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Racine Nov. 11. 1856

Dear Bob [sketch of a bug]

Your very welcome letter of the
seventh must be answered –

The Arvicola Austerus is abundant on
the low prairie lands in the vicinity of marshes
and ponds of water, in the fall they leave their
abodes and seek corn shocks - wheat and oat
stacks, and also hay stacks where they will doo
much damage – They bring fourth from 4 to 6 at
a litter – The young when partly grown are much
darkr than the adult – (nearly black) The males
do not associate with the females while the young yet
suck – Last season ^{late in Oct.} there came a continued
wet spell which overflowed the low meadows and marshes
and forced the Arvicolies to the higher grounds,
in some localities in consequence of this they became
excessively numerous – in one such a situation, no great
distance from Racine, they overran a ridge. - My attention
was directed to the fact by a large flock of Black
hawks (Archebuteo St Johanas) which continued in