26 NATURAL HISTORY OP SELBORNE. 
cJiiius : Mr. Derliam supposes, in Ray's PMlos. Letters, that he 
has discovered three. In these there is again an instance of 
some very common birds that have as yet no Enghsh name.* 
Mr. Stillingfleet makes a question whether the black-cap (mo- 
tacilla atricapillaj 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 at that time, and to hear his piping and humming 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 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 
V.'atcr Canipagruol. Jumper IMouso 
* These three species, the sibiloiis pettichaps (Sijlvia sihilaw;) the warhling pcttychaps (S. me 
odia), and the chiiichafF-pettychaps (S- loquax), a.l 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 aatricnpilliij ^ the spe- 
cies to which Mr. M hite 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 tills bird is far too musical to escape the observation of an}' naturalist. In confine 
ment, they mostly recommence singing about Februarj', or even earlier.— -Ed 
1 There is but one species in Britain which is known by the name of " water-rat," that which 
is here mentioned b}' 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 int« the raised banks of 
canals, for whicli, together with the different water shrews, it is held, in Holland, in the utmost 
execration. Vr hether this is the same with the Arvicola 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 invariablj' smaller. It is subject to vary somewhat in colour, some 
individuals being almost black ; but specimens may be obtained of everj' intermediate shade. For 
an account of its hybernaculam, see Letter XXVUl. 1 here are also two small species of Ai-vicolai 
common enough iu the south of England, which are generally confounded imder the name oi 
short-tailed field-mouse the larger of wliich {A. agrestis) may be readily distinguished from 
the »»aaller (J. riparia), by the latter having a more mouse-like appearance, with larger ears 
and a ionger tail, and fur of a more rufous colour. It is also less abundant than the other. 
