298 M U S. 
not, therefore, waft or clean out the trap, as fome people 
do before they let it again, but let the dung and urine 
remain in it. 
And it is ufeful, this writer remarks, when the holes 
are found quiet, and that no rats ufe them, to hop them 
up with the following compoiition. Take a pint of com¬ 
mon tar, half an ounce of pearl-nfhes, an ounce of oil of 
vitriol, and a good handful of common fait; mix them all 
well together in an old pan or pot. Take lome pieces of 
paper, and lay fome of the above mixture very thick on 
them; then ftop the holes well up with them, and build 
up the mouth of the holes with brick or hone, and mor¬ 
tar ; if this be properly done, rats will, he a Herts, no more 
approach thefe while either fmell or tafte remains in the 
compofition. But, with a view' to deftroy rats in places 
where traps cannot be fet, it is recommended to take a 
quart of the above bait, then to rafp into it three nuts of 
nux vomica, and add a quarter of a pound of crumb of 
bread ; mix them all well together, and lay it into the 
mouth of their holes, and in different places where they 
frequent; but fir ft give them of the bait without nux 
vomica, for three or four fucceeding nights; and, when 
they find it agrees with them, they will eat that mixed 
with the nut with greedinefs. 
How’ever, as it is frequently found that rats are very 
•troublefome in fewers and drains, in fuch cafes arfenic 
may be ufed with fuccefs in the following manner: Take 
fome dead rats, and having put fome white arfenic, finely 
powdered, into an old pepper-box, (hake a quantity of it 
on the fore-parts of the dead rats, and put them down the 
boles, or avenues, by the fides of the fewers at which they 
come in ; this puts a ftop to the live ones coming any fur¬ 
ther; for, when they perceive the arfenic, they will retire 
immediately; whereas, if they were put down without 
the arfenic, the live ones would eat them. It is by means 
of arfenic, notwithftanding the above obfervations, that 
the molt certain method of deftroying thefe troublefome 
vermin, (provided they can be made to eat it,) takes place; 
which we have found to anfwer beft, when it is prepared 
by being finely levigated, and mixed up with very ltrong 
old cheel’e and oatmeal. 
In a note in the Agricultural Survey of Lancafiiire, it 
is ftated, that it is greatly to be lamented that Mr. Heath- 
cote’s method of deftroying rats and mice is not generally 
known and pra&ifed; if it were, there would be a total 
extirpation of thole obnoxious and deftruftive animals ; 
for in one night he totally deftroys them (where he is 
employed), be they ever fo numerous, as can be well at- 
tefted by hundreds in the neighbourhood of Ormikirk, 
who have employed him. And it is added, that the com¬ 
pofition he makes ufe of he puts in their holes and bur¬ 
rows ; and, from the fmall quantity he ufes, it is aftonifli- 
ing it Ihould have fuch an effeft: it will keep good two 
years. It is alfo ftated, that a farmer recommends, for the 
deftruftion of rats, one ounce of pounded quick-lime to 
four ounces of tallow-cake, to be beaten together and 
made into balls, and placed in their runs, which has- 
cleared many buildings. But it has been proved by ex¬ 
perience, it is faid, that an ounce of aerated barytes finely 
powdered, mixed with the tallow', in place of lime, is more 
effectual. 
9. Mas giganteus, the bandicote rat: grey ; ears round 
and naked ; the two exterior toes of the hind-feet ftorter. 
We find an account of this fpecies in the Linn. Tranf. 
vol. vii. by Capt. Thomas Hardwicke. It is the M. Ma- 
labaricus of Shaw’s Zoology 5 but, as it is not peculiar to 
the coaft of Malabar, and is the largeft known fpecies of 
the genus, Capt. H. prefers the fpecific denomination of 
giganteus. The female here defcribed and figured weigh¬ 
ed two pounds eleven ounces and a half: its total length, 
twenty-fix inches and a quarter. The male is larger than 
a rabbit, and weighs upwards of three pounds. It is very 
mifchievous and predacious. In fiiape and general ap¬ 
pearance it feems moft to refemble the Norway rat. Its 
colour is a pale cinereous brown \ the ears thin, nearly 
bare, and rounded ; the fnout rather long; the fore-feet 
fhaped like thofe of the Norway rat, with four toes, and 
a claw in place of a fifth : the hind-feet have five toes, of 
which the two exterior are coniiderably fliorteq than the 
reft : the tail is above eleven inches in length. This fpe¬ 
cies is faid to be very common about the coafts of the 
Malabar country. At Pondicherry it is frequent, infeft- 
ing houfes, like the brown rat. Its voice is faid to refem¬ 
ble the grunting of a pig. Captain H. adds, “ The bite 
of this animal is coniidered dangerous; and an inftance of 
its effefts came under my notice while at the military fta- 
tion of Futtehgurgh, in the Dooab, where an European 
in the India Company’s artillery died under a confirmed 
hydrophobia in about twelve days, after having been 
bitten by a rat. This opinion I reft upon the judgment 
of the medical gentleman who attended the unfortunate 
man fubfequently to the accident.” 
10 Mus perchal, the perchal rat: colour ferruginous 
brown ; the hind-legs larger. This fpecies is a native of 
India, and in its general appearance refembles the Norway 
rat, but is of a longer ftape, with a thicker and ftorter tail 
in proportion. It is of a deep fubferruginous brown above, 
and of a greyift call beneath ; the hind-legs are larger 
than the fore : the ears naked and rounded, and the nof# 
rather blunt. This rat is faid to be very numerous about 
Pondicherry, infefting houfes in the fame manner as the 
rats of Europe. It feems to have been fir ft defcribed by 
Monf. Sonnerat, and is evidently allied to the preced¬ 
ing. Both fpecies are faid to be occafionally eaten by the 
natives. 
11. Mus mufculus, the common moufe ; brown, aft- 
coloured beneath, with tetradattylous fore-feet, penta- 
daifylous hind-feet, and long nearly-naked tail. The 
manners and appearance of this little animal are fo uni- 
verfally known, that it feems aim oft unneceflary to parti- 
cularife it by a formal defcription. It is a general inha¬ 
bitant of almoft every part of the old continent; but it is 
doubtful whether it be originally a native of America, 
though now fufficiently common in many parts of the new 
world, as well as in many of its fcattered iftands. See the 
Plate, fig. a. 
The moufe, though wild and extremely timid, is not of 
a ferocious difpofition, but may be eafily tamed, and, foon 
after it has been taken, will begin to feed without fear, in 
the immediate prefence of its captors. The white variety 
is frequently kept in a tame ftate, and receives addi¬ 
tional beauty from the bright red colour of its eyes ; a 
particularity which generally accompanies the white va¬ 
rieties, not only of this tribe, but of many other quadrq- 
peds. The moufe inhabits houfes and granaries in Eu¬ 
rope, Alia, and America ; follows mankind; eats all 
kinds of fweet and good provifions, drinks little ; is gen¬ 
tle, and very prolific. It is devoured by rats, cats, wee- 
fels, owls, and hedge-hogs ; is deliroyed by elder and hel¬ 
lebore ; and is laid to poffefs fome trifling eleftrica! pro¬ 
perties while alive. 
12. Mus iilvaticus, the field-moufe : tail long, fcaly; 
body yellowift-brown, beneath white ; breaft yellow. 
This animal chiefly frequents dry and elevated grounds, 
and is found in woods and fields in great plenty. It ap¬ 
pears to be common in all the temperate parts of Europe, 
and even in Ruflia. It fometimes varies in fize, indivi¬ 
duals being occafionally met with which exceed the reft 
in magnitude, though differing in no other refpect. Its. 
general length is about four inches and a half from nofe to 
tail; and the tail, which is flightly covered with hair, mea- 
fures four inches. The colour of the animal is a yellowifli 
brown above, and whitifli beneath; the colours being- 
pretty diftindlly marked or feparated : the eyes are full 
and black, and the fnout rather blunt. Thefe animals 
retire into holes among bruflrwood, and under the trunks 
of trees, where theyamafs great quantities of acorns, nuts, 
and beech-maft. According to Buffon, a whole buftel 
has fometimes been found in a fingle hole. Thefe holes 
about a foot or more, under ground, and are often di¬ 
vided 
