74 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



The Surmulot, or Brown Rat (Mus decumanus, Pall.), 

 Buff. VIII. xxvn. 



Which arrived in Europe only in the eighteenth 



century, and is at the present day more common 



than the Rat in Paris, and some other large 



cities. It is larger than the Rat by one quarter, 



and differs still more from it by its reddish - 



brown hair and tail longer in proportion. 



These two large species appear to be aboriginal 



in the East. Like the Mouse, they appear to have 



been transported into every region by ships. 



Oriental Tartary and China have a Rat equal in 

 size to the Surmulot, with a tail a little shorter, 

 stronger jaws ; of a flaxen tint. This is the M, Caraco 

 of Pallas, Glir. XXIII, Schreb. clxxvii. 



There is also another species in the Indies, about 

 one-fourth stronger than the Surmulot ; reddish- 

 brown, a little paler in the head, (The Rat Perchal 

 of Buffon, Supp. VII. lxix.) 



Those species of the size of the Mouse have been 

 less observed. 



The Mouse of Cairo (Mus Cahirinus, Geoff. Disc, de VEg. 

 Mammif.), 



Has spines instead of hairs on the back. Aris- 

 totle has already remarked it. 

 We know in France but of one species that lives 

 remote from houses. This is the Mulot (Field 

 Mouse) Mus Syhaticus, Buff. VIII. xli., which is 

 but little larger than the common Mouse, and is 



