WILD CREATURES OF GARDEN AND HEDGEROW 



away in private corners. One or two of the 

 passages, which are as many underground 

 as there are highways on the surface, lead 

 to extra well-made nests that are guarded 

 by fussy old mother voles, who have young 

 ones hidden away among the bedding. 

 In the early part of the year the nurseries 

 are usually underground, hidden at the end 

 of some passage where the rest of the colony 

 do not wander, but later in the season they 

 are all made above ground, a nest of woven 

 grass being made somewhere where the herbage 

 is extra thick and gives good shelter. Indeed, 

 the majority of young voles are reared in 

 the open air, despite the dangers to be met 

 with on the surface. They may be trodden 

 on by wandering cattle, nosed out by the fox 

 or badger prowling round at midnight, or if 

 in mowing grass the nest may be cut into by 

 the mowing-machine, besides which there is 

 the weasels' liking for tender young voles. 

 The weasel is by far and away the worst of all 

 the field vole's many foes so small and slim 

 as to be able to slip down the smallest of 

 mouse holes, gifted with a wonderful ' nose ' so 

 that it can follow the faintest of trails, dogged 

 and persistent to the last degree, there is but 

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