192 ON THE TOTAL AND PARTIAL 



whole extent of the British Empire *." America, according to Pennant/ 

 received its stock of brown rats by a ship from Antwerp. <{ Pallas 

 tells us that they arrived at Astracan in the autumn of 1727> m such 

 numbers, and in so short a time, that nothing could be done to oppose 

 them. They came from the western desert, and traversed the waves 

 of the Volga, which unquestionably must have swallowed up part of 

 their horde. They have not advanced any farther north, and are not to 

 be found in Siberia t." The brown rat has diffused itself almost over 

 the whole of those countries just particularised. In Scotland they do 

 not seem to have established themselves so generally as in England and 

 Ireland. Cuvier says that in some parts of France the brown rat is 

 not known ; and Dr. James Mitchell, in an interesting lecture delivered 

 some time since at one of the metropolitan institutions, in adverting to 

 the invasions made by the brown rats, stated that though they had 

 appeared in London in considerable abundance, yet they had not hither- 

 to extirpated the black rat, which was to be found in the society of the 

 former, in many of the large distilleries and breweries. As the few 

 black rats that remain are continually being routed by the stronger and 

 larger species, we now and then hear of their appearing in different 

 places, to which they probably resort to avoid their annoyers. In the 

 catalogue of the Zoological Gardens, published in 1831, it was stated 

 that the black rat (Mus rattus) had lately appeared in various parts 

 of London ; and a correspondent to this Magazine has informed us that 

 they have recently made their appearance at Ballindalloch, Scotland. 

 (Vide page 102.) So scarce, however, were black rats in Goldsmith's 

 time, that he says he does not remember ever to have seen one. 



Owing to the encroachment of cultivation and the consequent disap- 

 pearance of open and seldom traversed plains, the bustard ( Otis tarda) is 

 now very seldom to be seen. It is one of the scarcest birds at present in this 

 country, though once it was very abundant in different places. Though 

 this and many other birds, nearly extirpated, may be great desiderata to 

 the cabinet of the collector ; yet it were well, and to their credit, if, upon 

 the discovery of such living rarities in their neighbourhood, they would 

 refrain from destroying or alarming them, for there can be but little 

 doubt that this and other rare species, if permitted to pass unmolested, 

 would, in a few years after a cessation of hostilities, again become plen- 

 tiful, and afford to all the opportunity of observing their habits. View- 

 ing the matter in a natural history light, I cannot but consider that the 



* Natural History, vol.i. p. 21. (new edition.) -f- Ibid, p. 212. 



