THE BROWN RAT. 



Like the Water Rat, it can dive or fwim with facility, and commonly 

 burrows on the lides of ponds, ditches, or rivers, where it finds a partial 

 fubfiftence among fifties, frogs, and fmall animals : its rapacity, however, is 

 by no means confined to thefe, as it deftroys game, poultry, fruits, and grain 

 with equal avidity. Its difpofition is bold and fierce, and when aflaulted or 

 purfued it will fallen on the hand or ftick of its enemy. During the 

 fummer it remains in the fields, but on the approach of cold weather it feeks 

 a Ihelter in fome dwelling-houfe, to the great annoyance of the proprietors. 



The females of this fpecies are exceedingly prolific, commonly bringing 

 from twelve to eighteen young ones at a time. Providence has, however, 

 wifely decreed that this furprifing increafe mould fuffer a conftant diminution 

 from the infatiable appetite of thefe animals, which induces them to fealt 

 upon each other. They have alfo many formidable and inveterate enemies, 

 that hunt and deftroy them upon every occafion ; among thefe we muft 

 rank the Cat, the Weafel, and feveral forts of Dogs, all of which prove 

 fubfervient to the interefts of man, who aids their vigorous exertions by a 

 variety of inventions. 



A truly curious circumftance is mentioned in Mr. Bewick's Hiftory of 

 Quadrupeds (a) concerning thefe animals. It is there faid, that the fkins of 

 fuch as have been devoured in their holes have frequently been difcovered 

 turned infide out, every part being inverted, even to the ends of the toes. 

 It is impoflible to afcertain the mode of performing this operation, but it 

 molt probably refults from the method of eating out the flefli. 



(a) Vide Bewick's History of Quadrupeds, p. 412. 



