iiG NORWAY RAT. XTlass J. 



that form that trail: and Linn^us * takes no notice 

 of it in his laft fyftem. It is fit here to remark 

 an error that gentleman has in fpeaking of the 

 common rat, which he fays was firft brought 

 from America into Europe by means of a fhip 

 bound to Antvjerp. The fa6l is, that both rat and 

 moufe were unknown to the new world before it 

 was difcovered by the Europeans^ and the firft rats 

 it ever knew, were introduced there by a fhip 

 from Antwerp ■\-. This animal never made its ap- 

 pearance in England till about forty years ago J. 

 It has quite extirpated the common kind wherever 

 it has taken its refidence; and it is to be feared 

 that we fhall fcarce find any benefit by the change-, 

 the Norway rat having the fame difpofition, with 

 greater abilities for doing mifchief, than the com- 

 mon kind. This fpecies burrows like the water fat, 

 in the banks of rivers, ponds and ditches •, it takes 

 the water very readily, and fwims and dives with 

 great celerity : like the black fpecies, it preys on rab- 

 bets, poultry, and all kind of game ; and on grain 

 and fruits. It increafes moft amazingly faft, pro- 

 ducing from fourteen to eighteen young at a time. 

 Its bite is not only fevere, but dangerous ; the 

 wound being immediately attended with a great 

 fwelling, and is a long time in healing. Thefe rats 



*Lin,JyJl. 83. 

 t 0--jalle's Hiji. of Chile in ChurchilV s Fey. iii. 43. 

 I This fpecies reached the neighborhood of Paris^ about 

 feventeen years agOy 



are 



