51 



NORWAY EAT. 



Mus Decumanus. M, cauda longissima sqmmata, corpore sefoso 

 griseo subtus albido. Lin. Syst. Nat. Gmel. p. 127. 



Grey stiff-haired Rat, with very long scaly tail, and body whitish 

 beneath. 



Surmulot. Biiff. 8.^. 206. pL 27. 

 Brown Rat. Pennant Quadr. 2. p. 178. 

 Norway Rat. Brit. Zool. p. 102. 



This domestic species^ which is now become 

 the common rat of our own island^ and is popu- 

 larly known by the name of the Norway Rat^ is 

 supposed to be a native of India and Persia, from 

 which countries it has been imported into Eu- 

 rope. In England it seems to have made a na- 

 tional conquest over the black rat, which is now 

 become rare in comparison. The brown rat is 

 larger than the black rat, measuring nine inches 

 from the nose to the tail, which is of the same 

 length, and marked into about two hundred rings 

 or circular spaces : the colour of the animal is a 

 pale tawny grey, whitish beneath : the fore feet 

 have four toes, with a claw in place of a fifth. 

 It is a bold and voracious animal, and commits 

 great havoc in granaries, &c. Sometimes it takes 

 up its residence in the banks of waters, and 

 swims occasionally with almost as much facility 

 as the water rat, or Mus amphibius. In its gene- 

 ral manner of life it agrees with the black rat ; 

 and not only devours grain and fruits, but preys 

 on poultry, rabbets, and various other animals. 

 It is a very prolific species, and produces from ten 



