BLACK RA.T. 305 



another, which it is known they are in the liabit of doing 

 occasionally. He stood perfectly still, and the whole 

 assemblage passed close to him. His astonishment, how- 

 ever, was great, when he saw an old blind Rat, which held 

 a piece of stick at one end in its mouth, while another 

 Rat had hold of the other end of it, and thus conducted 

 his blind companion." It appears also from several in- 

 stances that this animal is not insensible of kindness, and 

 that it may be powerfully attached to those who feed and 

 caress it. Its motions are active and animated ; it runs 

 with great quickness, and leaj)s with agility and force. 

 Like most of the genus, it can hold its food in the hands 

 whilst eating, and it drinks by lapping. Its habits are 

 cleanly ; and its skin is ordinarily kept in beautiful order 

 by the care with which it is cleaned, — an employment 

 which occupies the greater part of its time, excepting 

 when sleeping or eating. It breeds several times in the 

 year, and the female brings ordinarily from seven to nine 

 young. The nest is composed of grass, straw, and dried 

 leaves, or of any other suitable material which they can 

 obtain. 



It is probable, from the proximity of the two countries, 

 that it was introduced into England from France : indeed 

 the Welsh name for it, which signifies ''French Mouse," 

 appears to favour this opinion. From Europe it has 

 been sent with the Brown Rat to America, the islands 

 of the Pacific, and to many other places, in some of 

 which it has now become a serious inconvenience. 



Of the Mus Hihernicus of Thompson, we can say but 

 little, not having examined the types ; the white spot on 

 the breast, which has been thought distinctive, is certainly, 

 however, of little value as a specific character, since we 

 have seen two undoubted examples of Mus rattus in 

 which it occurred. A considerable number of the latter 



Iv K 



