28 
BROWN OR NORWAY RAT. 
According to the same author, who quotes R. Smith, Rat Catcher, p. 5, 1768, 
(see Godman, vol. 2, p. 77,) the Brown Rat was not known even in Europe 
prior to the year 1750. Richardson says, (probably quoting from Harlan, 
Fauna, p. 149,) that it was brought from Asia to Europe, according to the 
accounts of historians of the seventeenth century, and was unknown in Eng- 
land before 1730. Pennant, writing in 1785, says he has no authority for con- 
sidering it an inhabitant ofthe new continent (America). Harlan states 
that the Norwegian rat did not, as he was credibly informed, make 
its appearance in the United States any length of time previous to the 
year 1775. Harlan does not give the Brown Rat as an American species, 
giving only what he considered indigenous species. 
The Brown Rat brings forth from 10 to 15 young at a litter, and breeds 
several times in a year. Fortunately for mankind, it has many enemies : 
weasels, skunks, owls, hawks, &c., as well as cats and dogs. We have never 
known the latter to eat them, but they may at times do so. Rats are also 
killed by each other, and the weak ones devoured by the stronger. 
This species becomes very fat and clumsy when living a long time in 
mills or warehouses. We have often seen old ones so fat and inactive 
that they would fall back when attempting to ascend a staircase. 
We will take our leave of this disagreeable pest, by saying, that it is 
omnivorous, devouring with equal voracity meat of all kinds, eggs, poul- 
try, fish, reptiles, vegetables, &c. &c. It prefers eels to other kinds of fish, 
having been known to select an eel out of a large bucket of fresh fish, 
and drag it off to its hole. In vegetable gardens it devours melons, cu- 
cumbers, &c., and will eat into a melon, entering through a hole large 
enough to admit its body, consuming the tender sweet fruit, seeds and 
all, and leaving the rind almost perfect. Where rats have gained 
access to a field or vegetable garden, they generally dig holes near the 
fruits or vegetables, into which they can make an easy retreat at the ap- 
proach of an enemy. 
We have represented several of these rats in our plate about to devour 
muskmelons, for which they have a strong predilection. 
GEOGRArHIOAL DISTRIBUTION. 
The Mus Decumanus is found in all the temperate parts of the world 
where man has been able to carry it in ships. It has not as yet penetrat- 
ed into the fur countries, to the Rocky Mountains and California. The 
Neotoma Drummondi would probably be able to destroy it, being quite 
as fierce and much larger, should its wanderings lead it into the territory 
occupied by the latter. The Brown or Norway Rat is met with almost 
