4 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



and affinities with the mice in possessing a longer tail than the 

 true voles, larger ears, and eyes. E. casarius has a much 

 more vole-like appearance than E. glareolus. In fact, it again 

 should by rights be placed between Microtus and Evotomys. In 

 its colour, smaller eyes, and less prominent ears it agrees with 

 MicrotiLs ; in its longish tail and reddish summer pelage it 

 agrees with Evotomys. No doubt to those who place more 

 reliance on the characters of the cranium the Jersey Vole stands 

 revealed as a true Evotomys. On the skull I shall not dwell. 

 This has been dealt with fully by Messrs. Bunting and Miller. 

 Eegarding size, the Jersey Vole appears at first sight to be 

 a much larger animal than E. glareolus, but actual measure- 

 ments show but little difference in many individual specimens. 

 Bunting writes : — " Specimens which have recently been sent 

 [the italics are mine*] to me show measurements slightly ex- 

 ceeding those of the type specimens." My specimens (except 

 the one presented to me by Mr. Bunting) show a decided 

 decrease in measurements. It is only fair, however, to state 

 that my measurements were taken from spirit specimens, or 

 what would probably be regarded as such. All seven specimens 

 were caught on Nov. 23rd, and at once disembowelled, stuffed 

 with spirit-saturated wool, and forwarded. I received these on 

 Nov. 25th, and at once took measurements. The spirit may 

 have caused shrinkage, but I hardly think so, seeing that they 

 were not wholly immersed in the fluid. Now, as will be seen, 

 while my specimens decreased, Mr. Bunting's, which I examined 

 and were also spirit specimens, exceeded the type. The probable 

 explanation lies in the fact that Voles vary a good deal in size.f 

 A careful series of measurements of English Bank- and Water- 

 Voles have shown me this to be the case. Appended is a table 

 of average measurements of the Jersey Vole, with those of 

 Mr. Bunting's in parenthesis. It will be seen that the latter 

 measurements, while exceeding mine in the maximum, are less 



* For reasons see further on. 



f A Field-Vole [Microtus agrestis), taken by myself at Thursley, Godal- 

 ming, Surrey, on May 5th, 1910, measured : H. b., 120 mm. ; tail, 37 mm. ; 

 H. F., 20 mm.; ear, 13 mm. Mr. Guy Dolman, of the Natural History 

 Museum, to whom I presented the specimen, said they had none so large in 

 the National Collection, and that mine must be a record. 



