once, into these parts, but are never seen in the win- 

 ter. They are delicate songsters. 



Numbers of snipes breed everv summer in some 



moorv ground 



on the verge of 

 this parish. It 

 is verv amusing 



to see the cock ' 



ming notes. 



I have had ^ 

 no opportunity yet of procuring any of those mice 

 which I mentioned to you in town. The person 

 that brought me the last says they are plentiful in 

 harvest, at which time I will take care to get more ; 

 and will endeavour to put it out of doubt whether 

 it be a nondescript species or not. 



I suspect much there may be two species of 

 water-rats. Rav savs, and Linn^us after him, that 

 the water-rat is web-footed behind. Xow I have dis- 

 covered a rat on the banks of our little stream that 

 is not web-footed, and yet is an excellent swimmer 

 and diver : it answers exactlv to the Mus ai)ip]iibius 

 of Linnaeus, which, he says, swims and dives in 

 ditches, natat in fossis et urinatur." I should be 

 glad to procure one with the feet feathering out 



bird on wing at 

 that time, and 

 to hear his pip- 

 ing and hum- 



39 



