THE RAT KIND. 



365 



own size, follows them into their holes, where 

 a desperate combat ensues. The strength of 

 each is pretty near equal ; but the arms are 

 very different. The rat, furnished with four 

 long tusks at the extremity of its jaw, rather 

 snaps than bites; but the weasel, where it 

 once fastens, holds, and continuing also to 

 suck the blood at the same time, weakens its 

 antagonist, and always obtains the victory. 

 Mankind have contrived several other me- 

 thods of destroying these noxious intruders; 

 ferrets, traps, and particularly poison ; but 

 of all other poisons, I am told' that the nox 

 vomica, ground and mixed with meal, is 

 the most certain, as it is the least danger- 

 ous. 



To this species I will subjoin, as a variety, 

 the BLACK RAT. mentioned above, greatly re- 

 sembling the former in figure, but very dis- 

 tinct in nature, as appears from their mutual 

 antipathy. This animal was formerly as mis- 

 chievous as it was common ; but at present 

 it is almost utterly extirpated by the great 

 rat, one malady often expelling another. It 

 is become so scarce, that I do not remember 

 ever to have seen one. It is said to be pos- 

 sessed of all the voracious and unnatural ap- 

 petites of the former: though, as it is less, 

 they may probably be less noxious. Its 

 length is about seven inches; and the tail 

 is near eight inches long. The colour of the 

 body is of a deep iron gray, bordering upon 

 black, except the belly, which is of a dirt}' 

 cinereous hue. They have propagated in 

 America in great numbers, being originally 

 introduced from Europe; and as they seem 

 to keep their ground wherever they get foot- 

 ing, they are now become the most noxious 

 animals in that part of the world. 



To this also we may subjoin the Black Wa- 

 ter Rat, about the same size with the latter, 

 with a larger head, a blunter nose, less eyes, 

 and shorter ears, and the tip of its tail a lit- 

 tle white. It was supposed by Ray to be 

 web-footed ; but this has been found to be a 

 mistake, its toes pretty much resembling 

 those of its kind. It never frequents houses; 

 but is usually found on the banks of rivers, 

 ditches, and ponds, where it burrows and 

 breeds. It feeds on fish, frogs, and insects; 

 and in some countries it is eat on fasting 

 days. 



THE MOUSE. 



AN animal equally mischievous, and equal- 

 ly well known with the former, is the Mouse. 

 Timid, cautious, and active, all its disposi- 

 tions are similar to those of the rat, except 

 with fewer powers of doing mischief." Fear- 

 ful by nature, but familiar from necessity, it 

 attends upon mankind, and comes an unbid- 

 den guest to his most delicate entertainments. 

 Fear and necessity seem to regulate all its 

 motions; it never leaves its hole but to seek 

 provision, and seldom ventures above a few 

 paces from home. Different from the rat, 

 it does not go from one house to another, un- 

 less it be forced ; and as it is more easily sa- 

 tisfied, it does much less mischief. 



Almost all animals are tamed more difficult- 

 ly in proportion to the coward ice of their na- 

 tures. The truly bold and courageous easily 

 become familiar, but those that are always 

 fearful are ever suspicious. The mouse being 

 the most feeble, and consequently the most 

 timid of all quadrupeds, except the Guinea- 

 pig, is never rendered thoroughly familiar; 

 and, even though fed in a cage, retains its 

 natural apprehensions. In fact, it is to these 

 alone that it owes its security. 1 " No animal 

 has more enemies, and few so incapable of 

 resistance. The owl, the cat, the snake, the 

 hawk, the weasel, the rat itself, destroy this 

 species by millions, and it only subsists by 

 its amazing fecundity. 



The mouse brings forth at all seasons, and 

 several times in a year. Its usual number 

 is from six to ten. These, in less than a fort- 

 night are strong enough to run about and 

 shift for themselves. They are chiefly found 

 in farmers' yards, and among their corn, but 

 are seldom in those ricks that are much in- 

 fested with rats. They generally choose the 

 south-west side of the rick, from w hence most 

 rain is expected ; and from thence they often, 

 of an evening, venture forth to drink the lit- 

 tle drops either of rain or dew that hangs at 

 the extremities of thestraw. c Aristotle gives 

 us an idea of their prodigious fecundity, by 

 assuring us, that having put a mouse with 



a Buflbn, vol. xv. p. 145. b E volucribus hirundines 

 sunt indociles, e terrestibus mures. PLIN. c Buflbn, 

 vol. xv. p. 147. 



8K* 



