48 The Natural History of Selborne 



his tnus amphibius, and to doubt whether it differs from his 

 mus terrestris; which if it be, as he allows, the " tnus agrestis 

 capite grandi brachyuros" of Ray, is widely different from the 

 water-rat, both in size, make, and manner of life. 1 



As to the fatco, 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 

 " quotient dices . . . antehac fuisse, tales cum sint reliquice !" 



It haunted a marshy piece of ground in quest of wild- 

 ducks and snipes ; but, when it was shot, had just knocked 

 down a rook, which it was tearing in pieces. I cannot make 

 it answer to any of our English hawks ; neither could I find 

 any like it at the curious exhibition of stuffed birds in Spring 

 Gardens. I found it nailed up at the end of a barn, which 

 is the countryman's museum. 



The parish I live in is a very abrupt, uneven country, full 

 of hills and woods, and therefore full of birds. 



1 We have only one so-called water-rat in Britain, better described as 

 the water-vole, Awicola amphibius ; it is not web-footed. ED. 



