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ception of objects.’ The caye rat, Neotoma, is still abundant in Mammoth 
Cave. It is found in the rotunda near the entrance of the cave and in the 
more distant parts of the cave. Its tracks are numerous, and in places 
little paths have been made by the rats where they run backward and 
forward along ledges of rock. Since, however, a track once made in a 
cave remains unchanged by wind or weather, the abundance of rats, as 
judged by their tracks, may be misleading. A number of traps were set 
in the rotunda. During three days one trap was sprung and one had the 
bait removed. No rats were caught in the traps and none were caught 
alive. I discovered one rat rolling a mouse trap about which was too 
small for it to enter. When approached with a light the rat turned about 
Fig.1. Mammoth Cave Rat. Fig.2. Common Gray Rat. 
and stared at the light. It then ran to a pile of rocks but did not at- 
tempt to hide; instead the rat ran to one end of the pile, then along the 
top back to where I stood, when it stopped and again stared at the light. 
An attempt to catch the rat sent it running back and forth along the 
ledges of rock at the side of the cave. Finally the rat came to the ground 
again, and despairing of catching it alive it was killed. Its eyes appeared 
to be large and protruding very much as in the common rat. Without 
question the rat noticed the light. It had no hesitation in running from 
place to place. The manager of the Mammoth Cave Hotel, Mr. H. C. 
Ganter, later caught four rats which he sent by express. Only one arrived 
alive; one had been partly eaten by the others. The living one is now 
caged. It is quite gentle. It permits itself to be stroked. Occasionally 
it pushes an object away with a sideward motion of the fore foot. If 
