624 MURID^— EPIMYS 



Occasionally, as reported in the daily press for Midlothian 

 and Lincolnshire in 1889, rats become so numerous as to 

 constitute a recognised " plague." These increases are parallel 

 to those occurring in other rodents, and may have been more 

 frequent in former times when the Black Rat held undisputed 

 sway in this country. 



Food and other articles are always carried away, if possible, 

 to the burrow. A single nest was found to contain three 

 towels, two serviettes, five dust cloths, two pairs of linen knicker- 

 bockers, six linen handkerchiefs, and one silk handkerchief; 

 near this nest were i^ lbs. of sugar, a pudding, a stalk of 

 celery, a beet, carrots, turnips, and potatoes.^ Millais states 

 (ii. 224) that 1728 gnawed serviettes were found behind the 

 wainscot of a London restaurant. 



A partial migration is performed according to season from 

 the open country in summer to the shelter of farms and houses 

 in winter ; and similar movements take place where food varies 

 with the season. For instance, herring fisheries are said^ to 

 attract large numbers to the coast every year, the rats returning 

 inland on the cessation of the fishery in October. In foreign 

 countries very much larger and more irregular movements have 

 been noticed.* 



Mr Cocks {in lit.) relates a remarkable experience in 

 Heligoland many years ago. While walking along the cliffs 

 he shot a Peregrine Falcon, which fell on the rocks below. 

 As soon as the tide permitted he set off, along the shore, to 

 retrieve his prize. It was an autumn evening, and " presently, 

 in the complete solitude and silence, I was very much startled 

 by a sort of rushing sound, as of countless feet. The next 

 moment I began to be passed from behind by a legion of 

 rats, numbering at least little short of, and quite likely con- 

 siderably over a thousand, who made their habitat at the base 

 of the cliff, and came out when the tide fell, looking for food. 

 I never saw anything like it before or since. We did not 

 interfere with each other, though they perforce had to pass me 

 quite close." 



' Field, loth Jan. 1891, 46 ; Lantz, op. cit., 29. 



2 Lantz, op. cit, 17. ^ Lantz, loc. cit. 



