THE SHORT-TAILED FIELD VOLE 



the same result— anything on the ground level 

 did not matter, but that which was overhead 

 was to be feared. Though tame in the sense 

 that they were not afraid of one's hand, did 

 not run away, and would take food from the 

 fingers, yet they resented being touched, and 

 if I attempted to stroke a vole it invariably 

 stood up, squeaked, and struck at me with its 

 fore feet. 



Some time after they had settled down 

 happily, I began to suspect that something 

 interesting was going on in a new nest that 

 had appeared in one corner of the cage. 

 Very faint squeaks could be heard occasion- 

 ally, but I took great care not to in any way 

 interfere, for mice when upset are apt to kill 

 their young ones, so the cage was not cleaned 

 out, and even fresh food was carefully put 

 down on the opposite side of the cage to that 

 where the nursery was placed. I did not wish 

 for a repetition of a horrible murder such as I 

 once saw happen. In that case I had found a 

 field vole's nest in a hayfleld, and more by luck 

 than anything else caught the mother as she 

 ran out of it. With some difficulty, for she 

 kept nipping my fingers, I got her into my 

 handkerchief, after which I examined the nest. 



279 



