130 Animal Life 
At one time it was considered a rarity, and 
When one was captured it was frequently 
recorded in the pages of the natural history 
papers and magazines, but in many places it 
is quite common, frequenting wooded banks 
and hill sides, and frequently coming into 
gardens. I have seen a specimen of this 
mouse, a female, measuring six and a half 
inches in length from tip of nose to tip of 
tail. They will eat almost anything. 
The Water Vole, often mistakenly called 
re oa the Water Rat, is common throughout the 
Photograph by T. A. Metcalfe, Pickering. land, frequenting the sides of rivers, streams, 
SEN VOLES lakes, and ponds, where they often do a 
great amount of damage by undermining the sides of the banks. They are almost 
entirely vegetable feeders, and I have known them very 
destructive to certain hes and ferns. I once saw a very 
pretty sight in connection with the water vole. <A stream 
had been dammed up for sheep washing, and as I was 
sitting on the bank some way below, watching the water 
rise, I suddenly saw an old water vole swimming across 
the stream with a young one in her mouth. She placed it 
high and dry in the midst of a large tussock of grass on 
the opposite bank, and then returned and brought another 
out of her flooded nest. This she did four times, till all 
were in safety. I have known them take apples across 
a stream into their holes, but this they generally do by 
pushing the apples before them. The water vole is often 
accused of taking fish ova and fry, and also young birds, 
but I have studied its habits for years and I hold all these 
accusations not proven. The common house rat is the 
real depredator. 
The old English Black Rat is, I consider, one of the S 
neatest of our smaller mammalia. It is such a thorough- eee ie ss cae ee 
bred looking animal compared to the ordinary rat. But I Ob ENGLISH RiGee 
very much doubt whether at the present moment there 
are a dozen genuine descendants of the old 
original race in the country. It is nearly 
always obtained nowadays in seaport towns, 
ships bringing the rats, which often get to 
shore and breed there, and when specimens 
are obtained inland they are often brought 
thither by barges and canal boats. I have 
kept them in confinement, but though they 
thrive well enough I never could get them 
really tame. Their colour, smaller build, 
longer ears, and much longer tail easily 
distinguish them from the common rat. 
Photograph by T. A. Metcalfe, Pickering. 
WATER VOLE. Grebo 
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