Defcrlption of the Mus Burfarius. 2 f^ 



were feeding on it, that he kept five cows and one horfe fa 

 entirely by this plant, and what the heath afforded, that they 

 had not confumed more than half a ton of hay throughout 

 the whole year ; none being ufed, except when the river is 

 frozen over. I examined the whole parcel, on which four 

 cows were feeding, in the beginning of March, and found the 

 whole confifted, exclufively, of the Ranuncidus fiuv'iatdis, 

 without any mixture of the Potamogeton, Carex, Sparganium, 

 or other aquatic plants. In fummer, however, it can fcarcely 

 be avoided but that there mull: be a mixture of fomc of thefe : 

 but other plants are not chofen. 



This account was confirmed to me by diflcrcnt perfons ; 

 by whom I was further informed, that hogs are alfo fed with 

 the fame plant, on which they improve fo well, that it is not 

 neceflary to allow them other fuftenance till it is proper to 

 put them up to fatten. 



This relation, while it (bows how carefully experiments 

 {hould be conduftcd before a decifive judgment on the powers 

 of any reputedly poifonous vegetable can be formed, may in- 

 duce fuch as were unacquainted with this fa6l to adopt the 

 life of this plant in fimilar fituations, fince it is one of the 

 moft frequent in many rivers of this kingdom. The applica- 

 tion of it to thefe ufeful purpofes will alfo anfwer a fecondary 

 good — of tending to clear the ftreams of what is otherwife 

 confidered as a noxious weed ; fince, by its abundance in 

 fummer, it is frequently feen to choke up the rivers more 

 than any other plant, and, from flight falls of rain, cgntri- 

 butes much to the overflowing of meadows in hay-time. 



V. Defcrlption of the Mus Burfarius, from a Draivtng com- 

 munlcated by Major-General Thomas Davles, F. R. S. ^ 

 h.S. Bj> George Shaw, M.D.F.R.S. F.P.L.S.^ 



X. HE Mus burfarius belongs to a particular divifion in 



the genus, containing fuch fpecies as are fiirnifhed with 



cheek-pouches for the temporary reception of their food. 



It feems not to have been yet defcribed, or at leaft not fo 



♦ from i\\c Tranfu^ions of (be Limeean Socitiy, Vol. V. 



diilinaijr 



