184 Habits of a domesticated White Bat 



amusing himself with Flora in the room. I opened the trap, 

 and shook out the stranger to them : both the rats ran rapidly 

 about, pursued by the dog, and one of them was almost im- 

 mediately caught, and as soon destroyed, to my great con- 

 sternation, for the two rats were so much alike that I could 

 not distinguish one from the other ; great, therefore, was my 

 joy and surprise to see Scugg run into the corner, and Flora 

 at her post to protect him, where she remained so long as 

 the man and the dead rat were in the room. 



My white rat, in colour, was very like a white ferret; that 

 is, slightly tinged with yellow, not so much so as the ferret ; 

 the eyes red ; countenance mild and placid ; the animal free 

 from smell, and particularly clean in its habits, and highly 

 offended if the fur was wet or ruffled the wrong way. The 

 only thing unpleasant connected with it was its tail, against 

 which I never could overcome my repugnance ; and, when 

 suddenly drawn across my face in his frolicsome passages 

 from one shoulder to the other, it always made me shudder. 



When the farm, with the stables, kennel, &c. &c, were 

 removed, to make way for the Pittville pleasure-grounds, the 

 colony of white rats were dispersed, and took up their quarters 

 in various parts of the town, and, I suspect, were finally 

 extirpated by the brown rats. Some of them, however, were 

 more kindly received, and formed alliances with their brown 

 neighbours; for, about the latter end of 1825, two or three 

 party-coloured rats were caught ; since which they have dis- 

 appeared altogether. When the first white rat was caught, 

 it was a matter of discussion whether it was a lusus natures 

 or a distinct race : the question was set at rest by a man, who 

 had formerly served as a marine, exclaiming, on seeing the 

 tame rat, " That's a Guinea ! " He said they were common 

 on the coast of Guinea. I have since been told, but I do 

 not recollect on what authority, that they are met with in 

 various parts of the globe. Some years since, they were to 

 be found in considerable numbers in Nelson Street, Bristol, 

 brought there, probably, in some of the trading vessels ; 

 and from thence it is likely they found their way to Chel- 

 tenham. 



In Feb. 1825, on my marriage, I parted with my little 

 friend ; but he did not survive the separation above three or 

 four weeks. Whether he grieved at parting, or whether he 

 was not kept sufficiently clean, or was not allowed sufficient 

 liberty, I cannot tell. I sent for him occasionally, to show 

 him to some of the numerous enquirers after him ; and, on 

 the last occasion, had great difficulty to take him from my 



