52 ANIMAL COMPETITORS 



The common meadow-mouse (No. 1) is 6y 2 

 inches long, of which the tail takes 1% inches ; 

 and has eight teats. Its fur is long, overlain 

 with coarse black hairs, and in winter almost 

 conceals the ears. The usual color above is a 

 dark brown, against which the black hairs are 

 not conspicuous. This shades off gradually 

 into gray or tawny on the under parts. This 

 species may be said to inhabit the whole con- 

 tinent, though in the mountainous parts of the 

 West other species are more numerous and 

 conspicuous. 



This mouse has its natural habitat in moist 

 meadows and grassy borders of swamps, but it 

 habitually extends its range into neighboring 

 cultivated fields and waste lands. Nearly all 

 meadows are full of the animals. On parting 

 the thick grass almost anywhere one can find 

 the smooth trails, and where the grass is thin 

 they are often plainly visible. After the melt- 

 ing of deep snow, or where the dry grass has 

 been, burned, the network of runways is espe- 

 cially conspicuous to the eye. In swamps the 

 paths* cross soft mud, and where a green scum 

 of minute floating plants covers stagnant 



