THE BANK MOUSE 415 



the Dormouse in having no regular plan of attack. Mr English 

 has observed that when carrying a nut to its burrow or store 

 it uses the three methods in use amongst rats : it either seizes 

 the pointed end between the teeth and jumps along with head 

 high in the air, or it wedges the burden between the chin 

 and fore legs, or rolls it along the ground. 



The Bank Mouse sometimes causes damage to young 

 plantations, but this seems to occur chiefly in Scotland ; ^ 

 climbing the trees, it eats out the buds, especially of larch, 

 and devours the bark to the end of the branches, which, if very 

 small, are first gnawed off and allowed to drop. 



Sometimes in its climbing expeditions it accidentally 

 meets with booty in young birds,^ and it is stated to be 

 fond of many kinds of insects, and of molluscs.? Lastly, it is 

 an inveterate cannibal, and in captivity has been known 

 to kill and devour the reputedly unpalatable Common 

 Shrew.* It may thus be described as omnivorous and 

 cannibalistic in contrast to the almost entirely vegetarian, 

 though also cannibalistic. Grass Mouse.* Its diet is well 

 shown by the ordinary contents of its stomach, a yellow 

 substance "like pease-pudding," in contrast to the chewed 

 grass to be found in those of entirely vegetarian species.'^ 



In feeding, it either holds its food down with its fore paws, 

 or sits upright and handles it like a Dormouse. When 

 devouring the carcase of a fellow-mouse, although it never 

 eats the skin, it does not invert it as would a shrew ; 

 it merely turns back as much of the skin as is necessary to 

 get at the brain and thorax, after which the carcase usually 

 receives no more attention.'^ 



' First reported by Rev. G. Gordon {Zoologist, 1844, 425), who later sent specimens 

 to Alston (in Bell) from Morayshire ; also mentioned by Service {Solway, 206) ; H. S. 

 Gladstone for Dumfriesshire ; Robert Thompson {Nat. Hist, of a Highland Parish, 

 82, 1900) for Nairnshire ; and William Taylor for Llanbryde, near Elgin. Similarly 

 in Norway, according to Collett, attacks are most conspicuous in the north, possibly 

 as a result of scarcity of food on the ground. 



^ Victor Fatio. 



^ E.g. Helix nemoralis, and H. aspersaj C. Wright, per Adams. 



* Alston, in Bell. 



'' The facts are well put by R. I. Pocock, Zoologist, 1897, 507. 



' W. E. de Win ton, in R. Lydekker. 



' Adams, MS. 



