BOOK III. CHAP. VIII, 899 



lingular, loathfome, and dlfagreeable ; yet they are confidcred as a 

 great dainty in Gulney, and are faid to conftitute a principal part of 

 fbod among the inhabitants oi Benin, and other provinces. 



It is a remarkable circumftance, that madnefs in dogs is almoft un- 

 known in this ifland, and other parts of America. 



349. Rat. 



Four different fpecies infeft this ifland. The krgcfl is com- 

 monly called the Charles-price rat, and obtained its name from 

 having been firft obferved here about the time when the late Sir 

 Charles Price, Baronet, returned hither from Europe. It is faid to 

 have been imported by a Danifli fliip belonging to Sanfta Croix, 

 which was driven into Kingfton harbour by llrefs of weather. By 

 whatever means they firft got introdu6tion, it is certain the breed mul- 

 tiplied fo fafl;, as very foon to fpread over the whole ifland, where they 

 are now grown exceedingly numerous and troublefome ; dieting 

 chiefly upon fowls, eggs, and young poultry. They are no other 

 than the water-rat of Europe, but grow to a larger bulk- in general ; 

 for I have feen fome that meafured eighteen inches from the fnout to 

 the extremity of the tail. They are amphibious, aad found in holes 

 on the banks of rivers, and the fides of ponds. They burrow like 

 rabbits, and generally make their nefl:s under ground, though I have 

 fometimes found them in tufts of long grafs. As the flock-houfes, 

 where poultry are kept are mofl;ly built in a flight manner, with 

 wattles plaiftered, thefe animals perforate a long way juft below the 

 furface of the earth, and paflSng under the lowefl: wattles, to the 

 inner part of the houfe, always take care to emerge behind a box, a 

 hen-coop, or fome other concealment, from whence they fally forth 

 in the night-time, feekuig what, they may devour. 



I found a nefl once with nineteen young ones ; they breed as fre- 

 quently as the rabbit, and hence fome judgement may be formed of 

 their prodigious increafe. Some have fuppofed that they are carnivo- 

 rous only, and not granivorous ; but it is certain that they eat corn of 

 every fort, dried roots, and canes. They take the fame delight as the 

 jackdaw in flealing and hiding fubftances, which they are utterly 

 incapable of applying to any ufe ; fo that in their haunts or repo- 



5 Y 2 fitories 



