52 VERTEBRATES: MAMMALS. 



ble substances, animal as well as vegetable, and some 

 even attack living animals. 



The largest, except the Muskrat, is the Norway, 

 Brown, or Wharf Rat, originally from Asia, but now 

 exceedingly abundant in Europe and in this country. 

 The Black Rat, which was introduced into this coun- 

 try from Europe more than three hundred years ago, 

 is nearly as large as the Brown, and was formerly the 

 most common large rat in stores, houses, barns, and 

 other buildings, but is now rapidly disappearing before 

 its more powerful rival, the Brown Rat, which pursues 

 it, captures it, and even devours it. If the two kinds 

 be placed together in a cage, the brown rats are sure 

 to feast upon their darker companions. If one of their 

 own number gets wounded, instead of aiding him, 1 they 

 fall upon and devour him. The Roof Rat, of the 

 Southern States, originally from Egypt, where it lives 

 in the thatched roofs of the houses, the House Mouse, 

 originally from Asia, but now found in all countries, 



Fig. 93. White-footed Mouse. 



the Harvest Mice, the White-footed Mice, the Field Mice, 

 and the Jumping Mice, are other kinds which are found 

 in the United States, but which cannot be described 

 here for want of room. For further description, see 

 Tenney's Manual of Zoology. The Jumping Mouse, 

 however, is too interesting to be omitted. It is found 

 over a large part of North America, and is about three 

 inches long to the tail, which in some instances is even 



