The Rabbit.] OF ORKNEV. 21 



passes its life in a continual uneasiness, and seldom enjoys 

 an undisturbed hour. 



Sir Robert Sibbald, p. 11. Scot. Illus. P. II. gives us a white 

 hare. " In Orcadibus (says he), reperitur crinibus cando- 

 " rem nivalem referentibus." Whether there was such an 

 animal found here when Sir Robert wrote, I know not, but 

 there is none such now, nor is there a hare of any kind to 

 be found in the Orkneys *. 



GENUS X THE RAT. 



Gen. C/jar. Two cutting teeth in each jaw ; four toes before, five behind ; very 

 slender taper tail, naked, or very slightly haired. 



Species 1. The Common Black Rat. 



Mus Domesticus Major, seu Rattus, Rail Syn. Quad. 217. Mus Rattus, Lin. 

 Sys. 83. Brit. Zool. 97. Pen. Syn.299* Sib. Scot. 12. 



WHETHER this is a native of the Orkneys, or when in- 

 troduced, is more than I know ; this far is certain, that it was 



* Torfaeus says (p. 136.), there were hares (lepores) in Orkney, and that the 

 hunting of them was the amusement of the Counts ; but whether we are to un- 

 derstand by this term rabbits, I am uncertain, as he uses a word for deer in ano- 

 ther place, (p. 140), which is now commonly put for the rein-deer, an animal 



