146 



WATER RAT. 



Class I. 



Manners. 



Descrip- 

 tion. 



thickness of the fur, and the places it haunts, 

 vindicate in some degree the opinion he at 

 that time entertained, but the form of the 

 tail is so different from that of the beaver, as to 

 oblige him to restore the water rat to the class 

 in which he found it, in the system of our illus- 

 trious countryman Ray. 



The water-rat never frequents houses, but is 

 always found on the banks of rivers, ditches and 

 ponds, where it burrows and breeds. It feeds 

 on small fish, or the fry of greater, on frogs, in- 

 sects, and sometimes on roots ; it has a fishy 

 taste, and in some countries is eaten; M. de 

 Buffon informing us that the peasants in France 

 eat it on maigre days. 



It swims and dives admirably well, and con- 

 tinues long under water, though the toes are 

 divided like those of the common rat ; not con- 

 nected by membranes, as Mr. Ray imagined, 

 and as Lbmanis, and other writers, relate after 

 him. 



The male weighs about nine ounces; the 

 length is seven inches from the end of the nose 

 to the tail ; the tail five inches : on each foot are 

 five toes, the inner toe of the fore-foot is very 

 small ; the first joint of the latter is very flexi- 

 ble, which must assist it greatly in swimming, 

 and forming its retreat. The head is large, the 



