90 

 DISTRIBUTION OF SPECIES. 



Several of the species are limited somewhat closely in their 

 geographical ranges to certain life-areas; thus in the Canadian 

 zone of our higher mountain regions the dominant forms are, 

 as a rule, different from those commonly met with in the Austral 

 zone of our lower elevations. In all situations, however, from 

 the spruce forests and moss beds of our higher mountain tops 

 to the grass and grain farms of our lower valleys, there may be 

 found representatives of the mice, moles and shrews, some of 

 them, usually, in great abundance. In their habits and manner 

 of living they are, as a rule, secluded and unobtrusive, and a 

 person may take daily walks through fields and woods that are 

 thickly populated with half a dozen different species and rarely 

 catch a glimpse of one of them. A little investigation, however, 

 will surely reveal their burrows and paths extending through 

 the ground or beneath lodged grass, decaying weeds and leaves, 

 fallen logs, stones, or rubbish of any kind that may be lying on 

 the ground. These burrows and paths form one of the most 

 universal and unmistakable evidences of the presence of these 

 animals. Unfortunately, some of the species have other ways 

 of attracting our attention. The house mouse, for example, is 

 always obtrusive and claims notice in a hundred well-known 

 and obnoxious ways, the meadow mice occasionally raid our 

 orchards, gardens, flowerbeds and grain fields and the moles 

 throw up conspicuous mounds and ridges of earth in yards and 

 lawns and in other grassy places. 



Notwithstanding the abundance of the animals there will 

 sometimes be long periods during which the depredations of the 

 meadow mice and the upheavals of the moles will scarcely 

 be noticed on the farm. At the same time the well- 

 beaten roads and burrows will remain, and, winter 

 and summer, will form an intricate system of passages 

 and runways, often extending to all parts of the farm 

 and showing that the animals are still present and active, 

 although for the time being they have ceased to be troublesome. 

 It is obvious that at such times they do not discontinue, or even 



