336 



Arvioolid.e.- 



-MAMMALIA.- 



-Arvicolid.e. 



Fajiily v.— ARVICOLID^. 



The S\\Tinmmg Arvicoles or Voles are distinguished 

 from the true mice ohietly by the character of the teeth. 

 The incisors are large, chisel-shaped, and coloured 

 deep yellow in front ; the molars have flat crowns pre- 

 scutmg enamelled folds, in the form of alternating 

 triangles, on either side. The fore-feet are tetradac- 

 tylous, with a rudimentary thumb. The muzzle is 

 obtuse, and the ears are not large. The tail is rather 

 short, rounded, and hairy. 



THE WATEB KAT (Arficola amphibia) has a very 

 close, thick, and shining fur of a rich reddish-brown 

 colour, which becomes paler inferiorly (tig. 4G). Its 

 habits are almost too well known to require des- 

 cription. Frequenting the banks of almost every stream, 

 canal, or dyke in this comitry, it constructs its bur- 

 rows upwards from the water's edge. " It dives 



The "Watir Rat (ArvicoLi amphibia), 



and swims with great facility, instantly seeking the 

 water upon every alarm, and plunging at once to the 

 bottom ; from whence, however, it is obhged to return 

 to tlie sm-face for resiiiratiou about every minute. It 

 has often been asserted that the water vole lives upon 

 small fish, earthworms, and insects,- and it has even been 

 accused of destroying yoiuig ducks. There is not, how- 

 ever," observes Mr. Bell, " the sUghtest foundation for 

 this opinion." It feeds on roots and various aquatic 

 plants. The female produces five or six young at a 

 single birth. 



THE FIELD VOLE {Arvicola agrestis), or Meadow 

 Mouse, is about four inches in length, exclusive of the 

 tail, which measru-es rather more than an inch. Its 

 habits are extremely destructive. It feeds on various 

 vegetable matters, grain, &c., and is particularly fond of 

 carrots. It is very prolific, the female producing from 

 five to seven yomig at a birth. The best method of 

 destrojTng these pests is by entrapping them in holes 

 excavated m the ground ; these pits should be wider 

 below than above. 



THE BANK VOLE {Ariucola riparia) is, in common 

 with the foregoing, a native of Europe. It is thi'ce 

 inches and a quarter long, and the fur is of a bright 

 chestnut red above and greyish beneath. The tail is 



about half the length of the body. It is not very 

 abmidant in Britain, and but little is known respecthig 

 its habits. 



THE YELLOW-CHEEKED VOLE (Arvicola xantho- 

 gmithtia) is an American species, and is abundant in the 

 neighbourhood of Fort Franklm, and also among tlie 

 Rocky Mountains, especially in locahties where tlie 

 woods have been destroyed by fire. Its habits are 

 similar to those of the common water rat. Length of 

 the body is from five to eight inches. The females 

 produce seven young at a birth. 



WILSON'S VOLE [Arvicola Pennsylvaniciis) is, ac- 

 cording to Sir John Kichardson, very abundant from 

 Canada to Great Bear Lake. It infests barns and 

 storehouses, where it hoards up gi'ain and seeds of 

 various kinds ; it is said also to be very partial to tlic 

 bulbs of the Philadelphia lily. The body is about 

 three and a half inches long, the fur being brownish 

 and white luiderneath. 



RICHARDSON'S VOLE {Arvicola horcalis), or KOK- 

 TiiERN Meadow Mouse, is about four and a half mches 

 long, exclusive of the short tail, which measiu'es only 

 an inch. Its habits are similar to those of the Yellow- 

 Cheeked species. It is found in abundance on the 

 borders of the Great Bear Lake. The fiu' has a chest- 

 nut tinge mixed witli black ; mider the bellj' it is greyish. 

 THE SCANDINAVIAN LEMMING {Mpucks JUmmiis) 

 is about the size of an ordinary rat. The fm' is of a 

 ruddy yellow colour, variegated with black. Its proper 

 residence is among the mountains of Norway and 

 Sweden, but it has a remarkable propensity to emi- 

 grate at certam periods. Van der Hoeven remarks, that 

 on tliese occasions multitudes of tliem " eat everythmg 

 bare on the road, like locusts. This usually forbodes 

 a hard whiter. The number of these animals thus 

 suddenly appearing in situations where they were pre- 

 viously unlvno\vn, gave occasion in former times to the 

 strange ophiion that they descended from the clouds." 

 It is sometimes called on this accoimt the Northern 

 Mouse of Passage. 



THE GREENLAND LEMMING {Myocks Greenlandi- 

 ciis) — Plate 15, fig. 49 — was first described by Dr. 

 Traill, from a specimen procured by the distinguished 

 na\igator, Captain Scoresby. The body is six and a 

 quarter inches in length, the tail measuring only three- 

 quarters of an inch. There are no external ears. The 

 fure-feet are hairy beneath, the digital claws being 

 roimded and sharply pointed. The central Kne of the 

 back is marked by a dark band. The muzzle terminates 

 m a sharp nose. The eyes are near each other, and 

 comparati\X'ly small. 



THE HUDSON'S BAY LEMMING [Myodes Hudsonius) 

 is scarcely so large as the preceding, and, according to 

 Piiehardson, is distinguished by the two central claws 

 of tlie fore-feet being unusually large-; tliey are like- 

 wise compressed, " tlieir very blimt extremity being 

 rendered- double by a deep transverse notch." Although 

 this species is very easily tamed, veiy little is known 

 respecting its habits. 



BACK'S LEMMING [Myodes trimiwronalus) inha- 

 bits the wooded districts of North America, and is 

 named after Captain Back, who first discovered it on 

 the banks of Point Lake. Sir John Piiehardson states, 



