THE WATER VOLE, OR WATER RAT. 



Arvicola amphibius DESMAR. 

 PLATE XXVIII. Black variety. 



Fur pale reddish-brown, mixed with dark-brown hairs 

 above, pale yellowish-brown beneath ; tail about half the 

 length of the body and head, slightly compressed towards 

 the end. 



Mus amphibius. Linn. Syst. Nat. I. 82 ; Arvicola amphibius, 

 Desraar. Mammal. 280; Bell, Brit. Quadr. 321; Arvicola 

 amphibia, Jenyns, Brit. Vert. Anim. 33. 



THE generic name, Vole, applied to the Arvicolae 

 by Dr Fleming, seems to be preferable to Campag- 

 nol, because, although it has no meaning, it gives 

 no erroneous idea of these animals, whereas the 

 latter, besides being descriptively inaccurate, is 

 merely a French word awkwardly introduced, witlr 

 a pronunciation quite unenglish. The Voles are 

 distinguished from the Mice and Rats by their 

 larger body, broader head, and shorter tail, as well 

 as by their grinders^ which, although the same in 



