THE BANK VOLE 



them, but the sHghtest thing overhead sent 

 them dashing for cover or made them crouch 

 like stones where they were. The cage was 

 arranged to be as much Uke part of a bank as 

 possible. There was soil, stones, and turfs in 

 it, and leaves and dry grass for bedding. 

 There were three voles, two small and one big 

 one. The latter, a male, did not seem to think 

 it necessary to be polite to the ladies, for 

 when the three were put into their new home 

 they at once began to fight. It was such a 

 scrimmage that I thought they would hurt 

 one another, but after watching them for a bit 

 could see there was a good deal of bluff about 

 the fighting. They would stand opposite each 

 other squeaking furiously, and from the noise 

 it sounded as if they meant murder, but they 

 never came to actual grips — ^the worst that 

 happened was for one to push at the other 

 with its fore paws. Once the big mouse 

 knocked one of the little ones over (as I have 

 said, he was quite a Hun ; he had no manners at 

 all where the ladies were concerned), but she 

 made no attempt to get up — she simply lay 

 where she was, and struck out with both fore 

 and hind feet, ' combing the hair ' of the bully 

 with great effect. 



27 



