THE ANGLERS SOUVENIR. 



207 



Next in order on our list, but with a very wide 

 gap between it and the otter, comes the water-rat 

 or water-vole ; and as it is such a small animal, we 

 will add to its importance by giving it its proper 

 Latin name of Arvicola amphibius. It is a little 

 creature, much prettier than the common rat ; and 

 with its brown soft fur, and round snout, and 

 black bsady eyes, it is not by any means an ugly 

 object. While walking by the water-side, one hears 

 a splash, and sees a train of bubbles dimpling the 

 surface, and one knows that it is either a water- 

 hen or a water-rat. If it be the latter, it will 

 corns to the surface in about a minute to breathe. 

 Every rambler by the water-side knows the differ- 

 once there is in the appearance of the water-vole 

 and the common rat, and he ought also to know 

 the great and important difference there is in their 

 habits. The common rat lives upon fish, flesh, or 

 fowl, when it can get them. The water-rat lives 

 entirely upon roots or sub-aquatic plants. They 

 often bear upon their shoulders the sins of their 

 more rapacious brethren, but there is no reason 

 why they should be destroyed, save in those places 

 where their habit of burrowing in the banks might 

 be productive of damage. 



In the "Journal of a Naturalist" there is an 

 interesting anecdote of this little animal. The 

 writer says : "A large stagnant piece of water in 

 an inland county, with which I was intimately 

 acquainted, and which I very frequently visited 



