( 358 ) 



mammal, with the exception of ^fl/s algini/t. It was tlie only species fonnd close 

 to the edge of the brook called La Femme Sanvnge. Slirews go into a trap of 

 onr construction whether it is baited or not. They rnn into the dark cavity and, 

 being of a worrying natnre, try to get ont at the closed end, and thus accidentally 

 spring the trap. At Hammam Rirha the species is most frequent nnder the rank 

 vegetation of the roadsides at the back of tlie hotel garden. No Sorex was met 

 with.— K. J. 



2. Mus alexandrimis.—A. half-grown specimen was tra|)pe(l in Mrs. Beresford's 

 garden and another nnder a hedge near the Palace Hotel. According to the 

 manager of the Grand Hotel at Haramam Kirha, rats are plentiful in the cellars 

 of the hotel. — K. J. 



3. Mus musculus. — The few specimens trapped in a house at Mustapha 

 Snp^rieur did not differ in colouring from ordinary European examples, and their 

 smell was just as bad. No fleas were fonnd on them. At Hammam Rirha a few 

 muscidus were obtained in the fields at a considerable distance from the nearest 

 house. These specimens also were at once recognised by tlieir smell when tlie trap 

 was inspected. — K. J. 



4. Mus algirus. — This is the iield monse in Northern Algeria, and by far 

 the commonest of all the rodents in that district, though it is less in evidence 

 than A. barbarus on account of its small size. It is found in the gardens and 

 everywhere at the roadsides, the edges of fields, and along walls constructed of 

 rough stones. Although it resembles in general appearance J/«.9 musculus, it is at 

 once distinguished by the absence of the nauseous smell characterising .1/. musculus 

 and by the much shorter tail. — K. J. 



6. Aporlemii.-i syli-aticus is likewise common in the gardens and fields, fre- 

 quenting the same places as M. algirus. — K. J. 



6. Ariicaiif/ns barbarus. — This was the first time that I met with the Barbary 

 rat at large. This pretty strijied rodent occurred in the gardens and in much larger 

 numbers in the fields near Alger as well as at Hammam Rirha, and is restricted 

 to the northern district of the countrj'. The natives on the High Plateaux did not 

 know it — a sure sign that this conspicuous rodent does not occur there. It ai)|)ears 

 to be partial to corn-fields, at the edges of which most of our barbarus were obtained. 



At Hammam Rirha I also found the nest of the Barbary rat at a spot where 

 I had trapped a female which was in milk. When going by the j)lace the next day 

 I heard a rather loud chirping in the barley-field. I followed the sound, expecting 

 to find a nest with yonng hungry birds, and was rather surprised to see, after 

 some minutes' search, a small blind -I. barbarus at my feet, and a short distance 

 away a second, both crying incessantly. The nest was close by. It consisted of 

 dry grass, and was made in a slight depression of the ground, being dome-shaped 

 with a side-entrance, but altogether very loose and irregular in structure, looking 

 more like a handful of short hay than a projierly made nest. There were appar- 

 ently only these two babies. Several females when opened were fonnd to contain 

 from four to six embryos. The Barbary rat is said to be quite common in the 

 summer. Apart from the trajiped specimens I only once saw it at large, and that 

 in day-time. I had ajiparently disturbed it when feeding, and it ran along a field- 

 path much as a rat runs, not jum[)ing like Apotlemux S)/hatirus. 



The skin of A. barbai-us is thick, bnt also very tender, particularly on the head, 

 and it is not advisable to kill the specimens by throwing thera on to the ground 

 or knocking them against a hard surface, as one can safely do with M. algirus and 



