really the first to apply this name, with a ny . certainty, to our Bank Vole,
so that in any case it is antedated by the H . hej'cynicus of Mehlis. Yarrell s
name rip ariu s was the first which was actually applied to our British form, but
this, again, is antedated by Ord’s name for the Meadow Mouse of the United
States, Microtus pennsylvanicus.
As Mr. Miller considers his work only as a ‘ Preliminary Revision,’ I shall,
though agreeing with his conclusions, retain the name given by Schreber, and
recognised in 1898 by Mr. Oldfield Thomas, until the matter is fought out to a
finish. I have therefore added Mehlis’ specific and Miller’s sub-specific name in
brackets only.
Characters.—This species1
and general habits. In size it
about the head Or so short in 1
the fur. The body, too, is more
this species vary greatly in cok
slight reddish tinge; the who!
upper pelage is reddish chest mil
both seasons are a sandy yellow
fawn-coloured, or may be silver
upper surface of tail dark brow
portions of the hairs are dull §
is a tendency to grey on the ba
in winter they are grey brown ab
as a rule, than those from furth
The teeth of this spesies a
and Microtus, so that I need
distinguished by the fact that
rounded, and that their roots ai
these spaces form sharp pristne
In immature Bank Voles the
Nine adults were obtaine
he most mousedike of our Voles, both in form
semblés the Field Voie, but it is not so blunt
the tail ; the ears are longer and stand up above
: elongated. The summer and the winter pelage of
our. In winter the upper parts are brown, with a
le interspersed with black hairs. In summer the
t, with very fine black hairs. The under parts at
ish-white : sometimes they are white, and sometimes
ry grey. Lips pink. Upper surface of feet white,
to; white on the lower surface. All the hidden
grey. In many examples captured in winter there
ick and flanks, and this is more noticeable in high
: at all times much less rufous than English ones ;
>ove and greyish white below. They are also larger,
ire fully described in the introduction to Evototnys
only |X)int out that the Bank Vole may be easily
the angles of the cemental spaces of the molars are
; ' forked,’ whilst in the Field Vole the enamel walls of
ic angles, and the teeth themselves have simple roots,
xrts of the molars are simple, as in M. agrestis.
by Mr. Rope in Suffolk, near Blaxhall ; the average
dimensions were : Head and body, 3 in. 8 lines ; tail, 1 in. 9 lines. One example, a
female, measured as much as 4 in. in head and body, the tail being 1 in. 9 lines.
1 In natural histories this species is sometimes placed after the Field Vole, but I think it should come first amongst the
list of Voles, as it seems to form a connecting link with the mice.
THE BANK YOLE.
Evotomys Glareolus.