RODENTS OF LIBYA 



199 



According to Setzer (1957) and Hartert (1923), the local Arabs 

 believe that because mole rats lack visible eyes and are apparently 

 blind, anyone having contact with them will also become blind. 



Family Muridae 



Genus Rattus Fischer 



Rattus norvegicus (Berkenhont) 



Mus norvegicus Berkenhout, Outlines N. H. Great Britain and Ireland, vol. 1, 

 p. 5 (Great Britain). 



Remarks. In Libya, the Norway rat is known only from Tripoli 

 (Toschi, 1951), although it probably occurs in most, if not all, of the 

 larger coastal cities and may occur in the wild state in the Cyrenaican 

 Plateau. 



They are thought to be endemic to northern China and Manchuria. 

 In recent centuries, they have been carried westward as a result of 

 the increased development of western commerce. Their introduction 

 into North Africa most likely was through the agency of shipborne 

 rats in the major ports where ships frequently unloaded their produce. 



Figure 43. — Known locality of occurrence of Rattus norvegicus. 



