76 RODENTIA 



and reported by Mr Eagle Clarke at a meeting of the Eoyal 

 Physical Society on 19th March 1890 : subsequently (August 

 1889) Mr Clarke had a cageful brought to him by a professional 

 rat-catcher, who had just captured them on board one of the 

 Leith and Aberdeen steamers (" Scot. Nat.," 1891, p. 36). I 

 have since examined several others, also from Leith steamers. 

 In Bell's " British Quadrupeds " the occurrence of this race in 

 Britain is not positively asserted, though Lord Clermont, in 

 1859, had written "Is often found in numbers in vessels 

 from Egypt when discharging their cargoes of corn in British 

 ports, but does not appear to spread in those towns, being 

 probably kept down by the common species " (" Quadrupeds 

 and Eeptiles of Europe," p. 100). 



HOUSE MOUSE. 

 Mus MUSCULUS L. 



The House Mouse is only too common throughout the 

 length and breadth of the district, establishing itself in and 

 about human dwellings and other buildings, no matter how 

 isolated they may stand. Having been for many years 

 intimately connected with farming operations, I have often 

 witnessed the havoc they commit in the stackyard, but their 

 habits and economy are too well known to justify any 

 remarks upon them here. Several specimens of a pale buff 

 or cream-coloured variety were obtained for me in April 1890 

 by Mr R S. Anderson of Peebles, from the farm of Lyne, 

 where they were then in some abundance. 



It is now impossible to trace the origin of this animal in 

 the district. All that can be said is that its first appearance 

 must have taken place many centuries ago. 



