1885.] The Habits of some Arvicoline. 115 
were found in one of the store-houses of a colony of these 
mice. 
These mice vary much in numbers in favorable localities in 
different years, but it is questionable whether this variation is 
from migration or irregular causes. In 1879 they were very 
common on Brown’s hill, many of them frequenting the remains 
of an old stone mound. No other species were commonly met 
with in this locality at the same time. This year no examples of 
S. cooperi have been taken on the top of this hill, but a single 
specimen was found at the base of the hill. Since Dr. Haymond 
took his specimen north of Brookville no other example has been 
found in this direction from town, although sought for at differ- 
ent times, 
Cooper’s mouse is the most active representative of its family 
in this locality, It is most frequently found by turning over 
stones and logs, beneath which it remains concealed, especially in 
winter. Upon removing their covering, as the light reaches 
them, they are off like a flash for their subterranean paths, leav- 
ing the collector to mourn for a valuable specimen, a glimpse of 
which he caught as it fled betore his hand could grasp the prize. 
Another interesting representative of this family is the pine 
mouse (Arvicola pinetorum LeC.). This species has generally 
been considered rare in this locality, but in a two hours’ hunt last 
February eleven specimens were taken by the writers. Several 
specimens have also been captured by a cat within a little more 
than a year. 
Dr. Coues aptly says in his Latin description, “forma quasi- ` 
talpoidea ;” the species strongly resembles the mole in form, espe- 
cially in the size of its fore feet and in the strength of the forward 
part of its body, and also in its habits, 
The runways of the pine mouse are nearly always under 
ground, sometimes an inch or more beneath the earth, the line of 
which may easily be traced by the upheaved earth. 
The locality where the pine mice, to which reference has just 
been made, were taken, has long been a favorite place for the 
mice-catchers of the local society of natural history to find Syz- 
aptomys cooperi. On this particular occasion but a single speci- 
men of this interesting species was taken, while almost a dozen 
examples of a species which had previously been regarded as rare 
were found in its accustomed haunts. 
