THE BLACK EAT. 
7 
among the ancients ; and the modern authors, who have 
spoken clearly upon the subject, go no further back than the 
sixteenth century. 
Gesner is, perhaps, the first naturalist who has described 
the black rat. Some think, with Linnseus and Pallas, that 
we received it from America ; and others believe that it was 
a present of our own to that country, made after v/e had 
ourselves received it from the Eastern regions. 
It is certain that the black rat is to be found in all the 
warm and temperate climates of the globe; that it is won- 
derfully common in Persia, and multiplied to a prodigious 
extent in the Western Islands, where it is not obliged by 
winter to seek refuge in the habitations of man ; but where 
the fields, through the entire year, present it with abundance 
of nutriment. In all parts of America, from its ravages and 
devastations, it has become a perfect scourge. In fact, the 
black rat consumes an immense quantity of provisions, and 
destroys and damages still more than it consumes, particu- 
larly in the fields, where it tears up plants from the roots, of 
which it eats but a portion. 
Gesner furthermore states that these animals bring forth 
many times in the year, and that during the season of their 
amours they have very violent combats, and utter cries resem- 
bling a sharp hissing. Their young are born entirely naked, 
and with their eyes shut. They are generally about nine, or 
sometimes more, in number. 
Sir W. J ardine, in his " Naturalist's Library," believes 
that this animal was originally imported from the Continent, 
where it first made its appearance at the beginning of the 
sixteenth century, and was supposed to come from the East. 
If so, it may as well be called a Turkish or an Irish rat as an 
English. Mr. Bell says it is possible, from the proximity of 
the two countries, that the black rat was first imported into 
this country from France. Indeed the Welsh name for it, 
which signifies " French mouse," appears to favour this 
opinion. The French, on the other hand, call it the En- 
glish rat, though it is far more numerous in Paris than 
London. 
Most historians, however, agree as to its being a foreigner, 
whencesoever it came ; and there are no records of its exist- 
ence in this country prior to the sixteenth century. The 
