HARVEST MOUSE. 8/ 



and of the under parts white ; the two colours being rather 

 sharply separated. The tail is exceedingly pliant and pre- 

 hensile, and serves as an additional foot, being at once coiled 

 around any suitable object within reach. It has bright black 

 eyes, short blunt nose, and short rounded ears, the latter about 

 one-third the length of the head. 



It is found chiefly in the South of England, becoming less 

 abundant as we go north. In Scotland it is very scarce, and it 

 does not occur in Ireland. It is more generally distributed on 

 the Continent, where it ranges from Northern Italy to Russia 

 and Siberia. The usual habitats of the Harvest Mouse are 

 pastures and cornfields, where it climbs the stems of the tall 

 grasses and corn plants, cutting off the ripe ears and carrying 

 them to the ground where it picks out the grain. During the 

 summer it feeds largely upon insects, caught in the same situa- 

 tions. At the same season it stores up much grain in burrows 

 for use in the winter between its periods of sleep. Sometimes, 

 however, instead of wintering in burrows in the earth, it tunnels 

 into hayricks, and if undisturbed may even bring up a litter or 

 two in the rick ; as a rule it constructs the wonderful nursery 

 which has won human admiration ever since White made the 

 species known. 



This is a ball-shaped nest about three inches in diameter 

 formed of neatly plaited and woven blades of wheat or grass, 

 with no definite opening, the grass-blades being merely pushed 

 aside to make entrance or exits where required, and closing 

 again by their own elasticity. There is just sufficient room 

 inside for the mother-mouse and her blind and naked offspring, 

 whether they number four, eight, or even nine. This nest is 

 suspended at some little distance about half a foot above 

 the ground, several stems being incorporated in its walls to 

 give it stability, or it may be lodged between the stem and leaf 

 of a thistle, or a knapweed, in blackthorn bushes or broom. 

 The bed is made of split leaves of corn or grass. The nests 



