tected to some extent, though all too little, for purposes 

 of legitimate sport, yet its natural enemies are so many 

 and so voracious that its numbers are always certain to 

 be kept under. At the same time, the foregoing influ- 

 ences cannot but work powerfully in its favour; and 

 when all is said and done, no beast, after the fox, has 

 a better chance of survival, though the numbers are by 

 no means what they were. 



Yet its distribution is interesting by reason of the almost 

 unaccountable rate at which its numbers are, 

 in some districts like the New Forest, steadily 

 decreasing. 



Except for their general form and affinities, few animals 



