26 



NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 



chilus : Mr. Derham supposes, in Ray's Philos. Letters, that he 

 has discovered three, In these there is again an instance of 

 some very common birds that have as yet no English name.* 



Mr. Stillingfleet makes a question whether the black-cap (mo- 

 tacilla atricapilla} be a bird of passage or not : I think there is 

 no doubt of it ; for, in April, in the first fine weather, they come 

 trooping, all at once, into these parts, but are never seen in the 

 winter.f They are delicate songsters. 



Numbers of snipes breed every summer in some moory ground 

 on the verge of this parish. It is very amusing to see the cock 

 bird on wing at that time, and to hear his piping and humming notes. 



I have had no opportunity yet of procuring any of those mice 

 which I mentioned to you in town. The person that brought me 

 the last says they are plenty in harvest, at which time I will take 

 care to get more ; and will endeavour to put the matter out of 

 doubt, whether it be a nondescript species or not. 



I suspect much there may be two species of water-rats. J Ray 



Water Campagnol. 



Jumper Mouse. 



* These three species, the sibilous pettichaps (Sylvia sibilans) the warbling pettychaps (.S. me- 

 odin), and the chiffchaff-pettychaps (S. Zoguoo-), all of which are common in the south of Eng- 

 and, are now thoroughly established and universally acknowledged to be distinct. ED. 



t There is a single instance upon record of the black-cap fauvet (Ficedul aatricapilla) the spe- 

 cies to which Mr. White here refers, having been shot in Kent, in January. The circumstance, 

 however, of one remaining in this country throughout the winter must be of excessively rare oc- 

 currence, as this bird is far too musical to escape the observation of any naturalist. In confine 

 ment, they mostly recommence singing about February, or even earlier. ED. 



t There is but one species in Britain which is known by the name'of " water-rat," that which 

 is here mentioned by White, and which is extremely common about ditches, and ponds that are 

 fringed and covered with aquatic herbage, upon which it feeds. It is in general a most harmless 

 creature, but has been known to do considerable damage by burrowing into the raised banks of 

 canals, for which, together with the different water shrews, it is held, in Holland, in the utmost 

 execration. Whether this is the same with the Arvicola vulgaris of Cuvier, as has always been 

 considered, I am not altogether satisfied ; as that species is said to be a little larger than our 

 common rat, whereas ours is invariably smaller. It is subject to vary somewhat in colour, some 

 individuals being almost black ; but specimens may be obtained of every intermediate shade. For 

 an account of its hybernaculam, see Letter XXVIII. There are also two small species of Arvicola, 

 common enough in the south of England, which are generally confounded under the name of 

 " short-tailed field-mouse ;" the larger of which (A. agrestts) may be readily distinguished from 

 the smaller (A- riparta)> by the latter having a more mouse-like appearance, with larger ears 

 and a longer tail, and fur of a more rufous colour. It is also less abundant than the other. 



