717 A. E. Verrill—The Bermuda Islands. 305 
As they are very nocturnal in their habits and inhabit by preter- 
ence the thick woods and swamps, it is not strange that the early 
writers did not observe them, even if common. But after the 
settlers began to plant corn and other crops and fruits attractive to 
these rats, they naturally began to collect around the plantations 
and storehouses in large numbers, especially in winter and spring, 
when their natural food was scarce, and thus forced themselves into 
notice at once. At the same time this new source of supply of food 
in the winter would have prevented the death of large numbers 
by starvation, as may have occurred previously on many occasions, 
for their sources of food supply, like those of the hogs, were very 
limited at that season, for lack of native edible plants and seeds. 
(See pp. 589, 590.) 
The Wood-rat can easily be distinguished from the other rats by 
having a more hairy and less scaly tail, and especially by the pure 
white, or nearly white, color of its under parts, while its back is 
light chestnut-brown. It is smaller than the brown rat, and not so 
stout. It is a native of the warmer parts of the Old World, but was 
early introduced into the West Indies, Central America, and the 
southern United States. 
e.—Common Rats and Mice; Bats. 
The Brown or Gray Rat (Mus decumanus Pallas) and the mouse 
(MW. musculus L.) are very common in Bermuda, both in and about 
the buildings and in the woods and fields, far away from houses. 
We have no positive data as to when they were introduced, but the 
mouse was probably there in the early years of the settlement. The 
Gray Rat probably did not arrive till the middle of the 18th cen- 
tury or later. , 
The Black Rat (Mus rattus L.) was formerly very common, but 
has been largely exterminated by the brown rat, which arrived 
later, as in most other places in America. Hurdis states that it was 
common about 1850. Jones, 1884, states that it was rare. This rat, 
like the mouse, was probably introduced from Europe with the 
early settlers, or from the West Indies on the “runaway frigate,” in 
1614. There are no native land mammals* in Bermuda, except a few 
migrating North American bats. 
* J. M. Jones thought that he had seen a shrew, 1876, but it has not been 
seen by others. 
A single specimen of a seal, supposed to be Phoca vitulina, was taken in 
April, 1887. Its skin was preserved by Bartram, and is still extant, but I did 
not see it. Bartram recorded its capture in the Royal Gazette, at the time. It 
was also noticed by Hurdis (Rough Notes, p. 340). No other instance is known. 
It might be the young of the West Indian Seal. 
