54 ANIMAL COMPETITORS 



(No. '.)) is found only in the Carolinas arid 

 (jleor^ia, hut, several varieties widen the specific 

 ran^c from soutljcrn Xevv York to Oklahoma, 

 south of the latitude of Lake Krie. The typical 

 Georgian pine mouse has glossy, mole-like fur 

 of a height russet- brown color. The variety of 

 the blue ^rass region is darker- and very glossy, 

 while that of the states west of the Mississippi, 

 between southern Iowa and northern Texas, 

 is (Jeep chestnut. In all, the skull is wide and 

 flat, and the fur short, dense arid glossy. 



Owin,^ to their peculiar habits, pine mice are 

 not so well known as are the northern rneadow- 

 mice. Their natural habitat is the forest, al- 

 though they are by no means restricted to pine- 

 woods or forested areas. The life of UK; 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; but the; inner diameter of tlie 

 mouse tunnels is less. When moles and pine 

 mice live in the same; vicinity, the mice often 

 use the runways made by the former and this 

 habit has helped to brintf moles into disrepute 

 with farmers. 



