248 THE ODYSSEY OF AN ANIMAL COLLECTOR 
the undergrowth, and I plainly saw that it was indeed a fine speci- 
men of the Giant Rat. Furious at having missed a golden oppor- 
tunity, I gave the driver a lecture on the importance of slowing 
down to a moderate speed in the event of our seeing another rat, 
for I was determined not to miss another chance. 
As we drove on a dreadful feeling of disappointment came over 
me when nothing more materialized. I felt that I should probably 
return to England to report that I had seen a Madagascar Giant 
Rat but was unable to obtain one, and who would believe me? 
After about eight miles the forest became patchy with much 
second growth and open spaces, so I knew that it was useless to 
proceed any farther. I decided to wait awhile before returning 
over the same beat, to give any Giant Rats time to move around. 
As we had the whole night in front of us, we coasted slowly 
at about twenty-five miles an hour when trying the next run. On 
and on we went with all sorts of nocturnal insects hitting me in 
the face as I sat behind the open windscreen with fixed gaze, 
and gun at the ready. 
When within about half a mile of the scene of our first excite- 
ment, I caught a glimpse of something ahead and told the driver 
to reduce speed; this time I got in a shot as the animal was leaving 
the road. We stopped, and seizing my electric torch I ran back; 
after a short search in the fringing vegetation of the forest I found 
a Giant Rat lying dead. It was about the size of a small rabbit. 
Now that success had come so soon in what I had at first 
thought to be a vain quest for an extinct animal, I could hardly 
believe it. I was in such high spirits that the idea of staying up 
all night became an exciting adventure rather than a painful duty. 
After some hot coffee from my large vacuum flask, some light 
refreshment and a chat, we hit the trail again. 
After about two hours’ coasting up and down the road with 
occasional halts, I bowled over my second specimen stone dead in 
the road, but after that we drew a blank. Toward 3 a.m. we were 
both weary and dozed in the car, awaiting the ferry back to Belo 
at daybreak. 
After breakfast at the hotel I got some sleep, then rose for an 
early lunch so as to have time to prepare the two precious speci- 
