Vole
the Arvicola, a genus of rodents typical of the sub-family Arvicolinæ, which also includes the lemmings (Mylodes), the musk rats (Fiber), and several related genera. The genus Arvicola includes over 40 species distributed over Europe, Asia, and North America-all more or less like rats and mice. In Great Britain there are three-the water vole (A. amphibius), the field vole (A. agrestis), and the bank vole (A. glareolus). The water vole is about the same size as the brown rat, and rat it is often called. It has dark brown or black fur, a tail about half the length of the body, and very strong hind feet, with five rounded pads on their lower surfaces.
It burrows by the banks of streams and feeds for the most part on vegetable food. In summer the female has three or four litters of two to seven young.
The water vole does not occur in Ireland. The field vole or short-tailed "field mouse," is about the size of a common mouse, but the body is plumper and the tail shorter. It has brownish-gray fur; its hind feet have six pads. It lives in fields and woods, feeds on vegetable food, is very prolific, and often does damage. bank vole is like the much damage. The bank vole is like the field vole, but has a "more or less rusty or rufous-colored back, larger ears, and a longer tail." Its habits are like those of the field vole.