THE WATER RAT. 



Generic Characters. 

 Two cutting teeth in each jaw. 

 Four toes before, five behind. 

 Slender taper tail, naked, or very nightly haired. 



Synonims. 



Wasser-maus, Kramer Auftr, 3i6\ 



Le Rat d'Eau, Be Buffon, vii. 348. tab. xiii. 



Mus aquatilis, Gefner Quad. 732. Raii Syn. Quad. 217. Klein 

 Quad. 57. 



Water Rat, Pennant Hiji. Quad. vol. ii. p. 182. 

 Mus Amphibius, Linn. Syn. 82. 



THIS variety is rather fmaller than the Brown Rat: its nofe is thick; 

 its eyes fmall, and its ears hid in the fur: its teeth are large, ftrong, and 

 yellow. Its head and body are thickly covered with long hair, chiefly of a 

 dark brown colour mingled with red. Its belly is grey, and its tail black, 

 except the termination, which is white. The length of the body, from the 

 tip of the nofe to the infertion of the tail, is about feven inches; but that of 

 the tail is two inches lefs. 



This animal commonly frequents the fides of rivers, lakes, and other 

 pieces of water, where it burrows, and brings forth its young, generally, by 

 fix at a time. It feeds on infecls, frogs, fmall fifh, and fpawn ; but is 

 occafionally devoured itfelf by the pike, The idea which fome authors 

 have entertained of it as being web-footed, is erroneous ; yet it can dive and 

 fwim with remarkable facility. 



It is univerfally known as an inhabitant of Europe ; and is found in the 

 north of Afia and North America, 



