266 



THE BROWN OR FIELD VOLE. 



Arvicola agrestis. FLEM. 



Tail one-third of the length of the head and body , upper 

 parts reddish-brown, the sides lighter ; loiver parts yelloiu- 

 ish-grey. 



Mus agrestis. Linn. Fauna Suec. II. 11; Arvicola vulgaris, 

 Besmar. Mammal. 202 ; Mus agrestis, Flem. Brit. An. 23 ; 

 Jenyns, Brit. Vert. An. 33; Bell, Brit. Quadr. 325. 



THE Brown Field Vole is of a rather robust form, 

 with the head large and anteriorly convex, the body 

 tapering rapidly behind, the ears large, rather pro- 

 minent, rounded, with a thin prominent antitragal 

 lobe, the nose small and obtuse, the nostrils roundish 

 and JateraL The upper incisors, curved, truncate, 

 chisel-shaped, and extremely sharp, are pale reddish- 

 brown ; the lower narrow, tapering to a rounded 

 point, and straw-coloured. The limbs are very 

 small. On the fore foot the inner or second toe is 

 much longer than the outer, the third a little longer 

 than the fourth. On the hind feet the three middle 



