THE BROWN RAT. 



Generic Characters. 

 Two cutting teeth in each jaw. 

 Four toes before, five behind. 

 Slender taper tail, naked, or very flightly haired. 



Synonims. 

 Norway Rat, Br. ZooL i. No. 26. 

 Le Surmulot, de Buffon, viii. 200, tab. xxvii. 

 Brown Rat, Pennant Hift. Quad. vol. ii. p. 178. 

 Mus Decumanus, Pallas nov. fp. fafc. i. 91. 



THIS bold invader, commonly diftinguiftied by the name of the Norway 



Rat, was a ftranger in Great Britain about fixty years ago; fince that 



period, however, it has nearly extirpated the Black Rat, which was formerly 



univerfal in the country, and has increafed with fuch rapidity, that every 



attempt to exterminate it has proved ineffectual. It is now commonly 



found in moil parts of Europe, India, Perfia, and Ruflia. Mr. Pennant 



alludes to an immenfe migration of thefe animals, which arrived, fome years 



ago, from the weft at the town of Jaik; and to an equal number which, 



in the year 1727, appeared in the vicinage of Aftracan, completely filled the 



bed of the Volga, and infefted the houfes in a moft dreadful manner. 



The Brown Rat is about nine inches long. Its head, fides, and back, are 



of a light brown colour, mixed with afti and tawny; its breaft and belly 



are of a dirty white; its feet naked and of a dark flefh colour; the length 



of its tail is equal to that of its body; and its ufual weight about eleven 

 ounces. 



