328 ARVICOLID^. 



the length of its tail and the pattern of its teeth. The 

 fact of its upper grinders having double roots in the adult 

 has led Blasius and others to separate it as a subgenus 

 under the name of Hypudceus. 



The Red Field- Vole is widely spread throughout 

 Europe north of the Appenines, extending northwards 

 to the Arctic Circle and eastwards to the Ural Mountains. 

 In Britain it was first discovered in Essex by the late 

 Mr. Yarrell, who described it as a new species, under the 

 name of A. riparia, in the " Proceedings of the Zoo- 

 logical Society" for 1832. It appears to be very generally 

 but somewhat locally distributed over the whole island. 

 We have not yet seen specimens from the extreme north 

 of Scotland, but it extends at least as far north as Moray- 

 shire, whence it has been sent us by our friend the Rev. 

 G. Gordon, and south of this it seems to occur in every 

 county of Scotland and England, being perhaps more 

 plentiful in the northern than in the southern districts. 



In its habits this species much resembles the Common 

 Field-Vole, but it may be described as being more bold 

 and active, more omnivorous in its diet, and less fossorial 

 in its habits. It frequents drier and more wooded 

 localities, and appears to be especially fond of gardens, 

 where it is often very destructive to fruits and roots. It 

 does not burrow so extensively as A. agrestis^ often con- 

 tenting itself with runs or galleries through the matted 

 grass or herbage, or with crevices among stones or rocks. 

 We have repeatedly kept it in captivity, and had one 

 which lived for several months. They soon became 

 tolerably fearless, but could never be said to be really 

 tame or familiar. They were even more frequently 

 abroad during the day than the common species, but still 

 were most active at dusk. Upon being supplied with 

 fresh branches of trees they showed great agility in 



