232 



GNAWING ANIMALS 



ascribes the origin of the fire to Wood Rats and the parlor 

 matches which they undoubtedly carried up-stairs and ignited 

 by chewing. It is said that in Florida other houses have 

 been burned in the same way. 



Western frontiersmen, and others who live in the land 

 of the Wood Rat, relate stories innumerable of the absurd 



FLORIDA WOOD RAT. 



but industrious doings of these strange creatures. In general, 

 they are rather harmless. One of the best-known species is 

 the Florida Wood Rat. 1 It belongs to the round-tailed 

 group and does not have the hairy, squirrel-like tail of some 

 of the Western wood rats. Its upper color is tan mixed with 

 brown, feet and under-parts white. The length of the head 

 and body is Sy 2 inches, tail 6% inches. Distribution: the 

 southern states from the Carolinas to Texas. 



The Little Harvest Mouse looks so much like a small 



1 Neotoma floridana. 



