THE MUSK RAT. 



Absurd notion of the Egyptians. 



lord, after accounting for the familiarity which 

 existed among these animals, informed his guest 

 that the rat was the most useful of the four; for 

 the noise he made had completely freed the 

 house from the rats and mice with which it was 

 previously infested. 



In Egypt, as soon as the river Nile, after hav- 

 ing fertilized the land, leaves it free for cultiva- 

 tion, multitudes of rats and mice are seen to issue 

 in succession from the moistened soil. Hence 

 the Egyptians believe that they are generated 

 from the earth itself; and some of them will as- 

 sert with the utmost effrontery, that they have 

 seen the animals in their formation ; one half of 

 their bodies flesh, and the other half mud. 



Some of the Japanese tame these rats, and 

 teach them to perform many entertaining tricks; 

 and, thus instructed, they are exhibited as a 

 ghow for the diversion of the populace. 



THE MUSK RJT. 



THE musk rat is about the size of a small 

 rabbit. Its head is thick and short, somewhat 

 resembling that of the water-rat. The eyes are 

 large; the ears short, rounded, and covered both 

 inside and outside with hair. The fur is soft, 

 glossy, and of a reddish-brown colour; and be- 

 neath this is a much finer fur, or thick down, 

 which is very useful in the manufacture of hats. 



