156 MAMMALS OF BERMUDA. 



to lye in Irons 48 hours w^^ addicon of such other severe punishm'^ as 

 shalbe inflicted upon them. And what soeu' pson or psons that shall 

 at any tyme fynde any Ambergreece and not within the space of tenne 

 dayes bringe or sende the same to the Gouerno^ or give notice thereof 

 vnto him where he or thay shall receive content after the rate of the 

 moitie of the halfe the Ambergreece eu'y ounce shall not only lose the 

 profit for finding thereof But also undergoe the aforesaid punishment 

 with severity of Justice w''^ in that case shall surely be executed." 



The weight of the several pieces of ambergris found at different times 

 since the islands were settled appears to have varied greatly. In 1611 

 one is recorded of the enormous bulk of 80 pounds ; in 1620, one of eight 

 ounces ; in 1625, one of nine ounces ; in 1 626, one of 2 ounces, and anoth er 

 the same year of 19J ounces. Of late years it appears to have been 

 rarely found. 



Order INSECTIVORA. 



Family SOEICID^. 



SOREX ? 



During one of our first visits to the islands several years ago we cap- 

 tured what we believed to be a member of this family, but the specimen 

 was unfortunately lost. During our last visit, in the winter of 1876-'77, 

 we gave chase to what we were almost positive was a specimen, running 

 on the side of a by-road in Devonshire parish, but it proved too nimble 

 and escaped. The peculiar dark velvety look of the fur and the small 

 size of the animal was quite sufficient to distinguish it from a common 

 mouse. We have, moreover, received the testimony of reliable persons 

 as to a mouse of this description being occasionally caught, so we think 

 it admissible to register the unknown under its generic name. 



Order RODENTIA. 



Family MURID^. 



Mus DECUMANUS, Pallas. 



^^Norway Raf'' ; ^^ Brown Rat." 



Mu8 decumanus, Pallas, Glires, 1778, 91.— Schreber, Stiugt, IV, 645; tab. clxxviii.— 

 Keyserling uml Blasiiis, Eur. Wirb. I, 1842, 36.— De Kay, N. Y. Zool. I, 1842, 

 80. — Waj^uer, Suppl. Scbreb. Ill, 1843, i. — Burmeister, Thiere Brasiliens, I, 

 1854, 152.— Aiul. and Bach, N. Am. Quad. II, 1851, 22, pi. liv. 



Mus norvegicus, Erxicheu, Syst. An. I, 1776, 381. 



The introduction of rats u{)on an oceanic island at a period anterior 

 to its occupation by man can only be due to the arrival, or destruction, 



