Prairie Meadow Mouse 



Prairie Meadow Mouse 



Microtus austerus (Le Conte) 



Length. 6 inches. 



Description. Shape much as in the meadow mouse but upper parts 

 grizzly gray, caused by a uniform mixture of grayish white 

 and black hairs over the whole surface. No brown or chestnut 

 tints such as characterize the meadow mouse. Below light 

 gray or ochraceous. The fur is harsher and more bristly than 

 any of the other members of the meadow mouse tribe. 



Range. Upper Mississippi Valley, southern Wisconsin and Illinois 

 to southern Missouri and west to Kansas. 



The grizzly gray color and rather harsh pelage characterize 

 these little animals which are inhabitants of the prairies of the 

 Upper Mississippi Valley. Mr. Kennicott states that they frequent 

 moist localities in summer and drier regions in winter. "Their 

 winter burrows on the uncultivated prairie are often in old ant hills 

 or if not, the earth thrown out from them forms little hillocks. 

 They are not very deep, seldom over six inches or a foot, but are 

 remarkable for the numerous and complicated chambers and side 

 passages of which they are composed. In one of these chambers, 

 considerably enlarged, is placed the nest, formed of fine dry grass." 

 The first litter of young is apparently brought forth in this nest 

 but later in the spring the mice construct similar nests on the 

 surface of the ground. The prairie field mouse is not gregarious 

 and when more than one pair are found in the same spot they are 

 attracted by some particular food. 



In cultivated fields they frequently establish themselves in corn 

 shocks in the same manner as the common field mouse. 



Pine Mouse 



Microtus pinetorum (Le Conte) 



Length. 6 inches. 



Description. Uniform rusty btown on the upper surface, lighter on 

 the sides, where it passes gradually into the silvery-gray of the 

 under parts. Young individuals are quite gray above with no 

 reddish tints. The short, dense silky fur distinguishes the 

 species from any other mouse. 



Range. Southern. New York and Connecticut to Illinois and south- 

 ward to Florida. (Illustration facing p. 120.) 



119 



