BLACK RAT. 193 



Rat to the extremity of its burrow, and there seize and devour it. Be 

 this as it may, the latter is diminishing in number in proportion to 

 the multiplication of the other species, and as they are equally prolific 

 and equally cunning, we cannot account for its decrease on any other 

 supposition than that it becomes the prey of the more powerful and more 

 voracious Norway rat. 



The Black Rat brings forth young four or five times in a year ; we 

 have seen from six to nine young in a nest, which was large and com- 

 posed of leaves, hay, decayed grasses, loose cotton, and rags of various 

 kinds, picked up in the vicinity. 



GEOGRAPHICAL BISTRIBUTION. 



This species is constantly carried about in ships, and is found, although 

 very sparinglj^, in all our maritime cities. We have met with it occa- 

 sionally in nearly all the States of the Union. On some plantations in 

 Carolina, particularly in the upper country, it is the only species, and is 

 very abundant. We have, however, observed that in some places where 

 it was very common a few years ago, it has altogether disappeared, and 

 has been succeeded by the Norway rat. The Black Rat has been trans- 

 ported to every part of the world where men carry on commerce by 

 means of ships, as just mentioned. 



GENERAL REMARKS. 



Pennant, Kalm, Linnxus, Pallas, Desmarest, and other European 

 writers, seem disposed to consider America the Fatherland of this pest of 

 the civilized world. Harlan adopted the same opinion, but Bartram, (if 

 he was not misunderstood by Kalm,) did more than any other to perpe- 

 tuate the error. 



In the course of a mutual interchange of commodities, the inhabitants 

 of the Eastern and Western Continents have presented each other with 

 several unpleasant additions to their respective productions, especially 

 among the insect tribe. 



We are willing to admit that the Hessian fly was not brought to Ame- 

 rica in straw from Hanover, as we sought in vain for the insect in Ger- 

 many ; but we contend that the Black Rat and the Norway rat, which 

 are in the aggregate, greater nuisances, perhaps, than any other animals 

 now found in our country, were brought to America from the old world. 

 There are strong evidences of the existence of the Black Rat in Persia, 

 long before the discovery of America, and we have no proof that it was 

 known in this country till many years after its colonization. It is true, 



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