OF THE WATER RAT.
SEeing there are two kinds of Rats, one of the earth called Rattus ter∣restris, and the other of the water called Rattus Fluuiatilis, of which we are now to entreat, being also called of the Latins Mus aquaticus by the Germans Twassermaus, and Wafferrat, by the Italians Sorgo∣mogange, [ 20] by the French Rat d, eau. This beast hunteth fishes in the winter, and haue certaine caues in the water sides, and bankes of the riuers or ponds: For which occasion it being seene in the waters, de∣ceiueth their expectation which looke for the returne of it to the land. And this beast hath beene forgotten by the ancients, for they haue left of it no dis∣cription nor story, because it liueth partly in the water, and partly on the land, and ther∣fore he said true that spake of the habitation and place of aboade of this beast, in this sort, Ego non in fluuijs, nec alijs aquis magnis, sed paruis tantum riuis at{que} herbosis omnium ••ipis, hoc animal frequentissimum versari audio. That is to say, That this beast doth not keepe in great waters or riuers, but in small and little currents and pondes, where aboundance of grasse and other weedes doe grow on the sides and bankes; Pliny attributeth that to the [ 30] warer-rat, which is proper to the Tortise, for indeed there is some similitude of natures be∣twixt these beasts, with this exception, that the females in this kind haue three visible pas∣sages for their excrements, one for their vrine, another for the dung, and the third for the young ones, that is a peculiare place for the littering of their young ones, and this water-rat ouer and beside her common nature with other Rats, doth swim ouer riuers, and feed vpon herbs, and if at any time she be hunted from her natiue biding & accustomed lodg∣ing, then also she goeth among vulgar & common Rats and mice, and feedeth vpon such as they eate: and (Bellonius saith) that there are great store of these in Nilus and Strym••n, and that in calme nights when there are no winds, they walke to the shores, & get vp vp∣on [ 40] the bankes, eating and gnawing such plants as grow neare the waters, and if they heare any noise, they suddenly leape into the Waters againe. He expresseth also the figure of this Rat, which we haue omitted because it resembleth in all partes the common Rat, ex∣cepting the snout or beake which is rounder & blunter. Among some of the ancients also, there is mention made of this beast, and no more. Therfore Aristotle saith in the Arcadian Lusae, which is a city so called, (as Stephanus writeth,) where Malampus did wash the daugh∣ters of Proetus, and deliuered them from their madnesse. There is a certaine fountaine wherein do liue Rats of the earth, (they should say Rats of the water) for hereunto agree both Pliny and Theophrastus. Likewise in a riuer of Cassinus; the auncient wise-men, which were followers of Zoroastres, made great account of the Hedghog, but hated deadly the [ 50] water-rats, and said, that he that could kil most of them, was most deare and acceptable to God. And furthermore they said, that dogs, hens, and hedghogs, did proceed, and were attended from and by good angels, and water-rats by euill. And thus much shal suffice for the discourse of the Rat. The story which ensueth is of strange and lesse knowne Mice, and therefore I wil disttibure them after an alphabiticall order; according to their seueral names.