124 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



mittee of the Tiviotdale Farmers' Club appointed to inquire into 

 the cause of the outbreak in 1876 ; but Sir Walter Elliot stated 

 that much weight was not attached to this " popular opinion . . . 

 because no more hawks, owls, weasels, &c, had been destroyed 

 than usual." They had, in fact (to use Sir Walter Elliot's own 

 words), "been well nigh extirpated long before the outbreak 

 took place.'* 



Effect upon the Pasture. — Of the damage done to the hill- 

 pastures the Committee had ocular demonstration during their 

 visit to Howpasley farm (3000 acres), and nothing short of 

 personal inspection could have given them an adequate idea of 

 the extent of the mischief. The voles had shown themselves there 

 first in what is called the "bog" land — i. e., strong marshy land 

 either grazed or cut for hay. Having devoured the grass there, 

 they spread to the " bent," " lea," or dry hill-pasture, and to the 

 heather, which they destroyed as effectually as they had done the 

 grass. The stem of the grass is eaten close to the ground where 

 it is white and tender, leaving the blade above withered and 

 useless. Plantations are sometimes attacked, the young trees 

 being peeled and killed, but this has not been the case so much 

 during the present outbreak as in former years. The arable land, 

 so far, has not been much affected, but there is no doubt from 

 the experience of Mr. Oliver, who had three acres of corn damaged 

 by them, that, if unchecked, they might swarm upon the cultivated 

 ground with disastrous effect. Indeed, the Committee received 

 information to the effect that in some districts they appeared in 

 numbers in the harvest fields. 



In walking across the hill the Committee saw numbers of 

 voles darting about in every direction, and caught several for 

 examination. The grass, which, at the end of June, should have 

 been in full flush of verdure, was lying in withered wisps over a 

 large extent of the farm, and the heather, which is valuable for 

 winter feeding of the stock, had suffered to a similar extent. 



Effect on the Stock. — Numerous witnesses spoke to the injury 

 to stock owing to the damaged pasture. This injury was twofold, 

 consisting first in the low condition to which the ewes were 

 reduced, at and after lambing, from insufficiency of food, and the 

 consequent increase of death rate among them ; and secondly, in 

 a diminution in the crop of lambs, and deterioration in their 

 quality. 



