HABITS OF THE RAT. 
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the albino variety of the Norway Eat, and not of the indigenous or Black 
species. 
His habits were pretty similar to those of the Black Rat, but characterised by 
greater wickedness ; his bites were far more furious and obstinate than the other's, 
and he was less affectionate, appearing to owe his own tameness more to dread of 
punishment than to fondness for me. The two Rats agreed pretty well together 
while at large in the room, but neither would suffer the other to approach close 
without a bite—and in these encounters the Black Rat always came off second 
best; indeed, no wonder, the white one being seven inches in length, and his tail 
six. The latter always preferred animal food when it could be got; drank less 
milk ; and had an offensive smell, which the other had not. 
Ere I had my new guest a fortnight, I got possession of a prodigious Norway 
Rat in the following manner:—I had, as I hinted in the commencement of this 
paper, a tame Polecat, a very amusing, though frequently troublesome companion 
*—for insisting, as it did, on following my steps everywhere, I was in constant 
dread of its gaining access to my a Rattery,” and destroying my Black and white 
pets. I had occasion one morning early to visit a cellar at the lower part of the 
house, whither “ Jemmy,’’ as the Polecat was called, had followed me, when just 
as I opened the door, a monstrous Rat hobbled, rather than ran, across the floor— 
one bound, and u Jemmy" had it by the nape of the neck; but, having been 
struck with its great size, I seized the captor before he had time to injure his 
prey, and by dint of a good throtling, succeeded in rescuing it—not, however, 
without receiving a bite from the disappointed animal, the mark of which I bear 
to the present hour upon my thumb. I had-very little difficulty in taming this 
Rat; fear soon left him, and my only remaining difficulty was to cure him of 
biting, which, however, I never could entirely do. Pie was excessively fat, 
and apparently incapable of much exertion; sulky, peevish, and unconquerably 
insolent: these points of character were frequently exhibited in a very amusing 
light. 
As to the other two Rats, while they kept at a respectful distance, he took but 
little notice of them; but if they came too near they were sure to suffer; and 
had his activity been equal to his strength, he would probably have killed both. 
His length was thirteen inches and nearly a quarter of an inch ! and his tail 
nearly a foot long! he weighed 2lbs. loz., avoirdupois ! I showed him to several 
persons who declared that such a Rat they had never seen; such another I never 
saw living, but I once saw a stuffed specimen in a museum belonging to one 
Caffrae, measuring 18 inches in length, and the tail 16 ! that, however, was 
labelled as a native of Norway, not, as mine was, a naturalized animal. This 
Rat preferred flesh to any other food, and would, in the absence of such, devour 
candles, soap, or any article of an unctuous nature that came in his way. I once 
