ARVICOLA NIVALIS. 85 



Ireland. In France it is not rare in the south, and is 

 found in many rivers, lakes, and ponds throughout that 

 country. Is unknown in the greater part of Switzerland, 

 being replaced by the Arvicola terrestris. Very common in 

 Eussia, from the White Sea to the Caspian. In Italy the 

 variety C. alone has been observed. Is found in Silesia. 



Arvicola nivalis. 



Arvicola nivalis, Blasius, Wirbelth. Deutschlands, p. 359. 



Arvicola Lebrunii, Crespon, Faun. Merid. toI. i. p. 77. 



Hypudaus alpimts, Wagn., Schkeber, Saugth. Supplement, iii. 1843. 



Description. — Tail somewhat more than half the length of 

 the body, greyish white, darker above, with brown scaly 

 rings ; body above brown-grey, lighter on the sides, with 

 numerous yellowish-white hairs intermixed, and nearly 

 white beneath; sometimes they are bright yellow-grey above 

 on the back, and the feet and tail are sometimes white ; the 

 ground of the fur near the roots is everywhere dark, the 

 varieties of shade depending upon the colours of the tips of 

 the hairs ; the hairs of the back are almost always ob- 

 served, when exposed to sunshine, to have a metallic violet- 

 blue hue ; the ears are almost half as long as the head, but 

 scarcely rise above the fur; they are covered with fine 

 whitish-grey hairs outside, and along their front edges are 

 furnished with long hairs. Teeth sixteen in number. The 

 fur is generally thick and fine. 



Total length, 7 inches 2 lines ; ear along the outer edge 

 rather more than 6 lines ; tail, 2 inches 6 or 7 lines. — 

 F. M. 



This is a truly Alpine species, being strictly confined to 

 mountain ranges, and is never found in the Alps at a lower 

 elevation than 3000 feet, seldom so low as 4000 feet, and 

 thence upwards to the limits of perpetual snow, and even 

 -far above the snow-level on bare spots, where it stays all 



