Pond Life 
for a change, in the same way as we go 
for the seaside. You. can easily tell 
them from the water-rats, or water-voles, 
as they ought to be called ; for these last 
have rounded blunt noses, instead of the 
long sharp nose of the rat, and short, 
flattish tails covered with short hair 
instead of a long, pointed bare tail, and 
their fur is very soft and furry instead of 
coarse and harsh. And their food is, 
I think, entirely vegetable, while the 
common rat will eat anything. The 
water-vole will make a nest like a bird’s 
nest in a clump of sedges sometimes, 
but I fancy he only does this when it is 
a long way from a bank of earth into 
which to burrow. For the only place 
I have-seen them us in the Norfolk 
Broads, where they may be found a long 
way from any bank. And until you 
#50 
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