2l6 
NATURE NOTES 
sion of the same humane, Christian principles in our new possessions which they 
represent here. . . . When the schoolmaster is abroad in Porto Rico and 
Cuba and Luzon he will speedily adopt American methods and become a teacher, 
not only of the elements of learning, but of the principles of liberty, of justice, 
and of mercy to the humblest of God’s creatures which are taught in every 
American school. . . . We sincerely trust that, in whatever new lands the 
American flag may wave, it will represent not only liberty and peace to all man- 
kind, but a larger measure of comfort and happiness to his dumb dependents 
than they have ever yet enjoyed under the rule of Spain.” 
Received. — Knowledge, The Irish Naturalist and Humanity for October. 
NATURAL HISTORY NOTES AND QUERIES. 
The Yellow-Necked Mouse (Mus Jlavicollis).— The point raised by your 
correspondent in this month’s number of Nature Notes is very interesting, as 
it deals with a British mammal which was overlooked for a long time, and which 
has only within the last few years been accorded its proper place. The yellow- 
necked mouse (Mus Jlavicollis ) was until 1894 disregarded by British naturalists, 
although several writers under Mus sylvaticus have mentioned that “a larger 
variety measuring four and a-half inches, exclusive of the tail, is sometimes found 
in woods.” Mr. W. E. de Winton says, “Field mice answering the description 
of Jlavicollis are abundant in some of our English counties. I think this animal 
should find a place in the list of British mammals, and for my part I quite agree 
with Melchior that it is a perfectly distinct species, since, apart from its size and 
colour, the characters of the skull sufficiently entitle it to that rank. In com- 
parison with M. sylvaticus, the general colour of the upper parts in M. Jlavicollis 
is brighter, especially along the sides and legs, and the under parts of almost 
pure white, excepting the gorget or breastplate of clear yellowish-brown (from 
which it takes its specific name). This band is about 8 mm. broad, passing across 
the chest, immediately in front of the fore legs, with a cross or longitudinal stripe 
in the centre extending forward about 5 mm., and back along the sternum about 
10 mm., where it is entirely lost, unlike the slight daub of colour so frequently 
found on the chest of M. sylvaticus , which varies from the smallest spot on 
the breast to a decided yellow-brown tinge extending over the whole belly. The 
bright fawn-coloured band across the chest distinguishes M . Jlavicollis at all ages 
and in all seasons. The habits of this mouse are similar to those of sylvaticus, 
commonly known as the long-tailed field mouse ; there may be slight dif- 
ferences, but they are not at present known. The distribution of M . Jlavicollis 
seems to be very local and the localities in which it occurs are widely separated. 
It was believed to be peculiar to Herefordshire, it being particularly abundant 
around Graftonsbury in that county, but it is to be found generally wherever M. 
sylvaticus is distributed. Some well-known writers on the subject give their 
decided opinion that M. Jlavicollis is nothing but a large variety of M. sylvaticus , 
but this point is not clear. The only mention of this mouse among British 
mammals in published editions of Natural History works will be found in 
“Allen’s Natural History” and F. G. Aflalo’s “Sketch of Natural History of 
the British Islands.” 
W. H. McCorquodale, F.L.S. 
Hedgehog. 1 have seen some letters in your magazine about hedgehogs, but 
I have never seen this reason mentioned why keepers kill them. They are crea- 
tures very fond of warmth, and so find the nests of pheasants and partridges just 
such a bed as they like. One keeper tells me that he has often found them curled 
up in the middle of a nest with the eggs. Pheasants and partridges do not care 
to continue sitting on nests containing so unfavourable a subject for hatching 
purposes, and so poor piggy has to pay the penally for his ingenious trick. 
Dougi.as Secret an. 
