of the Brown, or Grey, Hat, 5 



well be disputed. A respectable farmer, by name John 

 Mathewman, now living in this neighbourhood, has informed 

 me that, as he was returning home one moonlight night, 

 about eleven o'clock, he suddenly came upon a large drove of 

 rats, near Sandal Three- houses. They were coming up a 

 lane which opened upon the high road ; and, as soon as they 

 discovered him, they gave mouth in a general squeal. Those 

 nearest to him rose on their hind legs ; and then the whole 

 body separated, and scampered off in all directions. Pro- 

 bably these adventurers were on the look out that night for 

 better quarters. 



Rats will occasionally attempt to feed on individuals of the 

 human species when they are asleep. In 1824, I went with 

 that excellent American naturalist, Mr. Titian Peale, down 

 the Delaware, to the neighbourhood of Salem, in order to 

 make researches in ornithology ; and we procured good 

 lodgings at a farmer's house. During the night I was dis- 

 turbed by a movement in the straw mattress on which I lay, 

 of a somewhat suspicious nature ; but, being exceedingly tired 

 with our day's exertion, I fell asleep again till about half-past 

 four, my usual hour of rising. At breakfast, " Madam," said 

 I to the farmer's wife, " I could almost have fancied that 

 there were rats in my mattress last night." " Very likely, 

 Sir," said she, with the greatest composure ; and then she 

 told me that the year before, whilst she was fast asleep in the 

 bed which I had occupied, a rat began to eat into her 

 shoulder. On saying this, she bared the place to let me have 

 a view of it; and 1 distinctly saw the marks which the hungry 

 rat had left. " Upon my word, Madam," said I, " though I 

 am not prone to make wry faces at a fair allowance of fleas 

 or bugs, still I must own to you that I have not yet quite 

 made up my mind to be devoured alive by rats; wherefore, 

 if you have no objections, when our breakfast is finished, we 

 will go and take a peep into the interior of the mattress." 

 On ripping it up, no rats were found ; but out bounced seven 

 or eight full-grown mice. The old lady smiled as they ran 

 across the floor; and I thought I could read in her face that 

 she considered I had raised a false alarm. 



When I reflect on the numbers and the appetite of the 

 Hanoverian rat, and put down to its account the many de- 

 predations which it is perpetually committing, I cannot bring 

 my mind to show it the same good feeling which is extended 

 in this park to the rest of animated nature. In truth, I con- 

 sider its arrival in our country an event productive of much 

 annoyance to the community at large ; and, had I the power, 



b 3 



