CHAPTER II.

Life-history of the water-rat--No science can stand alone--What is a
water-rat?--The voles of the land and water--Their remarkable teeth--The
rodents and their incisor teeth--The tooth and the chisel--The skate
"iron"--Chewing the cud--Teeth of the elephant--Feet of the
water-vole--A false accusation--Water-voles in gardens--Winter
stores--Cats and water-voles--Subterranean pioneering--Mental character
of the water-vole--Standing fire--Its mode of eating.


Plop!

A water-rat has taken alarm, and has leaped into the brook.

A common animal enough, but none the less worthy of notice because it is
common. Indeed, it is in many respects a very remarkable creature, and
we may think ourselves fortunate that we have the opportunity of
studying its habits and structure.

There is much more in the animal than meets the eye, and we cannot
examine its life-history without at the same time touching upon that of
several other creatures. No science stands alone, neither does any
animal, however insignificant it may appear to be; and we shall find
that before we have done with the water-rat, we shall have had something
to say of comparative anatomy, ornithology, ichthyology, entomology and
botany, beside treating of the connection which exists between man and
the lower animals, and the reciprocal influence of civilisation and
animal life.