450 SPANISH-TOWN. 



name of Hesperomys. It is described as attaining 

 the length of fifteen inches, exclusive of the tail, 

 which is yet longer than the body. 



In the above quotation from Long, he speaks of 

 three other Rats besides the Price Rat. One of 

 these he distinguishes as the Black House-Rat 

 (doubtless Mus rattus) ; the other two are Field-Rats, 

 which he thinks to be indigenous. " The larger is 

 of a light ash, or greyish colour on the back and 

 other parts, except the belly, which is entirely white. 

 This subsists almost wholly on the sugar-cane, and 

 is therefore generally called the Cane Rat." The 

 other is described as much smaller, no larger than 

 the English Mole. It is of a beautiful reddish 

 colour, with a milk-white belly. Like the former, 

 it takes up its habitation chiefly about the hol- 

 low roots of large trees, and the rocky acclivities 

 of gullies and river banks. It is far from being 

 numerous. 



SUGAR-CANE INSECTS. 



The ravages of insects on the various vegetable 

 productions that are cultivated by agriculturists can- 

 not but be a subject of deep and even anxious 

 interest ; an interest which heightens with the im- 

 portance of the plant as an object of commercial 

 traffic, or its value as furnishing food to man and 

 beast. The Sugar-cane will probably always be the 

 staple production of the West Indian isles, and 

 whatever affects it may be said to touch the very life 

 of those valuable colonies. Some notice of its insect 

 enemies may therefore reasonably be looked for in 



