SMALL DEER OUR RODENTS 135 
and perseverance ; all these qualities being brought 
into play by him as the moment demands. I have 
never yet seen either a poorly conditioned rat or a 
lean sparrow ; both these creatures have the wisdom 
and the pluck to attach themselves closely to man 
and his fortunes. The rat is so intelligent, too, that 
were it not for that unlucky long tail of his, he would 
be made a domestic pet of more frequently than he is. 
That very useful appendage tells against him, however. 
One thing can certainly be said in his favour, and 
that is, that he acts, with a host of other creatures, 
some of them equally depised with himself, the part o f 
scavenger. A first-class scavenger, also, he is, and a 
good swimmer ; he can climb, too, anywhere. I like 
to see him best out in the country, to which he 
resorts as the favoured classes of townsfolk do in 
the latter part of the summer. Hosts of rats quit the 
towns and villages for an annual holiday at that time, 
coming back when their season is over to the parts 
more inhabited by humans. All who go do not 
return, for, being most expert and confirmed egg and 
chicken stealers, they receive no mercy at the hands 
of the rustics. The very choicest products of the 
country they have a knack of appropriating. In the 
course of a recent twelve miles walk my way led 
down a hillside, on the outskirts of some covers. 
