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the snow disappears, when the trails can be traced to great distances. 

 They reach wheat, rye, clover, and timothy fields and often extend 

 into orchards, nurseries, lawns and gardens, all of which are injured 

 by the animals. Haystacks or shocks of corn and other grain are 

 sure to suffer it left out over winter." 



THE PINE MOUSE. Microtus pinetorum scalopsoides (Aud. & Bach.). 



"This pine mouse, called also the mole-like vole, has a wider dis- 

 tribution than the typical southern pine mouse (M. pinetorum), and 

 therefore is chosen as the representative of the group. The following 

 account of its habits applies equally well to all pine mice. 



"This animal has the wide, flat skull, the short tail, the small 

 ears, and the short, dense, glossy brown fur characteristic of all the 

 pine mice. The average measurements of three New York specimens, 

 as given by Bailey, are as follows: Total length, about 5 inches; 

 tail vertebrae 0.78 inch; hind feet, 0.64 inch. 



"Owing to their peculiar habits pine mice are not so well known 

 as are meadow mice. Their natural habitat is the forest, although 

 tEey are by no means restricted to pine woods or forested areas. 

 While often inhabiting pine woods and the edges of adjacent fields, 

 they live also in forests and copses of deciduous trees, usually on 

 uplands. 



"The life of pine mice is largely spent in underground tunnels, 

 which so closely resemble those of the mole that generally they are 

 mistaken for the work of that animal. The ridges of loose soil over 

 the tunnel are exactly like those thrown up by the mole, but the inner 

 diameter of mouse tunnels is less. Some of these burrows are utilized 

 as nesting places. Nests are built also at the surface of the ground, 

 under fallen logs, brush heaps, flat stones, fences, or other shelter. 

 The number of young at birth evidently averages, less than is usual 

 in the genus Microtus. 



"From their homes in woods and thickets pine mice invade fields, 

 orchards, nurseries, dooryards, and gardens, passing always through 

 underground runways. Living in concealment, neither their presence 

 nor the injury they inflict is suspected until the latter is past remedy. 

 Bulbs, planted hopefully in autumn, appear not at all in the spring, 

 or only in the shape of sickly plants, whose life substance has been 

 gnawed away. Nursery and orchard trees here and there put forth 

 no leaves, and an examination of the roots discloses the nature of 

 the damage. 



"Potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, and other vegetables 

 are eaten by pine mice, both while growing and when stored in pits 

 or lying in piles in the field or garden. Potatoes partly matured or 



