18 
MURIDA2. 
the foregoing remarks had been written. The two specimens re- 
ferred to in these memoranda are now in the Belfast Museum. — E d.] 
“ March 1st, 1850 . — Mus rattus? — M. Hibernicus . — A very large rat of this 
species (large even for M. decumanus) was brought me to look at to-day, in the 
flesh. It was killed at Cogry Mills, near Doagh (County Antrim). Its weight 
is 1 lb. 3 oz. ; it is a male. It is wholly black, except a white elongate marking, 
an inch and half long, upon the breast, and a little white on the toes. 
in. lines. 
Length from snout to base of tail . . .110 
of tail, which is imperfect . . . .83 
head 2 8 
ears ....... 0 lOf 
“ March 1st, 1851 . — Black Rat, with white spot on breast. — A very fine one 
was sent me by Mr. Wm. Marshall, of Barn Cottage (near Carrickfergus ) ; its 
weight, 13^oz. avoirdupois/’ 
The Brown or Common Rat, Mas decumanus, Pall. 
This animal, although not aboriginal, is now, unfortunately, too well 
known to be much dwelt on. It is said to have been unknown in Eng- 
land before 1730 (Pennant, Jenyns, and Magill.) ; and not to have been 
introduced into Paris until twenty years later. Rutty, how r ever, in Jiis 
Natural History of Dublin, states that the species “ first began to infest 
these parts about the year 1722/’ Its native country is not positively 
known. 
White varieties of the common rat have occasionally come under the 
inspection of some of my correspondents, as well as of myself. In August, 
1838, I examined an entirely white specimen, in the possession of a gen- 
tleman in Belfast, the eyes of which were of the ordinary black colour. 
Thomas Walker, jun., Esq., of Belmont (County Wexford), informed me, 
in 1837, that “ white rats were rather common in the kennel there. They 
had pink eyes ; but in shape and hair were different from the common 
rat ; the body long and narrow ; and the hair long and wiry, like that of 
a rough terrier.” 
At Holyw r ood House (County Down), a pear-tree w T as pointed out to 
me, in June, 1842, from which, it was stated, about a bushel of pears had 
been taken by rats, in the previous summer. The branches were spread 
against the garden "wall in such a position as to be easily accessible ; and 
there was a rat-hole at the distance of about ten yards, with a well-beaten 
path leading to the tree. The depredators scooped out the inside of the 
fruit, leaving the rind ; and did this leisurely, as the mangled remains 
were left at the foot of the tree. 
Two of my friends, who have been in the habit of keeping ferrets, in- 
formed me, in 1849, that the presence of these animals did not deter rats 
from frequenting the places where they were kept. On one occasion (at 
Loughanmore, County Antrim), rats ate through two or three small 
wooden rails to get at the food of the ferrets, several of which w'ere, at 
the time, lying at the upper end of the same box, about four feet from 
where the food was. 
I have also been told that rats feed upon frogs’ spawn, but cannot 
vouch for the fact. 
John Sinclair, Esq., states, as the result of his examination of many 
broods of young rats, that a great proportion of them — not less than 
three-fourths — were males. 
