APPENDIX. MAMMALS. 393 



black rat is seldom seen now. Pure white varieties have been 

 found. 



Mus DECTJMANUS [Norwegian Rat or Rottin}. 



Very plentiful, and bids fair, erelong, to extirpate his weaker 

 relative, the Black Eat. See p. 113. 



AHVICOLA AMPHIBIA [ Water Rat}. 



To be found on the banks of all our streams. It is sometimes 

 turned up with the plough, at a considerable distance from the 

 water. It is a curious circumstance that the water rats of 

 England are mostly of a light brown colour, whilst those of 

 Scotland are usually jet black. 



ARVICOLA AGRESTIS [Short-tailed Field Mouse}. 

 Plentiful, and very destructive to young trees. 



ARVICOLA' PRATENSIS [Meadow Mouse}. 



Like the last in appearance and habits. It is recognisable by its 

 much longer tail. 



SOEEX AEANEUS [Common Shrew}. 

 Plentiful. 



SOREX FODIENS [ Water Shrew}. 



Found along burnsides, and occasionally in ditches. 



SOREX REMIFER [Black Water Shrew}. 



Not so frequently found as the last. The water shrew is very 

 difficult to be taken. I never could manage to trap any of 

 them. They baffled all my ingenuity. My only resource was 

 the gun, and even with it I have often had enough to do. I 

 have sat for from six to seven hours without moving, watching 

 for an opportunity of shooting the water shrew, and been 

 doomed to disappointment at last. 



LEPTJS TIMIDUS [Common Hare or Maukins}. 



Very plentiful in the low grounds. See pp. 106, 274. 



LEPUS VARIABILIS [Blue or Alpine Hare}. 



This species is only to be met with in the hills and mountains, 

 except when driven down by stress of weather. In very severe 

 winters they occasionally descend in great numbers to the 

 lower part of the county, at which time they are of a pure 

 white. 



LEPTJS CUNICTJLTJS [RaVbit}.\ 



Very plentiful, in every conceivable spot, from the rocky shore, 

 the sandbank, the quarry hole, the stony cairn, the old dyke, 

 the garden, the orchard, and the open field, to the thickest 

 woods. White, black, cream coloured, stripped, and pied 

 varieties, occur. See pp. 106, 275. 



CERVTJS ELAPHUS [Stag, Red or Highland Deer}. 



This, perhaps the fleetest, as he is the noblest of our wild ani- 

 mals, still holds his place in the county, though not now so 

 numerous as he used to be. 



