22 
MAMMALS OF LEICESTERSHIRE AND RUTLAND. 
exception of the back, which retained faint traces of original mouse-colour, 
caused by the tips of the hairs being of a dusky whity-brown. As the 
specimen was placed in spirits I was unable to judge if the eyes were pink 
or black, but they appeared to be of the latter colour — and indeed this has 
since been stated to be the case. Whether a cross between escaped albino 
Mice and the common Mouse, or merely an accidental variety, it is hard to 
say, but as the owners of the house do not appear to have ever kept “ White 
Mice,” the presumption is in favour of the latter supposition. 
HAKVEST-jMOUSE. Mus minutus (Pallas). 
Kare. — Harley appears to have been uncertain whether this species was 
found throughout the county, he having met with it in only one or two 
parishes in the southern division — as, for instance, at Cosby and Whetstone. 
He stated, however, “ It has also occurred in the eastern portion of the county — 
namely, in the parish of Wolstrup, on the estate of the Duke^ of Eutland.” 
iMr. Ingram, writing from Belvoir, does not mention it, but tlie late IMr. 
Widdowson wrote, on 6th February, 1885: — “A few — not many — have come 
into my hands.” Writing again on the 12th, he said: — “The last Harvest- 
jMouse I had was from Burton Lazars. Distributed thinly, I think, near 
here.” 
Fortunately, the record of the Harvest-iMouse does not rest at this, for 
iMr. Iv. Groves brought me a pretty little nest, built between three corn-stalks, 
found in a field about a mile from Billesdon, towai'd Uppingham, on 12th 
September, 1888. 
LONG-TAILED FIELD-MOUSE. J/its sylvaticus, Linnaeus. 
“ Wood-Mouse.” 
Eesideiit, and generally distributed. — Harley recorded that, in 1846, he 
examined the winter retreat of one of these mice near Bradgate Park, and was 
astonished at the quantity of stores which had been carried in, and which he 
computed at the fourth part of an imperial bushel. 1 received one from Belvoir 
on 4th July, 1885, and since then I found one dead on a small grass-plot at 
my house, .so near to the town as the Aylestone Koad, and another on 11th 
December, 1888. 
In Rutland as in Leicestershire. — I have found it at Exton Park. 
WATER-VOLE. Microtus amphihius (Linnaeus). 
Commonly, “ Water-Rat.” 
Resident, and generally distributed. — Harley remarked that “ this species is 
much preyed upon by the Weasel and Stoat. The Heron, moreover, attacks it, and 
preys on it occasionally.” He also observed that “ young Water-Rats, when fir.st 
