THE WATER VOLE. 13 



OEDEIl IV.— GLIEES. 



Genus Arvicola. 



Of this genus we know nothing as Irish, and this is not to be regretted, 

 though they do not intrude upon the dwellings of man, like the species 

 of the genus 3Ius. 



Four species of the ArvicolcB are found in Great Britain, viz.— 

 The Water Vole, Arvicola amphibhis, Desm., 

 Said to be found there pretty generally. I have remarked it to be very common 

 about Leamington, in Warwickshire, on the banks of the Leam and the canals. 

 The black variety {A. ater, Macgillivray) taken at Ballantrae, Ayrshire, was 

 sent to me by my friend John Sinclaire, Esq., in August, 1842. It was found 

 dead on the highway ; and another was taken about the same time in a mole- 

 trap— contents of stomach, vegetable matter only. From the last-named local- 

 ity Mr. Smclaire also sent me the ordinary animal, which is much more com- 

 mon. I make this observation in consequence of the remark of ]Mr. Macgillivray, 

 that, in some of the more northern counties of Scotland, the black variety takes 

 the place of the other. 



J. V. Stewart, Esq., gives this species m his catalogue of the mammalia of 

 the County of Donegal ; but, in my opinion, erroneously. 



The Field Vole, Arvicola agrestis, Brit. Authors, 

 I have found dead on roads in the north and south of England— about Newcas- 

 tle-upon-Tyne, and in the Isle of Wight. It has, in some seasons, proved ex- 

 tremely destructive in England. 



The Bank Vole, Arvicola pratensis, Baillon.— ^. riparia, Yarrell. 

 [See observations on this species, in Charl. Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. iii. p. 585 • 

 and m Ann. Nat. Hist. vol. vii. pp. 274 and 276.] ' 



Arvicola neglecta, Thomp. 



I had the pleasure of adding this species to the list of British animals. 



My notes on the species were communicated to the Rev. Leonard Jenvns 

 and published in the Annals Nat. Hist. vol. vii. p. 270 (1841) 



So early as October, 1829, my relative Robert Langtry, Esq., called my at- 

 tention to this species in his shooting quarters, around Megarnie Castle (Perth- 

 shire) ; but, as I had not then studied the mammalia, specimens of it were not 

 preserved Ihe same gentleman, being some years afterwards requested to look 

 out lor and preserve any of these animals that might occur to him, found the 

 species on his moor at Aberarder, in the north of Invernesshire ; and, on his re- 

 turn thence, m 1838, brought me a specimen. A few others were seen, but 

 were destroyed by the dogs; and m the following year he supplied me with a 

 dozen of them, of various sizes, from that locality. They are, however, by no 

 means numerous. j ' > j 



To my notes, published by Mr. Jenyns, I would only add, that the upper 

 incisor teeth m adult males and females were one line and half long-lower 

 incisors, two lines and a quarter. 



In February 1846, Mr. Langtry informed me that the first individuals of this 

 species which he saw were found in the room where the dead game was kept 

 in Megarnie, and one or two were found dead about the door of the castle ' 



I am not aware of any British specimens of this animal havmg been noticed 

 excepting the above ; and, from the circumstance of its bemg overlooked, the 

 name ot Aeglecta was given to the species— a name which Prince Buonaparte 

 does not seem to approve of; * but which appears to me not only unobjcction- 

 able, but good, as md icating a fact in connexion with the species. 



* Reports on the Progress of Zoology and Botany.— Ray Soc, 1841-42. 



