1 88 LLOYD'S NATURAL HISTORY. 



III. THE YELLOW-NECKED MOUSE. MUS FLAVICOLL1S. 

 Mus flavicolliS) Melchior, Danske Pattedyr. 1834, p. 99. 



Characters. Differs from M. sylvaticus in having a broad 

 yellow band across the breast, and it is larger and handsomer 

 than that species, the colours of the upper and under surface 

 being separated by a sharp line ; while the belly is of a purer 

 white. Length of head and body, 4^ inches ; tail about the 

 same. 



Distribution. This Mouse, first recorded as a British species 

 by Mr. W. E. de Winton in the Zoologist for December, 

 1894 (p. 441), is exceedingly abundant in Herefordshire. 



iv. THE C:MMON MOUSE. MUS MUSCULUS. 



Mus musculus t Linn., Syst. Nat. ed. 12, vol. i. p. 83 (1766); 



Bell, British Quadrupeds, 2nd ed. p. 297 (1874). 



Characters. Size as in the Wood-Mouse ; ears about half the 



length of the head ; tail rather shorter than the head and body ; 



general colour greyish-brown above, becoming lighter beneath. 



Length of head and body, about 3^ inches; of tail, 3^ inches. 



Although greyish-brown is the usual colour of the fur of tru 

 Common Mouse, there is considerable individual variation in 

 this respect, some specimens being much darker than others, 

 with the fur of the back almost black, while in others white 

 hairs are interspersed, and in some cases the whole colour 

 may be pale grey. Pied Mice, in which the colours are dark 

 brown and white, or a larger or smaller admixture of white 

 with the ordinary greyish-brown hair, are also known; and 

 there is likewise a pale buff variety. In addition to these, 

 there are the so-called White Mice, which are true albinos, 

 having pink eyes, and the fur of a yellowish-white colour. 

 These albinos, as well as some of the pied races, will breed 



