Introductory. 5 



the water-vole (Arvic.ola amphibia) plunges in my fish- 

 pond, and honeycombs the banks of the self-same brook 

 that supplies it; while its congener of the land (A. 

 agrestis) breeds in myriads over the adjoining meadows, 

 hollowing out its nest just enough under the sward for 

 its hairless callow young to be clear of the dangerous 

 scythe- blade. Around the drier ditches the hedgehog 

 searches for snails, munching these Crustacea, despite 

 their silicious shield which is no protection against the 

 teeth of the urchin, who swallows armour and all. The 

 mole, " mooting " after earth worms, if not kept under 

 by continuous trapping, makes spoil of my pasture-land, 

 in places giving it the appearance of a ploughed field ; 

 while the squirrel, more agile, and less destructive, lends 

 animation to my groves and copses. Not so nice is the 

 near companionship of the rat, he erroneously supposed 

 to be a native of Norway, who ranges around my rick- 

 yard, occasionally seeking entrance into barn and corn-bin, 

 with a suspicion attached to him of not being content 

 with a menu purely vegetarian, but having also a tooth for 

 young chicks and ducklings. When I add to this list of 

 indigenous mammals the mouse, dormouse, and several 

 species of Sorex, the catalogue is pretty complete ; though 

 I have a soupqon of a wild cat, which seems to have shown 

 itself in the neighbourhood some months ago. I am in 

 search of this suspicious " Tom," and if I can " tree " 

 him will account it a triumph. 



The reptile world around me is represented by the 

 usual British genera and species : two snakes and a 

 doubtful third, the " slow-worm," sometimes called 

 "blind-worm" (Attguis fragilis), of which last I have 

 lately captured a specimen measuring eighteen inches in 

 length. Batrachians abound in the shape of toads, frogs, 



