The Rabbit.-] OF ORKNEV. 21 



passes its life in a continual uneasiness, and seldom enjoys 

 an undisturbed hour. 



Sir Robert Sibbald, p. 11. Scot. Illus. P. II. gives us a white 

 hare. " In Orcadibus (says he), reperitur crinibus cando- 

 " rem nivalem referentibus." Whether there was such an 

 animal found here when Sir Robert wrote, I know not, but 

 there is none such now, nor is there a hare of any kind to 

 be found in the Orkneys *. 



GENUS X— THE RAT. 



Gen. CAor.— Two cutting teeth in each jaw ; four toes before, five behind; very 

 slender taper tail, naked, or very slightly haired. 



Species 1. — The Common Black Rat. 



Mus Domesticus Major, seu Rattus, Rati Syn. Quad. 217. Mus Rattus, Lin. 

 Si/s.83. Brit. Zool. 97. Pen. Syn. Q99» Sib. Scot. n. 



Whether this is a native of the Orkneys, or when in- 

 troduced, is more than I know ; this far is certain, that it was 



* Torfaeus says (p. 136.), there were hares (lepores) in Orkney, and that the 

 hunting of them was the amusement of the Counts ; but whether we are to un- 

 derstand by this term rabbits, I am uncertain, as he uses a word for deer in ano- 

 ther place, (p. 140), which is now commonly put for the rein-deer, an animal 



