246 NATURAL HISTORY. 



one serves for a habitation for itself and its young 

 ones, and the other for a granary. I could never 

 find any other method of preventing their ravages, 

 than that of setting traps at every tenth pace through 

 the whole extent of each piece of new-sown land. 



THE WATER RAT. 



THE water rat is a little animal, about the size 

 of a common rat, but in its nature and habits it is 

 more like the otter than the rat. Like the otter, it 

 frequents the fresh waters, and is generally found on 

 the borders of rivers, rivulets, and ponds. Like that 

 creature too, it seldom feeds but upon fish, or the 

 spawn of fish, though sometimes it eats frogs, water 

 insects, and even roots and herbs. This animal is riot 

 web-footed ; but though every toe of its feet is sepa- 

 rated, it swims with ease, keeps itself a long time a- 

 bove water, and thence carries off its prey. 



The head of the water rat is shorter, the nose broad- 

 er, the hair more erect, and the tail much longer than 

 that of the land rat. Like the otter, it flies from 

 large rivers, or rather from those which are too much 

 frequented, and is never found either in houses or in 

 barns. It is probable that these animals bring forth 

 often in a year ; but of these we have no certain in- 

 formation. Their flesh is not absolutely bad ; and in 

 Catholic countries the peasants eat it during Lent, as 

 they do that of the otter. The species is to be found 

 throughout Europe, the extremities of the North ex~ 

 cepted. 



