WATER VOLE. 263 



is there uniform light-reddish. The teeth are 

 brownish-yellow, the eyes black, the nose dusky, 

 the soles pale flesh-colour, the claws pale yellowish- 



The following are the dimensions of a male and 

 a female, in inches and lines : 



Male. Female. 



Length to end of tail ................. 12 12 3 



- of head ........................ 1 10 1 10 



; - head and body ............ 8 86 



-- tail ......................... 4 39 



-- fore foot...., ............. 9 09 



-- hind foot ............... i 3 1 3 



The Common Water Vole is generally distributed 

 in Britain, but does not occur in many of the north- 

 ern parts of Scotland. Its residence is in the 

 banks of rivers, brooks, canals, mill-dams, and 

 ponds, in which it forms long and tortuous burrows. 

 It frequently betakes itself to the water, swims and 

 lives with ease, and generally has an entrance to 

 its retreat beneath the surface, so that in cases of 

 danger it may effect its escape without appearing on 

 land. In fine weather, especially in the morning 

 and evening, it may often be seen sitting at the 

 mouth of its hole, nibbling the grass or roots there; 

 but in the middle of the day it usually remains 

 under ground. It feeds entirely on vegetable sub- 

 stances, chiefly roots, and has been known to de- 

 posit a store even of potatoes for winter use ; for it 

 does not appear to become torpid in the cold season, 



