257 



WATER VOLE. 



Arvicola amphihius. 

 French : Eat d'eau, or Campagnol amphibie. 



The Water Vole, or Water Rat, as it is commonly 

 called, is a fur-bearing animal, although the skins are 

 not used for fur purposes. 



It is aquatic, and vegetarian in its diet, living on the 

 roots of plants, bark of trees, fallen apples and pears, 

 etc. It dives with great rapidity, and lives in holes in 

 the banks of rivers and ponds, in the same ^Yay that the 

 Beaver does in Europe. The Water Vole carries its 

 young in its mouth to a place of safety [The Field). It 

 is of a gre3dsh-brown colour, and the under fur is blue 

 like that of the Musk-rat. Black specimens are occa- 

 sionally found, and instances of white ones are from 

 time to time recorded in the Field, but they are not 

 common. 



The Water Vole inhabits England and France, and 

 is killed by the Weasel, and the common Black or 

 Norwegian Rat. 



The resemblance of this animal to the Musquash is 

 very striking, both in form and habits, and it may even 

 j)rove to be the same animal. It would be interesting 

 to be able to ascertain whether in ancient times the 

 Water Vole lived in mud dwelhngs like the Musk-rat. 

 Probably, like the European Beaver, the habit of 

 dwelling in holes in river-l)anks is an acquired one, and 

 was adopted in order to escape from the attacks of 

 hunters, who are able to destroy an earthen mound with 

 greater facility. 



