LITTLE BEASTS OF FIELD AND WOOD 



meadows lead a somewhat different life from 

 those I have been describing, at least in the sum- 

 mer. Their holes are back in the high bank 

 at the edge of the woods, and are especially 

 numerous where the river creeps in close to the 

 upland ; but where it keeps its distance, they live 

 at the heads of the ditches that drain the meadows, 

 and at ebb-tide follow these down to the main 

 stream, where they hunt for shell-fish until the 

 returning tide drives them back. They also dig 

 temporary holes in the banks at considerable 

 distances from the upland, probably for use at 

 periods of low-running tides. They appear to 

 subsist almost entirely on shell-fish, at least I 

 have never caught them feeding on any of the 

 salt-water plants, and there is not much indication 

 about their burrows of their browsing, upon the 

 fresh water and upland vegetation. Where they 

 pass the winter, I am unable to determine. In 

 the section with which I am most familiar, and 

 which extends for a mile or more below fresh 



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