-430 THE BROWN RAT. 



the banks of rivers, ditches, and ponds ; but on 

 the approach of winter they come to the farm- 

 houses, and enter the corn-ricks and barns, where 

 they devour much of the corn, but damage infi- 

 nitely more than they eat. They have haunts in 

 the walls and about the floors of old houses, where 

 they frequently destroy the furniture ; and they 

 have even been known to gnaw the extremities of 

 infants while asleep. They are also e:j:cessively des- 

 tructive to eggs, poultry, pigeons, rabbets, and 

 game of every description. They swim with ease, 

 and even dive after fish. 



Their produce is enormous ; as they bring from 

 ttn to twenty at a litter, and this thrice a- year. Thus, 

 their astonishing increase is such, that it is possible 

 for the descendants of a single pair (supposing food 

 to be sufficiently plentiful, and that they had no 

 enemies to lessen their numbers) to amount at the 

 end of about two years, to upwards of a 7niI]ion. 

 But this baneful increase is counteracted, not only 

 by numerous enemies among the other animals, but 

 by their destroying and eating each other. A large 

 and strong Rat is as mxuch dreaded by its' own spe- 

 cies, as the whole species is dreaded by other crea- 

 tures that are their prey. Thus has Providence 

 kindly interfered in keeping them within due 

 bounds. 



Dogs and Cats destroy, but do not eat them. 

 The Weesel is in perpetual enmity with them ; and 

 will pursue them into their holes, and light with 

 them there. This little creature endeavours to fix 

 itself on their bodies, and suck their blood ; uhicl\ 



