White. — On the Rat* of New Zealaivd. 245 



New Zealand Institute." I have a remembrance that he spoke 

 of rats both grey and black in colour, but did not distinguish 

 the species. 



In Transactions, vol. xxv., p. 503, Mr. Colenso, in a foot- 

 note, says, iu his criticism of my paper in vol. xxiv., p. 554, 

 '• Mr. White, in the passage I have just quoted, says, ' and 

 possibly two distinct species ' (as if this was also something 

 new). Why, this was well known so long ago as Darwin's 

 visit to New Zealand in 1835 ; and I have mentioned the two 

 foreign species in various old publications ; in particular, some 

 fine black rats (m. and f.) I obtained here living in Hawke's 

 Bay about 1846, and, as they seemed somewhat different, sent 

 them (in spirits) to England to Professor Owen." Mr. Colenso 

 has misunderstood my meaning, which was that the small 

 grey rat (" kiore maori") of the North Island might have some 

 specific distinction from the " kiore maori " found in the South 

 Island. I did not refer to M. rattus at all, but to the 

 M. maorinm specimens takeu by myself in Hawke's Bay as 

 compared with those found in Marlborough and Nelson. 



The second mention of M. rattus in the South Island is by 

 Sir James Hector (Transactions, vol. xxv., p. 535), who said 

 that " this rat (M. maori ion) was entirely different from 

 others sent from Nelson at the time of the irruption of rats 

 referred to" (formerly described by Mr. Meeson), " and which 

 he was unable to distinguish from M. rattus." The time 

 referred to must be considerably more than ten years ago, and 

 I have no later information as to whether this rat is now found 

 in the Nelson Province. From an official report by Mr. 

 C. R. Douglas, of the Survey Department, " On the Westland 

 Alps," the following is quoted : " The Norwegian rat, which 

 was no doubt responsible for some destruction, and which 

 swarmed in the country at one time, is now becoming extinct 

 from some cause or other, and the native and black rats are 

 taking its place — two animals perhaps not quite so destruc- 

 tive as the grey gentleman." 



This, you will allow, is a most remarkable occurrence, and 

 would seem to be a reversal of the position out of which the 

 late Charles Darwin and Dr. A. R. Wallace have made 

 capital, as indicating the survival of the fittest in the struggle 

 for existence — how the Norwegian rat, having exterminated 

 the black rat of Europe in some mysterious way, probably by 

 cannibal feasts or otherwise, had since emigrated to the then 

 new country of New Zealand, and at once, in a very short 

 space of time, thoroughly exterminated the frugivorous rat of 

 New Zealand, the " kiore maori." Now we have it said that 

 many in the North Island, both Europeans and also the 

 Maoris themselves, suppose the black rat to be the original 

 " kiore maori," for it has so long dwelt among them, and 



