the diminution of food, caused by the overwhehning increase of an unfriendly 

 race, it is impossible to determine. It has, indeed, been alleged by many 

 naturalists, that the brown rat has actually worried to death its less powerful 

 relative ; and, although this is mere conjecture, it is by no means improbable 

 if we consider the character of that audacious animal, which has been known, 

 when hard pressed, to attack even one of the lords of creation, when unusually 

 hungry to gnaw the flesh of his defenceless offspring, and, when famished, to 

 kill and devour its own kind."* 



[This rat resembles Mus fuscipes of Waterhouse and Darwin {Zool. 

 of Voyage of H. M. S. ^^ Beagle" Vol. i., p. 66), which inhabits the southern 

 part of the Australian continent. This rat is said to be not uncommon 

 on board steamers trading between New Zealand and that country, and 

 maintains its position against the brown Norway rat [M. decwtnanus) ; the 

 two S23ecies have been known to occupy different parts of the same ship. 



An ocherous-coloured rat (a drawing of which, from a specimen in the 

 Auckland Museum, has been forwarded by Captain Hutton), was obtained in 

 New Zealand by Mr. J. Thorpe, in January, 1853, and appears to represent, 

 in this country, a species introduced from Australia {M. Gouldi), from the 

 Sydney district. (See Ilhistration.) 



The illustration of the rat described by Mr. Buller is taken from a siDecimen 

 preserved in spirits. The drawing supplied by Captain Hutton is taken from 

 a stuffed specimen, and the following descriptive notes were sent with it : — 



* Some discussion having taken place at the meeting of the Society, on the 25th June, 

 when the above paper was read, as to " whether any native be now living who could 

 really identify the native rat," (See Proceedings W. P. Society, p. 24,) I beg to add the 

 following extract from a letter which I received from the Rev. T. Chapman, of Maketu, 

 fifteen years ago: — "Relative to the New Zealand rat : T never possessed but one, and 

 it hung up till it rotted away. I have neither seen nor heard of one for these ten years. 

 The only description I can give you of it is that, as far as I remember, it was a true rat, 

 only that the ears were larger and rounded at the end. As far as I know, their habits are 

 the same as those of the Norway rat. * * * x was assured by a chief, of Tauranga, that 

 previous to the introduction of the cat there was a rat, of a species larger than the Nor- 

 way rat, in New Zealand, but that it was always very scarce." (November 5, 1855.) 



Dr. Dieffenbach, writing in 1843, states, — " The indigenous rat has now become so 

 scarce, owing to the extermination carried on against it by the European rat, that I could 

 never obtain one. A few, however, are still found in the interior, viz., at Rotorua, 

 where they have been seen by the Rev. Mr. Chapman, who described them as being 

 much smaller than the Norway rat." {App. Dieff. N. Z., p. 185.) 



My friend, Major Nixon, informs me that when travelling in the interior of this 

 province about sixteen years ago,' the native who accompanied him killed a " Maori rat," 

 which was feasting on the ripe fruit of the kiekie {Freycinetia BanJcsii). His description 

 of this rat, from memory, accords exactly with the specimen which 1 have brought under 

 the notice of the Society. 



