202 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Depredations A singular anecdote. 



they are so numerous, that thirty thousand have 

 been known to have been killed in a year. They 

 have subterraneous hoards both of corn and 

 fruit; and frequently climb up the trees to de- 

 vour the young birds. At sun-set they may be 

 seen running about in all directions; and in a 

 single night they will frequently commit such 

 devastation, that a French traveller says, he has 

 seen a field of maize, in which they had not left 

 a single ear remaining. 



M. de St. Pierre informs us, that on the return, 

 of the Valiant man of War from the Havannah, 

 in the year 1766, its rats had increased to such a 

 degree, that they destroyed a hundred weight of 

 biscuit daily. The ship was at length smoked 

 between decks, in order to suffocate them: and 

 six hampers were, for some time, filled every 

 day, with the rats that had thus been killed. 



A gentleman travelling through Mecklenburg, 

 about thirty years ago, was witness to a very sin- 

 gular circumstance in the post-house at New 

 Hargard. After dinner, the landlord placed on 

 the floor a large dish of soup, and gave a loud 

 whistle. Immediately there came into the room; 

 a mastiff, a fine Angora cat, an old raven, and a 

 remarkably large rat with a bell about its neck. 

 They all four went to the dish, and, without dis- 

 turbmg each other, fed together; after which 

 the dog, cat, and rat lay before the fire, while 

 the raven hopped about the room. The laud- 



