26 NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 
chilus : Mr. Derham supposes, in Ray's Philos. Letters, that he 
has discovered three. In these there is again an instance of 
some very common birds that have as yet no EngUsh name.* 
Mr. Stillingfleet makes a question whether the black-cap fmo- 
tacilla atricapillcc) be a bird of passage or not : I think there is 
no doubt of it ; for, in April, in the first fine weather, they come 
trooping, all at once, into these parts, but are never seen in the 
winter. t They are delicate songsters. 
Numbers of snipes breed every summer in some moory ground 
on the verge of this parish. It is very amusing to see the cock 
bird on wing atthat time, and to hear his piping and hummingnotes. 
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 plenty in harvest, at which time I will take 
care to get more ; and will endeavour to put the matter out of 
doubt, whether it be a nondescript species or not. 
I suspect much there may be two species of water-rats. J Ray 
Water Campagnol. Jumper Mouse. 
* These three species, the sibilous pettichaps {Sylvia sibilans) the warbling pettychaps (S- me- 
odia)i and the chifFchafF-petty chaps {S- loquax), all of which are common in the south of Eng- 
and, are now thoroughly established and universally acknowledged to be distinct. — Ed. 
t There is a single instance upon record of the black-cap fauvet {Ficedul aatricapilla) , the spe- 
cies to which Mr. White here refers, having been shot in Kent, in January. The circumstance, 
however, of one remaining in this country throughout the winter must be of excessively rare oc- 
currence, as this bird is far too musical to escape the observation of any naturalist. In confine 
ment, they mostly recommence singing about February, or even earlier. — Ed. 
% There is but one species in Britain which is known by the name of *' water-rat,^' that which 
is here mentioned by White, and which is extremely common about ditches, and ponds that are 
fringed and covered with aquatic herbage, upon which it feeds. It is in general a most harmless 
creature, but has been known to do considerable damage by burrowing into the raised banks of 
canals, for which, together with the different water shrews, it is held, in Holland, in the utmost 
execration. Whether this is the same with the ArvicoJa vulgaris of Cuvier, as has always been 
considered, 1 am not altogether satisfied ; as that species is said to be a little larger than our 
common rat, whereas ours is invariably smaller. It is subject to vary somewhat in colour, some 
individuals being almost black ; but specimens may be obtained of every intermediate shade. For 
an account of its hybernaculam, see Letter XXVUl. There are also two small species of Arvicola, 
common enough in the south of England, which are generally confounded under the name of 
*' short-tailed field-mouse the larger of which {A. agrestis) may be readily distinguis-hed from 
the smaller {A • riparia) i hy the latter having a more mouse-like appearance, with larger ears 
and. a longer tail, and fur of a more rufous colour. It is also less abundant than the other. 
