WATER-RATS A FALCO. 41 



black-cap (motacilla atricapilld) be a bird of passage 

 or not. I think there is no doubt of it ; for, in 

 April, in the first fine weather, they come trooping 

 all at once in these parts, but are never seen in the 

 winter. They are delicate songsters. 



Numbers of snipes breed every summer in some 

 moory ground on the verge of this parish. It is very 

 amusing to see the cock bird on wing at that time, 

 and to hear his piping and humming notes. 



I have had no opportunity yet of procuring any of 

 those mice which I mentioned to you in town. The 

 person that brought me the last says they are plenty 

 in harvest, at which time I will take care to get 

 more ; and will endeavour to put the matter out of 

 doubt, whether it be a nondescript species or not. 



I suspect much there may be two species of water- 

 rats. Ray says, and Linnaeus after him, that the 

 water-rat is web-footed behind. Now, I have dis- 

 covered a rat on the banks of our little stream that 

 is not web -footed, and yet is an excellent swimmer 

 and diver : it answers exactly to the mus amphibius 

 of Linnaeus, (see Syst. Nat.) which, he says, " natat 

 infossh et urinatur" " swims and dives in the water." 

 I should be glad to procure one " plantis palmatis," 

 " with webbed feet." Linnaeus seems to be in a puzzle 

 about his mus amphibius, " amphibious mouse," and 

 to doubt whether it differs from his mus terrestris, 

 " land mouse," which, if it be, as he allows, the 

 " mus agrestis capite grandi brachyuros," " short-tailed, 

 large-headed field mouse," of Ray, is widely differ- 

 ent from the water-rat, both in size, make, and man- 

 ner of life. 



As to the falco, which I mentioned in town, I 

 shall take the liberty to send it down to you into 

 Wales ; presuming on your candour, that you will 

 excuse me if it should appear as familiar to you as 

 it is strange to me. Though mutilated, " qualem 



