WfLI) ANIMALS IN GAPTIVirY 



resembling that of tho well-known biiavor. His little 

 blunt head and small c^'es do not glan; like the eycj.s of 

 our crafty foe. 



The largest British spocics of Arvicola must not, how- 

 ever, be confound (^d with its ally A. agrcstis, or field vole, 

 usually named "short-tiiilcd field mouHd," the raids of 

 which have, ;ii timcis, not only caused inucli annoyance 

 and alarm, but have threatened famine in conseijuence of 

 their prodigious numbers, which have ilestroyod, whole- 

 sale, newly-sowed grain, grain in store, tn.'es and shrubs ; 

 in fact, all vegetation, gn^^n or dried, vanished wherev(^r 

 they made their appearance, and this extraordinary in- 

 crease of numbers is not always confined to one; or two 

 species ; several kinds are known whoso numbers from 

 time to time alarm the inhabitants of the countries they 

 visit. It may appear strange, but it is neverthitjess tiMie, 

 that it is always the smallest creatures in the world that 

 are most troublesome, with which it is most difficult to 

 deal, and which produce the greatest amount of annoyance 

 and suffering. They defy all our attempts to rid ourselves 

 of theiri, and frequently drive us altogetiier out of their 

 favourite localities. With all our boasted power we are 

 helpless, or nearly so, if we are dealing with the lesser 

 kind of mammalia in the form of rats, mice, hamst(^r, 

 lemming, etc. (their countless numbers completely ovi^r- 

 powering all our endeavours to destroy them), not to 

 mention the insect tribe in the shape of mosquitoes, tsetse 

 flies, ants, wasps, locusts, etc., to say nothing of such 

 as require the microscope to prove their existence ; for 

 while we can defend ourselves from and kill the larger 

 animals whose existence appears in opposition to our 

 welfare, we arc in far greater danger when opposed by th(j 

 almost invisible or microscopic enemies that are now 

 being brought to light by the investigations that have of 



102 



