40 ZOOLOGY. 



Besides these, four mice belong here : — 



The Common Mouse {Mus musculus). Back yellowish 



grey-black, gradually shading into a somewhat lighter 



tint on the under side. 



The Wood Mouse, or Long-tailed Field Mouse (M. 



sylvaticus). Back a brown shade of yellowish grey ; 



belly white, sharply marked off; relatively very long 



hind legs, hence a hopping gait. The long-tailed 



Fig. 22. — The Long-tailed Field Mouse (JIas sylvatUms'). 



field mouse penetrates tolerably far into woods, but is 

 also found in plantations and gardens, sometimes also 

 in quite treeless regions. On arable land it may 

 adopt the habits of the field vole (p. 42), but as it 

 does not multiply so rapidly is not nearly so injurious. 

 It may also live either for a short time or per- 

 manently in houses, adopting the same habits as the 

 common mouse. 



The Harvest Mouse (M. minutus). Small, pretty; 

 back yellowish brown red, belly of a sharply marked- 

 off white. Lives in cornfields during the summer ; in 

 harvest time by the field-paths; during winter in 

 barns and haystacks, but also in outdoor nests in the 

 fields. Climbs among the grass and corn-haulms, and 

 the small stems and branches of other plants, including 

 shrubs, holding fast, not only by the feet, but also by 

 the tail. Builds a beautiful spherical nest with a 



