PINE MOUSE. 
217 
COLOUR. 
The eyes are black ; nostrils aesh-colour ; incisors light yellowish ; 
moustaches nearly all white, with a few interspersed of a dark brown 
colour. Hair from the root plumbeous, tipped on the upper surface with 
glossy brown. These tips are so broad that they conceal the ashy-grey 
colours beneath ; cheeks chestnut-brown, upper surface of tail, blown, 
feet, light-brown, nails, whitish. The hairs on the under surface are 
shorter than those on the back, and instead of being broadly tipped with 
brown, like those on the back, are very slightly tipped with very pale 
brown and whitish, giving the chin, throat, neck and inner .surface of legs 
and whole under surface of body a pale ash colour. The line of demarc- 
ation between the colours of the back and under surface, is very distinct 
in most specimens, commencing on the edges of the mouth, running along 
the sides of the neck, thence along the shoulder, including the fore legs— 
along the sides, the two opposite lines meeting near the root of the tail. 
We have observed in this species a considerable difference in different 
specimens, both in size and eolour, having met some which were but 
little more than three inches long, whilst others were five. In some, the 
colours on the back were of a much deeper brown than in others, whilst 
in others, the brown markings on the cheeks M'ere altogether wanting. 
It should be observed that in this species, as well as in all our field mice, 
the colours are much lighter, and inclined to cinereous after the shedding 
of the hair in summer ; the colours gradually deepen and become brighter 
toward autumn and winter, and are most conspicuously dark brown in 
spring. 
DIMENSIONS. 
From point of nose to root of tail, - 
Tail, 
Another Specimen. 
Length of head and body. 
Tail, '■■■■■, 
Inches. 
Si 
4i 
3 
4 
HABITS. 
The manners of this species do not differ very widely from those exhibit- 
ed by many other field mice. They however, avoid low grounds, so much 
the resort of the meadow mice, and prefer higher and drier soils. 
This mouse is rather an inhabitant of cultivated fields than of woods, and 
is seldom found in the forest far removed from the vicinity of plantations, to 
which it resorts, not only to partake of the gleanings of the fields, but to lay 
its contributions on the products of the husbandman’s labours, claiming a 
share before the crops are gathered. In the Northern states, it is found 
VoL. II. — 28. 
