CHAPTER SEVEN OWLS ^ RATS 



animal out as it hangs up, till nothing but the skin is left. 

 In the fields, to which the rats betake themselves in the 

 summer time, not only corn, but game, and eggs of all 

 kinds, fall to their share. Mr Waterton says that no house 

 in England has more suffered from the Hanoverian rats 

 than his own; I don't doubt it — in every sense. 



The poor water-rat is a comparatively harmless animal, 

 feeding principally upon herbage, not refusing, however, 

 fish, or even toads, when they come in its way.* The succul- 

 ent grasses that grow by the sides of ditches, seem to form 

 its chief food during the summer season. Early in the 

 spring, before these grasses are well grown, the water-rat 

 preys much on toads. I have found little piles of the feet, 

 and remains of several of these animals, near the edge 

 of water frequented by these rats, which they seem to 

 have collected together in certain places, and left there. 

 I have known the water-rat do great damage to artificial 

 dams and the heads of ponds, by undermining them, and 

 boring holes in every direction through them, below the 

 water-mark, as well as above it. The water-rat has pecul- 

 iarly sensitive organs of scent, and it is therefore almost 

 impossible to trap him, as he is sure to discover the taint 

 of the human hand. Cunning as the house-rat is, this kind 

 is much more so. Though the former may be in a measure 

 kept down by constant trapping, it is a troublesome 

 method, and there are sure to be some cunning old patri- 

 archs who will not enter any kind of trap. I believe that 

 the best kind of trap in a house is the common gin, laid 



* This pretty animal does not deserve the indignity of being called ' ' water-rat. " It is 

 not a rat, but a water-vole {Arvicola amphibius). — Ed. 



103 



