LONG-TAILED FIELD MOUSE 



Its food consists of grain and insects, and, as a Winter 

 supply, it stores up the former to help it through the 

 short days and long nights. The prehensile tail is used 

 for leverage and anchorage, and, if a specimen is handled 

 evidence of this trait will soon be forthcoming. Although 

 we do not wish to encourage such a proceeding, it is 

 interesting to note that Mice and Rats, as well as Snakes, 

 are unable, if held by the tail, to recover the upright 

 position, or to cause harm to their captor. As to what 

 would happen if such a wily little beast as the next 

 species upon our list was thus held, we would not care to 

 predict ; but that, as KipHng would say, is another 

 story ! The Harvest Mouse is included in the genus 

 Miis, and attains, like the Dormouse, an average length 

 of five inches. 



Long-Tailed Field Mouse. — This active little mammal 

 (Fig. ii) is much commoner than most people imagine, 

 but, as a rule, it only comes from its underground home 

 during the night, and is thus rarely seen. It is a curious 

 fact that, just previous to writing these notes, one of these 

 animals scuttled under the verandah at the back of our 

 house whilst it was yet light. We know full well that for 

 several years this species has lived under a grassy bank 

 in our garden, for we have caught and released quite a 

 number there in a trap baited with a piece of carrot ; 

 but it is not often that we catch sight of the wily Uttle 

 beast during the daytime. We have strong suspicions 

 that the specimen referred to had cleverly discovered a 

 bag of seed potatoes that were stored under the verandah, 



