Harvest Mouse 
The rice-field mouse is an abundant inhabitant of the banks 
of rice fields through our Southern states; though Mr. Bangs states 
that it is by no means confined to such places, as it occurs in dry old 
fields, heavy swamps, hummocks and sometimes even on sandhills. 
Those which frequent the dry land burrow in the banks and con- 
struct subterranean nests after the manner of the cotton rat, but the 
marsh residents build their nest in the tall rank grass above the reach 
of high water. In the northern part of their range, in southern New 
Jersey, they frequent muskrat houses. . 
The rice-field mouse is decidedly aquatic in habits and is a good 
swimmer. 
Varieties of the Rice-field Mouse 
1. Rice-field Mouse. Oryzomys palustris (Harlan). Description and 
range as above. 
2. Florida Marsh Mouse. O. palustris natator Chapman. 
Larger and much darker. 
Range. Florida as far south as Micco and Citrus County. 
3. Bangs’ Marsh Mouse. O. palustris coloratus Bangs. Still larger 
and more richly coloured, decidedly reddish brown above. 
Range. Southern tropical Florida south of Micco. 
Harvest Mouse 
Reithrodontomys lecontiit (Audubon and Bachman) 
Length. 5.05 inches. 
Description. Front (incisor) teeth grooved. Colour russet brown, 
darker with more black hairs on the head and middle of the back. 
Grayish white beneath tail, white below, dusky above, rather 
scantily haired, feet white. The ears are proportionately much 
shorter than those of the white-footed mouse. 
Range. Coast districts of North Carolina, Georgia and northern 
aoe two allied forms occur in West Virginia and South 
lorida. 
This is the smallest mouse of the Eastern States and resembles a 
diminutive -wvhite-footed mouse with short ears. The grooved 
incisor teeth, however, are peculiar and distinguish it from any other 
long-tailed mouse. 
The harvest mouse is another resident of the Southern States and 
its favourite haunts according to Mr. Bangs, are grass fields, fence 
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