ANIMALS OP NORTH AMERICA. 67 



is known of it. He says it is frequently seen at high tide, 

 sitting on floating reeds in the marshes, patiently waiting for 

 the receding of the waters. It is peculiar to the extreme 

 Southern States. 



THE HAIRY CAMPAGXOL {Arvicola IKspidus) was also 

 discovered by Ord in East Florida, and is known nowhere 

 else ; it is sometimes called the cotton rat, from its nest 

 being made entirely of cotton. 



THE WOOD-RAT (Mus Floridanus) is found throughout the 

 South-western States. Bartram thus describes its nest : " It 

 builds a conical pillar three or four feet high, of brush and 

 dry woods, so interwoven that it would take a bear or wildcat 

 so long to pull it to pieces as would enable it and its young to 

 escape. It is supposed to have been once common, but to 

 have given place to the black rat." In Mississippi and Flo- 

 rida it takes to the houses of the settlers as eagerly as the 

 common rat. It is not known now in the Atlantic States or 

 in Lower Canada. 



THE LEMMING (Mus Hudsonicus} differs from the European 

 lemming only in habits, by not migrating in bodies. This 

 may be accounted for by some peculiarity in the soil ; and 

 its stock of food probably never failing here as in Europe, it is 

 not compelled to tend its course southwards in search of suste- 

 nance. It is met with in the northern part of the Hudson 

 Bay territory. 



Of the Rat tribe, we find everywhere the common pest (Mus 

 decumanus), probably so named from his decimating or taking 

 tithe of everything that falls in his way. This rat is not indige- 

 nous, but imported from Europe, coming originally from Asia. , 

 The graphic character given it by Dr. Godman, will not be 

 disputed by any who are acquainted with it. " It must be 

 confessed," he says, "that this rat is one of the veriest 

 scoundrels in the brute creation, though it is a misfortune 

 in him rather than a fault, since he acts solely in obedi- 

 ence to the impulses of his nature. He is by no means as 



