NATURAL HISTORY. 26 F 



the females. When any one pursues, and endeavours 

 to take them, they will turn again, and bite the hand 

 or stick which touches them. Their bite is not only 

 sharp but dangerous, and is immediately followed by 

 a considerable swelling. They bring forth thrice every 

 year, the dams previously preparing a bed for their 

 young ; and thus two individuals of this species pro- 

 duce at least threa dozen in the space of twelve months. 



The brown rat in its nature, and seme of its habi- 

 tudes, bears a resemblance to the water-rat. Though 

 there is no place but in which they will reside, they 

 seem to delight in living near the water. When they 

 find themselves pursued, and have the same opportunity 

 of sheltering themselves in the water, or in a thorny 

 thicket, they prefer the former, plunge into it without 

 dread, and swim with amazing dexterity. This par- 

 ticularly happens when they cannot get back to their 

 burrows ; for they always dig holes for themselves in 

 the earth, or else occupy those of the rabbit. They 

 may also be taken, like that animal, by the ferret, which 

 follows them under ground as it does the rabbit, and" 

 even with more ardour. 



These animals live principally upon fruit and corn, 

 but are, notwithstanding, exceedingly carnivorous. 

 They devour young rabbits, partridges, and other birds; 

 and when they enter a hen-roost, they destroy, like 

 the pole-cat, more than they eat. They do not become 

 torpid in the winter, like the dormouse, but take ad- 

 vantage of every fine day to come out of their subter- 

 ranean mansions. Those which live in barns, drive 

 away the mice ; and it has even been remarked, that 

 the black rats, as they are called, have been far less 

 common since the brown rats became so numerous* 



