27 



FEROCITY OF RATS. 



The ferocity of rats has been grossly exaggerated. The stories 

 of their attacks upon human beings, sleeping infants especially, have 

 but slight foundation. If attacked, nearly all rats defend them- 

 selves with the teeth; and no doubt a horde of rats, if hungry, would 

 be formidable. Ordinarily the probability of being bitten by Tats 

 is remote, and the bite is not poisonous. 



The ferocity of rats is mainly exercised against members of their 

 own order. The brown rat is undoubtedly the most formidable 

 of the genus in America, and possibly in the world; yet when cap- 

 tured it adapts itself readily to confinement, and in a few da}^s 

 will take food and water whenever offered. The enmity of this 

 species toward other rats and mice is well known. It is supposed 

 to have destroyed the black rat over the greater part of Europe and 

 America, although it is possible that disease carried by the brown 

 rat was a factor in the disappearance of the other species. That 

 the black and the roof rat in tropical countries have not been dis- 

 placed by the brown rat is probably owing largely to their more 

 arboreal habits. It is not uncommon in the Far East to find two 

 species of rats living side by side in the same locality. An example 

 is M. imperator and M. rex living on one of the Solomon Islands. 

 The first is a burrowing species; the other arboreal. In 1877 two 

 native species of rats, M. macleari and M. nativitatis , were found 

 living together in amity on Christmas Island, in the Indian Ocean. 

 About ten years ago the brown rat was accidentally introduced, and 

 it is now thought that both the native species are extinct. 



When pressed by hunger rats become cannibals and destroy 

 their weaker fellows. However, when ordinary food is abundant, 

 cannibalism among rats is rare. 



"Proc. Zool. Soc. 1888, pp. 517, 534. 



