A BROWN RAT AND A WATER-VOLE 61 



witnessed an encounter between a large brown 

 rat and a half-grown water-rat. 



The water had been allowed to run out of a 

 pond belonging to me, and I was watching its rise 

 as the pond was being refilled through the hatch in 

 the bank of the adjacent river. Whilst so doing, 

 I observed two rats scampering back to their 

 holes in the sides of the pond the one a large 

 brown rat, the other a half grown water-vole. 

 The latter repeatedly attacked the former, but 

 on each occasion some four or five times was 

 overpowered by the superior weight of his 

 antagonist and pushed into the water ; but, 

 nothing daunted, he renewed the attack. Even- 

 tually, on their seeing me, both disappeared 

 amidst the long grass and sedges surrounding 

 the pond. 



I have observed that when the water-voles come 

 out to feed by the river, especially when they are 

 to be seen crossing and recrossing the stream, 

 such times are unfavourable for catching fish. I 

 do not know if others have noticed this to be the 

 case, but I have found it to be so invariable that 

 I have, at times, reeled up my line and gone 

 home, believing it to be useless. It is not that 

 the trout are scared in any way because the 

 surface of the water may be constantly broken by 

 their movements, but they are not on the feed. 



The water-vole is a charming, interesting 

 animal, and one which I should be indeed sorry 

 to see exterminated. Were it not so frequently 



