142 MIGRATION OF RATS. 



or thirty fathoms from the ground, and covering an 

 extent of several leagues. At length, a shower of 

 these insects descended, and, after devouring every 

 green herb whilst they rested, renewed their flight. 

 This cloud was brought by a strong east wind, and 

 was the whole morning in passing over the adjacent 

 country. To the testimony of this traveller may be 

 added, that gnats, bees, and musquitoes, sometimes 

 migrate from one place to another. 



Here Mrs. Saville intennipted Mr. Palmer, by re- 

 marking that rats migrate from place to place; as, 

 when she was young, she had once an opportunity of 

 observing. Being on a visit with a relation who re- 

 sided in an old mansion, she slept with a maid-ser- 

 vant at the end of a long gallery in a chamber to 

 which belonged an anti-chamber divided from the bed- 

 chamber by folding doors, which were set open on ac- 

 count of a light placed in the middle of the anti-cham- 

 ber. About midnight they were awakened by a noise, 

 and, on opening the curtains, were much alarmed on 

 seeing a great number of rats surrounding the rush- 

 light. Not knowing how to drive away these unex- 

 pected enemies, they threw a pincushion into the midst 

 of them, and in a moment the whole company disap- 

 peared. The sudden decampment of the rats fright- 

 ened the two girls almost as much as their appear- 

 ance. The servant explained the phenomenon as an 



