Class I. WATER RAT. 



and fometimes on roots: it has a fifhy tade; and 

 > in fome countries is eaten; M. de Buffon inform- 

 ing us that the peafants in France eat it on maigre 

 days. 



^ It fwims and dives admirably well, and con- 

 tinues long under water, though the toes are divid- 

 ed like thofe of the common rat ; not connedled 

 by membranes, as Mr. Ray imagined; and as Z/;/- 

 n^eus, and other writers, relate after him. 



The male weighs about nine ounces; the 

 length feven inches from the end of the nofe to 

 the tail ; the tail five inches : on each foot are ?iVQ 

 toes, the inner toe of the fore-foot is very fmall; the 

 fir<l joint of the latter is very flexible, which muft 

 afTift it greatly in fwimming, and forming its retreat. 

 The head is large, the ears fmall, and fcarce appear 

 through the hair : the nofe blunt, and the eyes lit- 

 tle : the teeth large, ftrong, and yellow : the head 

 and body are covered with thick and pretty long 

 hairs, chiefly black ; but mixed with fome of a red- 

 difh hue : the belly is of an iron-grey : the tail is 

 covered with fliort black hairs, the tip of it with 

 white hairs. . 



A female that we opened had fix young one^^ 

 in it. 



119 



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