WATER RAT. 
jestic a bird, tliat it would ^race our fauna mucli.* I never was 
informed before where wild-geese are known to breed.f 
You admit, I find, that I have proved jour fen-salicaria to be 
:he lesser reed-sparrow of Ray : and I think you may be secure 
that I am right ; for I took very particular pains to clear up that 
matter, and had some fair specimens ; but, as they were not well 
preserved, they are decayed already. You will, no doubt, insert 
it in its proper place in your next edition. Your additional plates 
will much improve your work. 
De BuffOn, I know, has described the water shrew-mouse : but 
still I am pleased to find you have discovered it in Lincolnshire, 
for the reason I have given in the article of the white hare. J 
As a neighbour was lately plowing in a dry chalky field, far 
removed from any water, he turned out a water-rat, that was 
curiously laid up in an hyhernaculum. artificially formed of grass 
and leaves. At one end of the burrow lay above a gal] on of 
potatoes regularly stowed, on which it was to have supported 
itself for the winter. But the difficulty with me is how this 
amphibius mm came to fix its winter station at such a distance 
from the water. Was it determined in its choice of that place 
by the mere accident of finding the potatoes which were planted 
* This fine species, the European howler, or eagle-owl {otus-hubo Europoeus) ■> been occa- 
sianally met with in England, and once so far southward as in Sussex. Four specimens were 
noticed not long ago on the northern coast of Ireland. — Ed. 
t Of three species of wild goose closely allied to the domestic breed, which regularly winter in 
this country, two onl}-, the fen-goose (anser palustris) , and bean goose (J. segetum), are known to 
breed within the four seas, the other {A- albifrous) retiring in summer to high latitudes. The fen- 
goose used formerly to resort in considerable numbers for this purpose to the marshes of Lincoln- 
shire, but of late years, owing to the gradual draining of tlieir haunts, to increased population, 
and the improved system of cultivation which now prevails, they have been completely driven 
from the locality, though a few still continue through the year in the fenny districts of the north- 
west of Scotland. This species is usually considered to be the parent stock of our domestic race. 
Mr. Selbj' observes, "no disinclination to breed with each other is evinced between them, and the 
offspring of wild and domesticated birds are as prolific as their mutual parents.'^ This does not, 
however, appear to have been written from direct personal observation, and there is much reason 
to entertain a different opinion. Mr. Jenyns well remarks that the circumstance of the domestic 
goose being derived from the A- 'palustris is " highly improbable, from the well-known fact that 
the common gander after attaining a certain age is invariably white." Montagu also observes 
that " a specimen of the A. palustris, which was shot on the wing by a farmer in Wiltshire, and 
kept alive many 3'ears, would never associate with the tame geese. In fact the origin of these last 
is unknown." To this may be added that the fen-goose is never known to descend to the call of 
the domestic bird, as is the case with the common wild duck, and with the Canada goose, as re- 
marked by Wilson. The snow-goose {A. Jiyperhoreus) of the last mentioned author seems allied 
to it, though evidently distinct; this species becomes white, excepting the quill feathers, when 
three years old. — Er>. 
t The water-shrew {sorex fodiens) is far from being rare in many parts of the country; I find 
them plentiful enough in SurreJ^ There is also another British aquatic speoies, the oared-shrew 
(.S. remifer), easily known by the dark colour of its under parts, which in the others are pale o/ 
whitish. Both species appear gra}' when under water, from being then every where thickly 
studded with minute air bubbles. — Ed. 
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