330 THE WATER-RAT OR WATER-VOLE. 



water as a place of sanctuary ; and it is solely 

 because it possessed this advantage of environment 

 not shared by many other rodents which were 

 infinitely more productive than itself that it lives 

 to-day, while they are gone. The fact of its sur- 

 vival alone, then, in the face of so many foes, 

 and with its limited powers of multiplication, is 

 sufficient proof of its intelligence. 



In a way that is more likely to come within the 

 notice of the casual observer, the intelligence of 

 this little animal is shown by its quickness in 

 recognising certain individuals. The solitary water- 

 vole already alluded to as living by the pond had 

 no fear whatever of anglers. It evidently recog- 

 nised them as peaceful individuals who did no harm 

 to any one but themselves, and it was no uncommon 

 thing for the animal to swim within a yard or so 

 of an angler fishing the pool. One Sunday, how- 

 ever, my brother and I went that way garbed in 

 the garments of respectability, and the water-vole, 

 with one fearful look at us, made a headlong plunge 

 for shelter, and thereafter remained concealed ! 



A man in charge of some trout-hatcheries told 

 me that the voles by his fish-ponds had become so 

 tame that they almost permitted him to handle 

 them, but if by any chance a stranger accompanied 

 him to the ponds, there was never a water-vole to 

 be seen ! 



FOOD. 



The water-vole is almost entirely a vegetarian, 

 and one can study its habits closely for some con- 

 siderable time without finding a single exception 

 to its vegetarian tastes. It lives chiefly on the 

 shoots of willows during the spring, sitting upright 

 and stripping off the bitter bark with its forepaws, 



