CANE-PIECE EAT. 445 



size, by its rufous colour, and by the smallness of its 

 ears, wliich gives it a peculiar physiognomy. Robin- 

 son was acquainted with the species, and has given 

 an elaborate description of it in his MS. volumes 

 (iv. 13.), as well as a coloured drawing. His spe- 

 cimen was considerably larger than mine, for he 

 describes its length as 20 inches, of which the tail 

 measured half. 



I had heard also of a Rat said to have been in- 

 troduced into the colony about a century ago, by Sir 

 Charles Price, with the object of keeping down the 

 smaller vermin ; it is commonly spoken of as the 

 Charley Price Rat ; but whether it is distinct from, 

 or identical with, the Cane-piece Rat, I could get 

 no very certain information. Mr. Hill, as usual, 

 endeavoured to aid my researches. 



In a communication dated May 19th, 1846, he 

 had remarked as follows: — "My inquiries about 

 Rats have terminated in making out three species as 

 distinctively known in the colony ; — the Black Rat, 

 the Brown Rat, and the Cane-piece Rat. 



" Tradition relates that the Black Rat is the old- 

 est of the family; that it was introduced by the 

 Spaniards, and that it is the Rat of the South of 

 Europe. It is now comparatively scarce, but is said 

 to be sufficiently common in St. Mary's. The Brown 



The skin of this specimen was unfortunately lost as soon as it was 

 taken from the carcase, and I never obtained another ; so that I have 

 no opportunity, by examination of the skull, of determining whether 

 the species belongs to that group peculiar to the New World, which 

 Mr. Waterhouse has named Hesperoviys. The probability is that it 

 does. 



