$Unique_ID{QAD00276}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{California Meadow Mouse     (California Vole)}
$Subject{California Meadow Mouse     (California Vole); Arvicola; Edax}
$Journal{Quadrupeds of North America:  Volume III}
$Volume{Vol. 3:270-271}
$Genus{Arvicola}
$Species{Edax}
$Common_Name{California Meadow Mouse}
$Log{
Plate CLIV--Right.*00275P1.scf,37050020.aud
Audio*37050020.aud
Genus*00064.txt}

               (C) (P) Library of Natural Sounds 1990-91, 1992,
                              All rights reserved.
       Portions copyright (c) Creative Multimedia Corp., 1990-91, 1992

                       A U D U B O N ' S   M A M M A L S

                    By John James Audubon, F. R. S., &c. &c.

                                      AND

                     The Rev. John Bachman, D. D., &c. &c.

                  -------------------------------------------
                                   VOL.  III.
                        --------------------------------


                           ARVICOLA EDAX.--LE CONTE.
                            [Microtus californicus]

                            CALIFORNIA MEADOW MOUSE.
                               [California Vole]

                              PLATE CLIV.--FIG. 2.


     A. Brevis et robustus, supra spadiceo et nigro permixtus.  Auribus extra
pilos extantibus.  Cauda mediocri, supra nigra, subtus cinerea.


                                  CHARACTERS.

     Body short and thick; above, brown mixed with black; ears not concealed by
the hair; tail moderate length, black above, beneath grey.


                                   SYNONYME.

     ARVICOLA EDAX.--Le Conte, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phil., Oct. 1853, p. 405.


                                  DESCRIPTION.

     Head short and blunt; ears round, not entirely concealed under the fur,
hairy within and without, antitragus large and semicircular; feet covered with
short, shining grey hair; thumb tubercle, with a short, very blunt nail; tail of
moderate length, hairy above.


                                    COLOUR.

     Hair plumbeous black above and on the sides, tipped with shining brown
mixed with black; beneath tipped with grey; feet grey; tail dusky above, grey
beneath, with a slight brownish tinge.


                                  DIMENSIONS.

                                                        Inches.

     Length (including the tail)  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  5.5
     Length of head.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  1.4
     Length of ears.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .   .5
     Length of fore leg  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  1.3
     Length of hind leg  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  1.5
     Length of tail.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  1.5


                                    HABITS.

     This new Arvicola from California has doubtless the habits of the genus to
which it belongs.  Our friend Major LE CONTE does not, however, say anything in
relation to its peculiarities, and as all our information of the existence even
of the animal is derived from that gentleman, we have nothing to say further.
We present our thanks to Major LE CONTE for the loan of the skin from which our
figure was made.


                           GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION.

     California is named as the habitat of this Meadow Mouse; but we are not
informed whether it is widely diffused there, or is confined to certain
localities.


                                GENERAL REMARKS.

     The description and dimensions of the California Meadow Mouse above given
are quoted with slight alterations from Major LE CONTE's paper cited above.