ARVICOLA.] MAMMALIA GLIRES. 33 



GEN. 17. ARVICOLA, Lactp. 



46. A. amphibia, Desm. (Water Campagnol.) Fur 

 above dusky gray tinged with yellow ; beneath paler : tail 

 more than half the length of the body. 



A. amphibia, Desm. Mammal, p. 280. A. aquatica, Flem. Brit. 

 An. p. 23. Water Rat, Penn. Brit. Zool. vol. i. p. 118. Shaw, 

 Gen. Zool. vol. n. p. 73. pi. 129. 



DIMENS. Length of the head and body eight inches four lines ; of the 

 head one inch ten lines; of the ears five lines and a half; of the tail four 

 inches nine lines. 



DESCRIPT. Head thick and blunt; eyes small; ears short, scarcely 

 projecting beyond the fur ; incisors of a deep yellow colour, very strong, 

 and measuring in the lower jaw half an inch in length : fore feet with 

 four toes and the rudiment of a thumb ; hind feet with five ; these last 

 connected for a little way at their base, but not regularly webbed : tail 

 more than half as long as the body, covered with short scattered hairs. 

 Fur very thick, grayish black above, or reddish brown with scattered 

 black hairs ; beneath iron gray. 



Var. /3. A. ater, Macgillivray in Warn. Mem. vol. vi. p. 429. Fur 

 of a deep black colour above and below. 



Frequents the banks of rivers and ditches, in which it burrows. Swims 

 and dives readily. Feeds principally on roots and tender plants. Pro- 

 duces in June from six to eight young. The black variety is not un- 

 common in the fens of Cambridgeshire : it diifers in no respect but that 

 of colour. 



47. A. agrestis, Flem. (Field Campagnol.) Fur 

 reddish brown above ; pale gray beneath : tail one-third 

 the length of the body. 



A. agrestis, Flem. Brit. An. p. 23. A. vulgaris, Desm. Mammal. 

 p. 282. Short-tailed Mouse, Penn. Brit. Zool. vol. i. p. 123. 

 Meadow Mouse, Shaw, Gen. Zool. vol. n. p. 81. pi. 136. 



DIMENS. Length of the head and body four inches one line ; of the 

 head one inch two lines ; of the ears five lines ; of the tail one inch three 

 lines and a half. Obs. These dimensions are rather larger than usual. 



DESCRIPT. Resembles the last species, but is much smaller. Head 

 large; muzzle blunt at the extremity; ears rounded, moderately pro- 

 jecting, relatively longer than in the A. amphibia ; incisors white : tail 

 not more than one-third the length of the body, sometimes less. Fur soft 

 and silky, reddish brown mixed with dusky on the upper parts, grayish 

 ash beneath. 



Common in meadows, preferring moist situations. Food seeds and 

 roots. Is very prolific; and in certain seasons multiplies to a great 

 extent. Nest constructed of dried grass. 



C 



