RATS. 



settlements, and are great travellers, and I presume 

 that ttoey have already established themselves in 

 this region. Both arc supposed to have been 

 brought to England originally from India or Per- 

 sia. The Norway rat, notwithstanding its name, 

 is quite unknown in Scandinavia. He made his 

 appearance in the Five Islands in 1768, arriving 

 upon tlie wreck of a Norway ship, and according 

 to Pennant was first seen in England about the 

 year 1728. He has made a national conquest of 

 the black rat, and wherever he has taken his resi- 

 dence, has quite extirpated it. Aecordingto Pen- 

 nant, the black rat was indigenous in Eng- 

 land, while Shaw supposes that he was derived 

 from Asia. Pennant says that both rats and 

 mice were unknown to the new world before it 

 was discovered by the Europeans, and the first rats 

 a ever knew were introduced there by a ship from 

 Antwerp. Shaw says that the black rat was im- 

 ported into South America in 1554, and is suppo- 

 sed to be a native of North America. I have 

 seen in the citv of New-York both the Norway 

 and the black rat, and wherever they go they w ill 

 do mischief. Taking up their habitation in 

 houses adjacent to the canals, they will perforate 

 the banks for drink and food. 



The mus amphibius, or water rat which bur- 

 rows in banks about ponds and ditches, is a stil! 



