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THE ZOOLOGIST. 



the leaves of various other plants, but the following are all that 

 I can vouch for with absolute certainty : sheep's-parsley, common 

 plaintain, Brussels sprouts, and hogweed. They are able to bite 

 through the shell of most filberts, but I doubt whether that of 

 the hazel-nut would not prove too much for their gnawing 

 powers. Several times during March, 1884, I pegged down 

 apples in the runs of these animals, but in no instance were they 

 bitten, though, as stated above, they eagerly devour them in 

 captivity. The stomach of a specimen, caught during the month 

 of July, 1884, by a cat, contained a mass of partially-digested 

 matter, consisting apparently of small seeds (resembling those of 

 grasses), rather that of leaves and blades of grass. Victor Fatio, 

 in his ' Faune des Vertebres de la Suisse,' states that during the 

 winter the Bank Vole subsists on bark and roots ; he also affirms 

 that, in addition to its usual vegetable diet, it also devours worms, 

 and is in the habit of robbing the nests of small birds building on 

 or near the ground. This taste for animal food and insects has 

 been observed on various occasions in its congener the Short- 

 tailed Field Mouse, and the Water Eat has also been accused of 

 occasionally exhibiting similar tastes. There can, however, be 

 little doubt but that by far the greater proportion of the food of 

 all three species is of a vegetable nature. When angry these 

 little creatures make a great fuss, grinding their teeth and using 

 their voice very freely, which may be described as a short grunting 

 squeak, neither so sharp nor so prolonged as that of Mus sylvaticus 

 or musculus. In quarrelling their actions are ludicrous in the 

 extreme : they dodge round each other in a perfectly upright 

 attitude, hopping on their hind legs, and now and then nearly 

 throwing themselves over backwards in endeavouring to avoid 

 each other's attacks, the fore paws being held stretched out 

 before the face for protection. There is a great deal of fuss, and 

 much squeaking and grinding of teeth, but very little comes of 

 it all, and in general they are peaceable and gentle in their 

 ways. They are remarkably quick and active in their move- 

 ments, the usual manner of progression being a succession of 

 short jerky runs, very bird-like in character, and not unlike the 

 action of the Hedgesparrow when on the ground. They are 

 most expert climbers, and quite at home among the branches 

 and twigs of hedges and bushes. Many years before I had 

 become personally acquainted with the appearance and habits of 



