THE BANK MOUSE 407 



and corresponding latitudes in Russia, south to the Pyrenees, southern 

 Italy, and Rumania ; east and west it ranges from Wales, at least to 

 the Syansk Mountains, 100 miles west of Lake Baikal, where it ascends 

 to 1600 feet. 



The sub-species britannicus is confined to Britain. It is absent from 

 Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Hebrides, Orkneys, and Shetlands ; but is 

 common throughout England, Wales, the lowlands of Scotland, and north 

 to the districts adjoining the south coast of the Moray Firth, with the 

 islands of Anglesey (01dham),Wight (More), and Bute. It does not ascend 

 the mountains to any great height, though on the latter point details 

 are lacking for England and Wales (recorded from 600 feet in 

 Cheshire by Coward ; and 700 feet near Bridge of Allan, W. Evans, Jf 5.). 

 In Scotland it is characteristic of the valleys and cultivated districts 

 rather than the moors and uplands, where it gives way to Microtus ; 

 when found on the moors it affects the boulder-strewn hollows rather 

 than the open ground (Gordon). Its distribution has not yet been 

 worked out for the Highlands, where it may eventually prove 

 to be more common than the present meagre records would warrant. 

 For instance, at Loch Awe, Argyll, the first record was that of C. H. 

 Alston in Ann. Scott. Nat. Hist., 1905, 52 ; the mouse had been pre- 

 viously unnoticed, yet it is much commoner than Microtus (Alston, 

 #5.). It is not yet known from Sutherland or Caithness, the most 

 northern record being that of Hinxman and Clarke for Braemore, West 

 Ross-shire {Proc. Roy. Phys. Soc, Edinburgh, 12th June 1894, 394) ; this 

 fact, taken in conjunction with Cocks's experience in Buckinghamshire, 

 suggests that this may actually be an increasing species, which may 

 really have been rare until recent years. 



Distribution in time and origin : — E. glareolus is not known earlier 

 than the late pleistocene fauna of Ightham, Kent, where it occurs, as a 

 distinct sub-species, with other forms now extinct. Its present distribution 

 and absence from Spain indicate a recent arrival from the East, which 

 reached Britain before the separation of Anglesey, Wight, and Bute, but 

 after that of Ireland, Man, and the Scottish Islands. It does not yet 

 seem to have had time to thoroughly overrun Scotland. 



Description : — The general appearance of the Bank Mouse has 

 been indicated above under the genus Evotomys. 



The sparsely-haired ears are usually described as longer than in the 

 Grass Mouse, but actually owe their conspicuousness rather to the 

 shorter fur, which they overtop, than to any proportionately larger 

 size; when laid forward they do not quite reach to the eyes. The 

 densely-haired tail has a distinct terminal pencil, and reaches a length 

 about half that of the head and body. The muzzle-pad is small and 

 inconspicuous, and is crossed by a narrow median cleft running upwards 

 from the upper lip. The lips are pink. In each hand the thumb is 



