CANE-PIECE EAT. 
445 
size, by its rufous colour, and by the smallness of its 
ears, which gives it a peculiar physiognomy. Robin- 
son was acquainted with the species, and has given 
an elaborate description of it in his MS. volumes 
(iv. 13.), as well as a coloured drawing. His spe- 
cimen was considerably larger than mine, for he 
describes its length as 20 inches, of which the tail 
measured half. 
I had heard also of a Rat said to have been in- 
troduced into the colony about a century ago, by Sir 
Charles Price, with the object of keeping down the 
smaller vermin ; it is commonly spoken of as the 
Charley Price Rat ; but whether it is distinct from, 
or identical with, the Cane-piece Rat, I could get 
no very certain information. Mr. Hill, as usual, 
endeavoured to aid my researches. 
In a communication dated May 19th, 1846, he 
had remarked as follows : — “ My inquiries about 
Rats have terminated in making out three species as 
distinctively known in the colony ; — the Black Rat, 
the Brown Rat, and the Cane-piece Rat. 
Tradition relates that the Black Rat is the old- 
est of the family ; that it was introduced by the 
Spaniards, and that it is the Rat of the South of 
Europe. It is now comparatively scarce, but is said 
to be sufficiently common in St. Mary’s. The Brown 
The skin of this specimen was unfortunately lost as soon as it was 
taken from the carcase, and I never obtained another ; so that I have 
no opportunity, by examination of the skull, of determining whether 
the species belongs to that group peculiar to the New World, which 
Mr. Waterhouse has named Hesperomys. The probability is that it 
does. 
