BLACK RAT. 95 



Black Rat (Epimys rat/us, Linn.). 



Not many years ago a good deal of modified regret was 

 expressed because it was thought that the Black Rat the real 

 old British Rat as it was called was being exterminated by 

 that vulgar upstart the Brown Rat the Hanoverian or Norway 

 Rat. These laments were mainly called forth by its compara- 

 tive scarcity in old London warehouses where it had formerly 

 been very numerous. One would have thought it a matter for 

 rejoicing that there was a possibility of our having only one 

 species of the rat pest to contend with instead of two. The 

 disappearance of the Black Rat was remarked by Pennant as 

 far back as 1778. However, later observations tend to show 

 that the Black Rat is far from being extinguished even in the 

 City of London, where the old type of warehouse is being 

 rapidly replaced by ferro-concrete erections with carefully 

 trapped drains. The intelligence of the Rat is equal to little 

 impediments of that sort, and if it cannot get in by way of the 

 basement it can climb walls and enter by the attic windows. 



On the score of sentiment we need not distinguish between 

 the Black Rat and the Brown. They are both Asiatic aliens, 

 though the Black Rat had been settled here for several 

 centuries before the Brown Rat followed in his tracks. 

 Nothing definite is known as to the date of his arrival. 

 Geologists assure us that he was not among the indigenes, for 

 even the most recent strata yield no remains of his bones or 

 teeth. He is known to have been on the other side of the 

 dividing Channel in the thirteenth century, and to have reached 

 England soon after, and quickly to have become a nuisance. 

 He had a clear run of over four hundred years in which to 

 occupy the most remote portions of the island, before he had 

 to meet with keen competition in the form of the Brown Rat. 

 He reached Ireland in the twelfth century, if not earlier. 



The Black Rat is of more slender proportions than the better 



