THE ISLAND OF CEYLON. 
the surface of the ground by a membrane which closes 
over its eyes as soon as it becomes exposed to the rays of 
light : and from this it derives its name. 
The bandy-coot is as large as a middling-sized cat, the 
body very thick and round, and the head greatly resem- 
bling that of a hog; it also makes a grunting noise like 
that animal. When closely pursued or attacked, the bandy- 
coot becomes very fierce, and turns furiously on its as- 
sailants. 
The musk-rat, or perfuming shrew, is very small, with a 
long snout, much extended beyond the under jaw. In run- 
ning about it makes a squeaking noise like the squirrel, 
but much shriller and louder. From the intolerable smell 
of musk which accompanies and remains behind these animals 
where-cver they go, they are very disagreeable inmates ; 
and there is scarcely a house in Col umbo in particular which 
has not been strongly scented by them in every corner. 
Many articles are rendered entirely useless by the smell of 
musk which they communicate in merely running over 
them. For it is a certain fact, that of so penetrating a 
nature is their effluvia, that if they even pass over a 
bottle of wine ever so well corked and sealed up, it be- 
comes so strongly tainted with musk that it cannot be 
used ; and a whole cask may be rendered useless in the 
same manner. 
When I arrived in Ceylon in the latter end of the 
year 1796 3 the houses were terribly infested with rats. 
