49° 



MURID^— ARVICOLA 



normal, except that, perhaps owing to danger from floods, it 

 may carry its young about more than other animals, having been 

 frequently noticed to transport the whole of its family in turn. 

 The parent dives or swims with a young one in its mouth, 

 holding it, according to Mr C. E. Pain,^ who saw the removal 

 of five half-grown youngsters, under the throat near the fore legs. 

 The leaf of a water-lily often forms a temporary receptacle. 



Fig. 8 1. — Horizontal Section of Refqge of Water Rat, with two chambers, each large 

 enough to hold one individual. (Diagrammatic, from a sketch by L. E, Adams.) 



liiili!MlMiiteilM^^ 



Fig. 82. — Refuge of Water Rat in a steep bank (width of refuge, 7 feet), the entrance 

 just above normal water-level ; more complicated than in Fig. 81. (Diagrammatic, from a 

 sketch by L. E. Adams.) 



Taylor {Mammals of the 1909 Nevada Expedition, Univ. California Pub. in Zool., 

 24th June 191 1, 221) finds difficulty of approach bearing a direct ratio to the size 

 of the species to be observed, and Elliott Coues had already come to the same 

 conclusion {Key to N. Amer. Birds, ed. v., 15, 1903). ' Field, 6th June 1903, 950. 



