THE RAT. 



217 



other things which the adjacent ground would 

 afford. 



That they move from place to place in large 

 bodies cannot well be disputed. A respectable 

 farmer, by name John Mathewman, now living in 

 this neighbourhood, has informed me that, as he 

 was returning home one moonlight night, about 

 eleven o'clock, he suddenly came upon a large 

 drove of rats, near Sandal Three-houses. They 

 were coming up a lane which opened upon the 

 high road; and, as soon as they discovered him, 

 they gave mouth in a general squeal. Those 

 nearest to him rose on their hind legs ; and then 

 the whole body separated, and scampered off in all 

 directions. Probably these adventurers were on the 

 look out that night for better quarters. 



Rats will occasionally attempt to feed on indi- 

 viduals of the human species when they are asleep. 

 In 1824, I went with that excellent American 

 naturalist, Mr. Titian Peale, down the Delaware* 

 to the neighbourhood of Salem, in order to make 

 researches in ornithology ; and we procured good 

 lodgings at a farmer's house. During the night 

 I was disturbed by a movement in the straw mat- 

 tress on which I lay, of a somewhat suspicious 

 nature ; but, being exceedingly tired with our 

 day's exertion, I fell asleep again till about haif- 

 past four, my usual hour of rising. At breakfast, 

 *' Madam," said 1 to the farmer s wife, " I could 

 almost have fancied that there were rats in my 

 mattress last night." — " Very likely, sir," said she, 

 with the greatest composure; and then she told 



