RATS 143 



young are not very uncommonly born at one 

 time. It begins breeding young — a half-grown 

 female producing a litter of three or four; 

 but in Bombay the sexes do not breed until 

 they have attained at least a weight of 

 100 grammes. The young are naked, i.e. 



Fig. 46. — Mus decumanvs. (From Pennant;) 



without hairs, and of a beautiful pink colour. 

 They are blind, and their ears are gummed 

 down over the auditory meatus. They are 

 very weak and helpless, and need that maternal 

 care, which, to do the female rat justice, is 

 never withheld. 



M. decumanus is less attached to the dwell- 

 ings of man than M. rattus; still, it does live 

 in houses, though, owing to a lack of climbing 

 power, it is never found above the third floor. 



