42 



NATURAL HISTORY OF VERMONT. 



Fart I. 



THE MEADOW MOUSE. 



THE NORWAY OR BROWX RAT. 



three middle ones nearly equal. Length 

 of the specimen from which the above de- 

 scription was made, 5 inches ; tail 2 in- 

 clies. 



History. — We have doubtless as many 

 as two or three species belonging to this 

 ^enus, bat they have not been sufficient- 

 ly e.xamined to enable me to speak with 

 confidence respecting them. Meadow 

 mice are quite common in most parts of 

 the state, and at times they become so 

 greatly multiplied as to do much injury 

 to the meadows and to the stacks of hay 

 and grain. They have their burrows in 

 the banks of streams, and under old 

 stumps, logs and fences ; and in neighbor- 

 hoods where they are plenty, numerous 

 iurrows may be seen along tlie roots of 

 the grass, forming lanes in which they 

 may travel in various directions from 

 their burrows. Their nests are some- 

 times constructed in their burrows, and 

 are also found at the season of hay har- 

 Test, in great numbers, among the vege- 

 tation upon the surface of the ground. 

 They are built of coarse straw, lined witli 

 fine soft leaves, somewhat in the manner 

 of a bird's nest, with this difference, that 

 they are covered at the top, and the pas- 

 sao-e into them is from beneath. These 

 nests frequently contain G or 8 young 

 ones. The meadow mice, though very 

 prolific, have many enemies which serve 

 in a measure to check their undue 

 multiplication. Large numbers of them 

 are destroyed by owls, hawks, foxes, cats, 

 &c., and the country people, when at la- 

 bor in the field, are vigilant in putting 

 ihem to death. 



Gekus Mcs. — Linnanis. 

 Generic Characters. — Teeth 16 — Incis- 

 ors 2. no canines, grinders 5-3. The grinclers 



2> "^ 3 3* = 



aro furnished wiih blunt tubercles. Destitule of 

 check pouches; fore feet wiih four toes, and a 

 wart in the place of a thumb, covered witli an ob- 

 tuse nail; hind feet with five toes; nails long, 

 sharp, and incurved ; tail lon<.», t.ipering, naked, 

 and scaly ; some part of the liair of the bodv lon- 

 ger and stitFer than the rest ; ears oblong, or 

 round. 



Tim NORWAY RAT. 

 Mas dcc7imanus. — Pall. 

 Description. — General color, light red- 

 dish brown intermingled with ash, light 

 er and ffrajnsh beneath ; feet pale flesh 

 colored, and nearly naked ; tail nearly as 

 long as the body, covered with small dus- 

 ky scales, with short stiff hairs thinly 

 scattered among them ; four toes and a 

 small tubercle in place of a thumb before, 

 five behind ; nails small, light horn color, 



and slightly carved; whiskers of uneqrial 

 length, partly black and partly white. 

 Total length of the .srpecimen before me, 

 which is a female, from the snout to the 

 lip of the tail, 16 inches; head 1.8; body 

 7. .5; tail 6.7. Six pectoral and six ven- 

 tral mamratE. 



History. — This rat, which is at pres- 

 ent the common rat of the United States, 

 is supposed to have been originally a na- 

 tive of Persia, or India, and was first 

 known in Europe in the early part of the 

 18th century. It was carried to Eng- 

 land, about the year 17-50, in the timber 

 ships from Norway, and from this cir- 

 cumstance it received the name of JVor- 

 way Hat. From Europe it was brought 

 over to America, about the commence- 

 ment of the American Revolution, and is 

 now difflised over the greater part of the 

 continent. The Norway, or, as often call- 

 ed, the Bro^vTi rat is very prolific, bringing- 

 forth from 10 to 16 at a litter, and but for 

 its numerous enemies, and its own rapa- 

 cious disposition, it would soon become 

 an intolerable pest. Happily, however, 

 for rnan, they are not only destroyed by 

 weasels, cats, and dogs, but they are very 

 destructive enemies to one another, both 

 in the young and adult state. They are 

 sometimes caught in traps, but on account 

 of their caution and cunning it requires 

 much art. The surest way of destroying- 

 them is by poison, and arsenric is com- 

 monly used for that purpose, but so many 

 fatal accidents occur from having this pois- 

 on about our buildings, that its use is not 

 to be recommended. If poison is to be 

 used for the destruction of rats, the pow- 

 der of 7im.t rom/cff, mi.xed with meal and 

 scented with oil of rhodium, should be em- 

 ployed, and it is found very efTectual for 

 that purpose. The brown rat is a deadly 

 enemy to the black rat, and destroys it, or 

 drives it from the neighborhood. It also 

 destroys mice. But it does not confine 

 itself to the destruction of noxious ani- 

 mals. It often devours eggs, chickens, 

 and the young of other domestic fowls. 

 It however becomes the greatest nuisance 

 and does most mischief by the destruc- 

 tion of grain, fruit, roots &c. in our gra- 

 naries and cellars. The graphic charac- 

 ter given it by Dr. Godman will not be 

 disputed by any who are acquainted with 

 its habits. " It must be confes.sed," says 

 the Doctor, "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 obe- 

 dience' to the im))ulses of nature, is guid- 

 ed by no other law than his own will, and 

 submit.s to no restraints, but such as are 

 imposed by force. He is, therefore, by 



