THE HARVEST MOUSE 557 



considerable ravages in the wheat-stacks (A. Hussey, Zoologist, 1843, 

 349); in Kent it is stated to be still fairly common about Hever 

 (Meade Waldo ; also Collingwood in Millais). In Surrey, G. Dalgliesh 

 {Zoologist, 1906, 188) records a pair taken in a corn-rick at Eashing, 

 near Goldalming, and it was obtained in some number between 

 Woking and Guildford by F. H. Salvin (Cocks). It occurs in all parts 

 of Essex, according to Laver, and although he never met with more 

 than a dozen in one rick, others told him of finding greater numbers ; 

 Laver {in lit.) says that the distribution in this county is extraordinary, 

 since these mice are much more rare to the east of Colchester than 

 to the west; it was frequent until about 1900. Several nests were 

 taken in 1883, "^ar Woodbridge, in Suffolk (E. C. Moor, Zoologist, 

 1884, 190), and Rope described it as not uncommon about Leiston 

 {Zoologist, 1873, 3610). In Norfolk it was "somewhat local, but not 

 uncommon" (Southwell, /oar^. cit., 1871, 2756) ; Southwell described it 

 as still common in 1901 ; and Oxley Grabham {in /«V.) ''used to get 

 considerable numbers from Haddiscoe." In Hertfordshire it is recorded 

 by Bond (in Harting ; see also Vic. Co. Hist), although not found by 

 Lydekker in the vicinity of Harpenden. In Cambridgeshire it was often 

 seen by T. Bell's father, probably about 1784, and described to Bell as 

 a third species of Field Mouse (Bell, ipse) ; from this county it is recorded 

 by Jenyns {Man. Brit. Vert., j,i)} and also by Bartlett, who described 

 it as occurring here, and commonly in Kent {Zoologist, 1843, 289); 

 no recent records were known to Bonhote. From Nottinghamshire 

 some mice and a nest were seen many years ago by W. Rigby of the 

 Natural History Museum (J. W. Carr, Vic. Co. Hist.). In Northamp- 

 tonshire it occurs, though not abundantly (Lord Lilford, in lit.) ; in 

 Leicestershire and Rutland M. Browne describes it as rare. According 

 to Tomes, it occurs in the southern and western, but not in the 

 northern districts of Warwickshire ^ ; it was obtained in Oxfordshire by 

 RoUeston (A. H. Cocks). In Bedfordshire it was not uncommon, about 

 1830, at Benham, although not met with in recent times by Steele Elliot. 

 Cocks has no knowledge . of it in Bucks. In Worcestershire it was 

 formerly more abundant in the valley of the Avon, according to Tomes, 

 who often saw the nests. In Shropshire four or five nests were taken in 

 August or September 1 872, at Church Stretton, twelve miles from Shrews- 

 bury (G. W. Murdoch, Zoologist, 1895, 447) ; Forrest states it to be very 

 local in this county ; he mentions a pair and nest in T. C. Eyton's 

 collection from Weald Moors (70/71). Miss Pitt {in lit.) states that it 



' Jenyns, Obs. Nat. Hist, 73, says Harvest Mice " are common in Cambridgeshire." 



"' "About thirty years ago the late A. B. Herbert, Edinburgh, obtained a number 



from Warwickshire, and kept them for a year or two in a large cage made for their 



reception, where I have often enjoyed watching them exercising on the wheels and 



other contrivances for their amusement " (W. Evans, MS.). 



VOL. II. 2 N 2 



