A HISTORY OF HEREFORDSHIRE tained three tiny mice, blind, hairless, and of a dull blue colour ; one was still alive and uninjured. On inquiry it was found that the village boys were ac- quainted with the nest of the harvest mouse ; but a reward offered for a nest in situ was not claimed. The same lady records the finding of a nest in the neigh- bouring county of Gloucester, on the path leading to Symonds' Yat. In this nest two or three common fowls' feathers and a dead leaf or two were woven in among the grass, but not as lining. Mr. John Riley, of Putley Court, near Ledbury, describes the harvest mouse in Herefordshire as occurring rarely. 27. Water Vole. Mkrotus amphibius, Linn. Bell. — Arv'uola amphibius. Common in all the rivers and larger brooks. 'A very harmless vegetable-feeding animal, but sometimes does harm by eating through and destroying the roots of shrubs. At Mathon I had some good Portugal laurels destroyed in this way. It seemed to have been done in one night, for the tree fell over before its leaves had time to wither. The water vole is very much afraid of the ordinary brown rat.' — (R. A. Swayne.) 28. Common Field Vole. Microtus agrestis, Linn. Bell. — Arvicola agrestis. Mr. Lingwood, writing in 1 840, records this species as very numerous. In his later paper, dated i860, he mentions that this species was exceedingly numerous in the summer of 1839, more than 200 being caught in making hay on 25 acres. At Ledbury at the pre- sent date they are a plague at times. They destroyed several newly-planted oak trees in the summer of 1 906, eating the bark at the ground line. Mrs. Ley records the occurrence of this little creature, recognized by its short tail, at Beechwood, in the garden of her father, Mr. Thomas Gee. 29. Bank Vole. Evolomys glareolus, Schi&htr. Bell. — Arvicola glareolus. I have not received any recent records of this, but doubtless it occurs. Mr. Lingwood says (1840) under the heading ' Bank Campagnol,' ' I am unable to insert this species for certainty, as only one specimen has come under my observation, and that in a damaged state.' In his later paper, dated i860, he says, 'Two speci- mens only have come into my hands.' 30. Hare. Lepus europaeus, Pallas. Bell — Lepus timidus. Much more rare than formerly. It is now con- fined to a few of the larger estates. — (J. B. Pilley). Near the Rivers Wye and Lugg they shift their quarters in very wet seasons from the low-lying land to the adjacent hills. I have seen instances of their swimming powers when pressed by the pursuit of dogs (R. A. Swayne). The Rev. S. Cornish Watkins writes : ' Hares used to be very numerous within living memory at Staunton on Arrow, but have now been completely killed down and are practically extinct there, and at Kentchurch.' 3 1 . Rabbit. Lepus cunicuks, Linn. Great complaints were formerly made of the damage done by rabbits, and there is a common saying that ' four rabbits eat as much as one sheep.' But since the passing of the Ground Game Act the rabbit has become far more numerous, and it is said that farmers who used to complain of the damage done by rabbits to their crops now find it worth their while to breed them. Mr. Pilley says it appears to be more common than formerly, and Mr. Swayne expresses a similar opinion. Variations in colour are of frequent occurrence. Mr. Swayne thinks that these, which are often seen, are due to the accidental escape or the intentional turning out of tame rabbits, especially the ' silver grey,' which produce black when crossed with the wild ; he has frequently seen a white one with black ears. Last year he got a fawn-coloured one. It is interesting to compare Mr. Lingwood's record in 1840. 'A black variety is not uncommon, and occasionally a yellow variety is seen,' i.e. fawn. These variations seem to be local in occurrence, and whatever their origin would repay further study. 156
