FIELD VOLE 67 



in the " castings " of these birds, I have seen in the nest of a 

 long-eared owl near Balerno several of this and other small 

 rodents lying ready for consumption. 



In the Southern Uplands the Field Vole, or Hill Mouse as 

 it is there often called, at times multiplies to such an extent, 

 and with such astonishing rapidity, as to assume the character 

 of a veritable plague. The year 1876, for instance, was a 

 memorable example. For a year or two previously they had 

 been observed steadily increasing, no doubt in large measure 

 owing to a succession of favourable winters, and reached a 

 climax in 1876, when the pasture on whole hill-sides was 

 destroyed by them. The country ^about Hawick seems to 

 have suffered most. In the Borthwick-water district alone 

 10,000 acres of pasture were wasted to a greater or less 

 degree the damage being estimated at not less than 5000. 

 A full account of this plague was prepared by Sir Walter 

 Elliot for the "Proceedings" of the Berwickshire Naturalists' 

 Club (vol. viii., p. 447). Sir Walter speaks of the present 

 species only, but I imagine that in some localities at any 

 rate the Bank Vole, which Dr Hardy (who identified speci- 

 mens) tells us in a subsequent volume of the " Proceedings " 

 (x., p. 278) was in great numbers at Faldonside in 1883, 

 would also be present. 



Since the above was written in April 1891, another Vole 

 plague in the Border counties has become notorious. The 

 subject is thus referred to in an article in the " Scotsman " 

 of 12th November : " Some three months ago reference was 

 made to what is spoken of and felt as the mice plague on the 

 Borders, and which was then affecting to a serious extent 

 most of the farms in the western portion of Selkirkshire and 

 the adjacent districts of Dumfries and Eoxburgh shires. Since 

 then there has been no mitigation of the pest, but on the 

 contrary a great extension of the area over which it is spread, 



