FIELD VOLE. 267 



toes are nearly equal, and the outer is much longer 

 than the inner. The claws are compressed, arched, 

 and acute. On the sole of the fore foot are five 

 prominent knobs, on that of the hind foot six. The 

 fur is long, very soft, rather silky, its concealed 

 part dark blackish-grey. The general colour of the 

 upper parts is reddish-brown, of the sides lighter, of 

 the lower parts yellowish-grey ; the claws greyish- 

 white. The tail is very slender, with short stiffish 

 hairs, and terminated by a small tuft of stiff hairs, 

 of which the longest project nearly two-twelfths of 

 an inch. The oesophagus is one inch long; the 

 stomach of an irregular oblong form, contracted in 

 the middle, one inch two-twelfths in its greatest 

 diameter; the intestine to the coacum 10^ inches, 

 beyond this ten. The coecum is 5J inches long, 

 and varies in diameter from three-twelfths to six- 

 twelfths. The female has six pectoral and six in- 

 guinal teats. The following are some of the dimen- 

 sions of a male caught at Roslin, in May 1 837, by 

 my son ; and of a female sent to me by Mr Hogg 

 from Peebles-shire in the autumn of the same year. 



Male. Female. 



Length to end of tail 5 3 55 



of head ..1 2 1 1 



body ....3 32 



tail ...1 6 1 2 



Ear from base to apex 7 06 



in the free part behind 4 4 



This species frequents meadows, moist pastures, 

 and the banks of rivers, feeding on grass t roots, 



