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WATER RAT ENTERING THE WATER. 



HOW TO KNOW THE WILD ANIMALS 



By DOUGLAS ENGLISH, B.A., F.R.P.S. 

 Author of "Wee Tim'rous Beasties," "Beasties Courageous," etc. 



THE WATER RAT 



THE WATER VOLE 

 With Photographs by the Author 



IHA^''E already referred to the diffi- 

 culties in\-ol\-ed in a study of our 

 wild animals, and I have ascribed 

 these difficulties to their small size, their 

 nocturnal habits, and the concealment of 

 their breeding quarters. The Water Rat 

 is, in certain respects, exceptional. He is 

 large enough and common enough to 

 compel observation ; he is habitually 

 abroad while it is yet day : and he displays, 

 under favourable conditions, an engaging 

 confidence in man. 



Again, the power of making friends 

 with animals is not given to e\'eryone, 

 but it seems to rest on little more than 

 sympathy, and a realisation of the fact 



that the first overtures must come from 

 the animal. The animal has to over- 

 come an instinctive prejudice, the origin 

 of which must be attributed to human 

 cruelty, and the continuance of which is 

 unfortunately justified. I have sometimes 

 \-entured to hope that in the case of many 

 Water Rats who have allowed me to 

 approach them daily, and in the case 

 of one Water Rat in particular who learnt 

 to take food from my hand, I have made 

 some infinitesimal progress on the path 

 to a better understanding. 



It would be well, perhaps, at the outset 

 to invite the reader's attention to the 

 specific difference between the subject of 



416 



