104 



VERTEBRATES. 



The same amusing naturalist, being considerably annoyed 

 by the depredations on his provisions, and the unceasing clatter 

 that they kept up behind the panels of his sitting-room, after try- 

 ing Tarious plans to extirpate them, at last thought of a method, 

 rich in the same humor with which most of his actions are tinged, 

 and as efficacious in its operation as amusing in its idea : — " Hav- 

 ing caught one of them in a box trap, I dipped its hinder parts 

 inte warm tar, and then turned it loose behind the hollow plinth. 

 The others, seeing it in this condition, and smelling the tar all 

 along the run through which it had gone, thought it most prudent 

 to take themselves off: and thus, for some months after this ex- 

 periment, I could sit and read in peace, free from the bated noise 

 of rats. On moving the plinth at a subsequent period, we found 

 that they had actually gnawed away the corner of a peculiarly 

 hard-burnt brick, which had obstructed their thoroughfare." 



The Water-Rat is a little animal, about the size of the 



black rat^ but in its nature and habits rather resembling the otte» 

 than the rat. Like the otter, it frequents the fresh waters, and is 



