WILD CREATURES OF GARDEN AND HEDGEROW 



neat slim body, indeed one might say that it 

 has a small waist, and a head that looks very 

 large in comparison with the rest of it, and 

 which when compared with its small hind- 

 quarters gives it a top-heavy look. In these 

 points it is very different from the round furry 

 ball-like field vole with its rough shaggy coat. 

 The bank vole's coat is always neat and 

 smooth, always looks well groomed, and so it 

 ought to considering how often it washes and 

 licks it. Now the field vole is sometimes rather 

 stupid looking, but never the bank vole, which 

 with its pricked ears and keen sharp eyes 

 has almost a foxy expression, especially when 

 listening with one fore foot raised for slight 

 sounds. The hearing of these mice is wonder- 

 fully keen ; the faintest sounds will often send 

 them scurrying to the nearest shelter, and I 

 think they must be able to hear things too faint 

 for our ears. 



To go back to the question of young ones, 

 family succeeds family throughout the summer, 

 and, if the autumn is an open one, on until 

 nearly Christmas . Cold weather brings the nur- 

 sery business to an end ; the voles then go into 

 winter quarters, being far less lively when 

 snow is on the ground than at other times, 

 42 



