EATS. 229 



Rats. 



Body and tail together a foot long. Eings in the tail 

 210 to 260. 



42. Mus RATTUS, L. Svart Eatta. The Black Eat. D. F. 



Blackish above, ash grey beneath. Tail longer than 

 body. Ears large, half the length of the head. Length 

 61 in. ; tail 8 in. 



Becomes every year more scarce in Scandinavia wherever 

 the large brown rat gains a footing. Was once common 

 throughout the whole country. 



43. Mus DECUMANUS, Pall. Brun Eatta. The Brown 



Eat. D. F. 



Yellow-brown, with a few stiff black hairs sprinkled 

 among the others. Grey- white beneath, the colours 

 sharply divided. Tail shorter than body. Ears one- 

 third of the head length. Length, 9 in. ; tail, 7 in. 

 In the days of Linne, the brown rat was unknown 

 in Sweden ; about ninety years since the first was seen in 

 Scania. It has now, however, become gradually spread 

 over the land, and is met with in every part to the North 

 Cape. Although at deadly enmity with its smaller brother, 

 it does not interfere with the little mouse. Strange to say, 

 much as this country is overrun with rats, I never saw either 

 a ferret or a rat-trap till I got some over from England. I 

 know no country where a good rat-catcher could make 

 a better living than in this. I once saw the rats drummed out 

 of a house here which was full of them. It was a large wooden 

 building. Two regimental drummers were sent for, who 

 began at the very top of the house, and drummed in every 

 room. The rats bolted very fast, and I had some capital 

 shooting outside. It was long before any came back. 



Mice. 



Tail and body together not longer than 9 in. ; rings in 

 the tail, 120 to 180. 



