NOTES ON THE MAMMALS OF IS LAY. 115 



round Islay House, and not many in the woods round Kildalton 

 and Dunlossit. The increase of dogs, who destroy the helpless 

 fawns, is said to account for some of the decrease, but in- 

 breeding may also have something to do with it. So far as I 

 know no Roe-Deer have been introduced. 



Long-tailed Field-Mouse (Aprodemus sylvaticus). — This 

 species appears to be fairly plentiful. I trapped several in 

 ordinary mouse-traps in the woods, and saw numbers of holes. 



House-Mouse (Mils musculas) is plentiful, and so are Eats 

 (M. decumanus), wherever there are human habitations. 



Water-Vole (Arvicola amphibia). — Messrs. Harvie-Brown 

 and Buckley mention this species as possibly existing in Islay, 

 but, as they suggest, the observer quoted was almost certainly 

 mistaken. I have looked carefully, when fishing, for any traces 

 without discovering them. At one spot on the Sorn I found a 

 colony of brown land Rats who frequented the water's edge and 

 had made holes. 



Field- Vole (Microtus agrestis). — A nest of three young Voles 

 was discovered in a rick and brought to me. The old ones 

 escaped. Mr. Oldfield Thomas named the young for me. The 

 nest I sent to Mr. Charles Rothschild, hoping that some rare 

 fleas might ~be bred from it, but I believe that nothing was 

 obtained. I saw no holes that gave the impression of belonging 

 to these Voles, and do not think they are common. 



Common Hares (Lepus europceus) are not abundant. It is 

 said that they were originally introduced. This is the only Hare 

 in Islay. 



Rabbits (L. cuniculus) are exceedingly abundant both in the 

 woods and on the sand-hills round the coast. Enormous num- 

 bers are killed annually. Black varieties are common. 



