MUKID^.- 



-MAIIMALIA. MUEID.E. 



135 



As this statement was originally penned some twenty 

 years ago, we indulge the hope that sounder prijiciples 

 of humanity have at length reached the western borders 

 of our isle ; and if they have, we shall hail vnth plea- 

 sure an\- information on this head. 



THE HARVEST MOTTSE {Mas messorius) has a rod- 

 dish-brown fur above, being white underneatli. The 

 ears are comparatively short. The body is only two and 

 a half inches long. The tail is prehensile. This species 

 constructs its nest in the form of a ball, which is sus- 

 pended amongst rushes, or placed amongst the leaves 

 of some strong wild plant, such as the common tliistle. 

 It has been Imown to devoirr flies with avidity. Eight 

 or nine young are produced at a single litter. 



THE LONG-TAILED FIELD MOUSE {Mus sylvaticus) 

 resembles the foregouig m tlie colouring of the fur, but 

 is distinguished by a brownish spot on the breast, while 

 the ears are much longer, and the tail about the length 

 of the body, including the head. This species proves 

 terribly destructive in our corn-fields ; but its diet is 

 not exclusively gi-anivorous, as it has been known to 

 eat yoimg bhds, and even its owti species. It is rather 

 more than three and a half inches in length, exclusive 

 of the tail. 



THE BAEBAEY MOUSE {Mus Barbarus) is an 

 inliabitant of northern Africa. The fm- has a dark- 

 brown colom-, the sides being prettily marked nith five 

 or six yellowish longitudinal bands, which run parallel, 

 and extend from the neck to the rump. Two of the 

 toes on the fore-foot are rudimentary. This species is 

 also known as the Palmetto mouse. 



DAEWIN'S MOUSE {Mils Darivinii) is a native of 

 Coquimbo. It measures rather more than five mches 

 in length, not including the tail. The colour of the fur 

 is a mixtm-e of cinnamon and black, the under parts of 

 the body and the feet being white. The ears are very 

 large and nearly naked. The tail is brownish-black 

 superiorly. 



THE BLACK RAT [Mus i?n«us)— Plate 15, fig. 48— 

 is indigenous in Eiu-ope. In this country it is not 

 so abundant as formerly, in consequence of the mtro- 

 duction of the brown species, which persecutes and 

 destroys it. It is chiefly distuiguished by the greyish- 

 black fur, and by the taU, which is a little longer tlian 

 the body. The ears are half as large as the head. Its 

 habits are omnivorous. It increases rapidly, the female 

 producing from seven to nine young at a birth. 



THE BROWN RAT {Mus (kcumamts) is also termed 

 the Norway Eat, from an old and erroneous notion that 

 it was indigenous in that comitry. This is now the 

 common species here, and its destructive habits are 

 only equalled by its boldness and ferocity. It is even 

 more prolific than the above, the female producmg as 

 many as twelve or fourteen young at a litter. 



THE BANDICOOT RAT {Mus gujanteus) is a huge 

 species inhabiting India, and measuring thirteen or 

 fourteen inches in length, exclusive of the taU. It is a 

 very mischievous beast, imdermining houses and places 

 where stores of gi-ain are kept, and also commits great 

 havoc in gardens, besides sometimes attacking poultry. 

 The low cast Hindoos are very partial to its flesh. 



THE TIKUS-WIROK {Mus setifer) is a species of rat 

 inliabiting Java. The fin is of a bro'svnish-black colom- 



and is distinguished by " numerous rigid hairs, which 

 are scattered over tlie upper parts of the body, and 

 project widely from the general covering." According 

 to Dr. Horsfiold, it rarely approaches tlie dwellings of 

 the natives, and is generally found at the confines of 

 woods and forests. 



THE AMERICAN FIELD MOUSE {Mus leucopus) 

 may be considered as the representative of our long- 

 tailed Mus sylvaticus. Sir John Richardson states that 

 this mouse does considerable mischief m gardens, and 

 ■will desti'oy an entire plantation of maize in a few 

 nights. The fur exhibits a bluish-brown colour, being 

 white rmderneath the belly. Specimens, taken from 

 the Cohnnbia river district, measured fom" and a quarter 

 inches. 



THE LABRADOR JUMPING MOUSE {Meriones Lahra- 

 dorius) is very abundant tlu'oughout the fur countries. 

 The fur has a liver-brown colour above, becoming 

 yeUowish at tlie sides and underneath. The hind legs 

 are very long, and stouter than those in front. The 

 body is about four and a haH inches in length, exclusive 

 of the tail, which measures five and a quarter inches. 



THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN RAT {Neptoma Drum- 

 mondii) has a yellowish-brown fur, which is white 

 beneath the belly ; but it is principally cUstingiushed 

 by a bushy, hairy taU, in which respect we perceive an 

 approach to the squirrel. It lives in cre\'ioes of tlie 

 higher rocks, its food consistmg principally of herbage 

 and the twigs of pine ti'ees. The body measures nine 

 inches, exclusive of the tail, which is still longer. 



THE HYDROMYS {Hydromys leucogaster). — Two 

 varieties have been described, but they are by some 

 considered to be one and the same species. They have 

 been tenned, respectively, the white-beUied and the 

 yellow-bellied Ilydi-omys. They are aquatic animals, 

 about twice as large as an ordinary rat. They have 

 only fonr molar teeth. The hind feet are pentadacty- 

 lous ; the posterior being semipalmate. The tail is 

 remarkably thick at the root, and only tliinly haired. 

 These animals are fomid at Van Diemen's Land, and 

 other islands off the coast of Australia. 



THE HAMSTER {Cricdus frumenkirins) is a well- 

 luiown Em-opean animal, found in various parts of 

 Piussia, Germany, and especially in Thuringia, as well 

 as m Siberia. It lives in subterranean holes, where it 

 hoards up large stores of grain. It is toi-pid during the 

 winter months. The fur is greyish-yeUow above, and 

 black uiferiorly, and it is marked by three spots on each 

 side ; these marks being sometimes light-coloured, and 

 at other times quite black. The Hamster possesses 

 several pouches, and the tail is very short and hairy. 

 The fore-feet are tetradactylous. 



THE PHLCEOMYS {Phkeomys Cummingii) is a com- 

 paratively large animal from the Philippine islands. 

 The fur has a blackish-brown colour generally, with a 

 reddish tinge on the back. Its length is nearly twenty 

 inches, excluding the tail, which is not so long as the 

 body. The fore-feet are fom-tocd ; the claws being 

 large, compressed, and cmwed inwards. It was fii'st 

 described by Jlr. Waterhouse, in 'the proceedings of 

 the Zoological Society for the year 1839. 



There are many other mmuie genera and species, 

 for whose consideration we have not suflSoient space. 



