BLACK RAT: 
EL Sta Qo) Ae. Gur Nes: NEL 
Br. Zool, i. N° 25.—Hift. Quad. N° 297.—Smellie, iv. 275.—Lev. Mus. 
AT. With head and body of a very deep iron grey, nearly 
black: belly afh-colored: legs almoft naked, and dufky: a 
claw inftead of a fifth thumb on the fore feet. Length, from nofe 
to tail, feven inches ; tail near eight. 
Inhabits North America, not only the fettled parts, but even the 
rocks of the B/we mountains*, remote from all human dwellings. 
There they live among the ftones, and in the fubterraneous grottos 
frequent in thofe hills. They lie clofe during day, but at night 
come out, and make a moft horrible noife amidft thefe American 
alps. In violent frofts they lie torpid; and in the inhabited parts 
of the country they are obferved to redouble their fcreaks before fe- 
vere weather, as if they had fome prefage from their conftitutions. 
By Mr. Bartram’s obfervations it appears very certain, that thefe 
animals are natives of America. They are found even at prefent in 
the moft defolate places, as well as in the houfes and barns of the 
inhabited parts. It is unknown in Europe, that either the common 
Rat or Moufe ever deferted the haunts of mankind, for rocks and 
deferts: they therefore have been there from the earlieft times. It 
. is likely, that if ever the B/we mountains become inhabited, the 
wild Rats will quit their rocks, and refort to thofe places where they 
find harvefted food, and will quickly become pernicioufly domettic. 
We are pofitively told, that South America was free from thefe 
troublefome animals, till they were introduced there from Europe, by 
the means of fhips, in 1544. 
* Bartram, as quoted by Mr, Kalm, ii. 47. } Garcilaffo de la Vega, 384. 
S We 
129 
RAT. 
56. Back. 
