MICE AND RATS. l^S 



species and to the Voles, we prefer the use of the name Wood- 

 Mouse. 



Distribution. — The general distribution of this species is prob- 

 ably very similar to that of the Harvest-Mouse, although, per- 

 haps, it may not range as far north as Siberia, where the latter 

 is found. In the British Islands it is universally distributed, 

 its range including the Inner and Outer Hebrides and the 

 whole of Ireland. Many years ago the late Rev. Leonard 

 Jenyns (Blomefield), called attention to a small dark variety 

 from the mountains of Kerry, which it was thought might 

 prove to be a distinct species. 



Habits. — Although its name would imply that woods were 

 the favourite resorts of this species, yet, as a matter of fact, it 

 is more commonly found, during the summer, in thickets, 

 hedges, corn-fields, and gardens ; while in winter it resorts for 

 shelter to barns or other out-buildings, as well as corn-stacks ; 

 and Thompson records an instance where a specimen was taken 

 in an inhabited house in Belfast. 



Feeding on corn of all kinds, as well as bulbs, nuts, acorns, 

 and various smaller seeds, together with insects and grubs, the 

 Wood- Mouse is an unmitigated nuisance to the farmer and 

 gardener ; the amount of good it does by the consumption of 

 such animal food as it devours, going but a small way to- 

 wards recompensing the damage it inflicts on newly-sown 

 crops of all kinds. Moreover, although this Mouse makes a 

 regular winter retreat, it does not become torpid, — or at all 

 events does so only for very short periods — and consequently 

 needs a large supply of food during the cold season, so that the 

 unfortunate farmer or gardener has to support the creature from 

 one year's end to another. As a rule, the retreat ta^es the 

 form of a burrow in the ground ; but instances are on record 

 where deserted birds' nests have been occupied and fitted up, 

 while regular nests are often made in hedge-banks, or even in 



