ORDER RODENTIA. 127 



tions of man, but where the fields during the entire year 

 present it with abundance of nutriment. In all this part of 

 America, accordingly, it has become a perfect scourge, from 

 its ravages and devastations. In fact, the Rat consumes 

 an immense quantity of provision, and destroys or damages 

 still more than it consumes, particularly in the fields, as it 

 cuts up from the roots plants of which it eats but a portion. 



With us its favourite abode is in barns or granaries, under 

 straw roofs, or in deserted houses. Sometimes it will bur- 

 row in the earth like the Surmulot, or Brown Rat, when it can 

 get no other habitation. Though this last-mentioned species 

 does not mix with the Common or Black Rat now under 

 consideration, and even may sometimes destroy it, yet the 

 natural antipathy commonly supposed to exist between them 

 is an error. The Surmulots do not necessarily exclude 

 the Rats from their vicinity, nay, the two species often live 

 under the same shelter, and in contiguous burrows. This 

 occurs when the place of their 'establishment affords food in 

 abundance, and excludes the necessity of mutual warfare 

 for subsistence. In the contrary case, we find that the Sur- 

 mulots not only destroy the Rats, but that the latter, as is 

 well known, will devour one another. 



The Rats, like all the Rodentia, with roots distinct from 

 the coronal in the molar teeth, are omnivorous. They are 

 at least as much omnivorous as all the omnivora properly 

 so called. They live indiscriminately on flesh or grain. 

 They will also eat fruit, and all such parts of vegetables as 

 contain saccharine or oleaginous matter. But they lay up 

 no provision for the winter. 



These animals bring forth many times in the year. 

 During the season of their amours, they have very violent 

 combats, and utter cries resembling a sharp hissing. They 

 prepare with straw, fyc. a nest for their young, which are 

 born entirely naked, and with the eyes shut. They are 

 generally about nine, or sometimes more, in number. 



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