of the vermin to organize a razzia against those intruders. It is said that, on entering the cellars, he found a complete mass of these black and brown rats, which formerly were said to be mortal enemies, but now are living on fraternal terms; and, in consequence of crossing the breeds, many of them were dark on the backs, with white bellies and tails. The skins of this race are considered valuable. The night before last the ratcatcher of the capital commenced setting his traps, and on the following morning he had caught 847 rats. According to custom, their tails were cut off, and sent to the Hôtel de Ville, in order to support the claim for the usual reward.”
This, I think, is tolerably clear evidence. And now let us return to our worthy friend Mr. Waterton, and the gentlemen of the Philosophical Institution, who say that the brown rat has worried nearly every individual of the original black rat of Great Britain. This, I fear, is Mr. Waterton’s second mistake, since their diminution may be attributed to more natural causes. The black rat is one-third less than the brown rat, consequently much weaker. The result is, that in the breeding seasons the stronger male rats beat off the weaker, and run away with the black ladies, who in due time have a family of half-bred young ones. When these have become matured, they breed in again with the brown rats; their young become much lighter, and so on for a few generations, and the entire breed will become confirmed brown rats; while the old black rats, having lived as long as nature will allow them, cease to exist, and the race becomes extinct.
Albinos, or White Rats.
Before I give an account of the Brown rat, I must notice the Albino, or White rat. Some authors believe it is a mere accidental variation of the brown rat. Mr. Richardson, in his “Pests of the Farm,” also expresses the same opinion. He says, “The common brown rat sometimes presents albino characteristics; that is to say, it is occasionally to be found of a white colour, with red eyes. In the neighbourhood of Greenock, for instance, he says, there were, some years ago, numbers of these albinos to be met with, especially among the shipping. Some specimens were sent him, and he kept one of them as a pet for a considerable time.”
A colony of white rats was lately discovered in the Ainsworth Colliery, near Bury. They committed great depredations, when they had an opportunity, upon the food of the colliers.
In London, at the present time, these animals, being bred for fancy, are becoming very numerous, and sell at the rate of four shillings a couple. In shape and manners they are exactly like the common barn rat, but rather smaller. Their fur in every part is purest white; and their eyes, noses, and skin, beneath the fur, are of a most delicate pink.
The first who bred these for fancy and profit was a person by the name of Ostin, residing in the Waterloo Road; and he was the first man who brought to perfection the happy family, which may be seen daily at the foot of Waterloo Bridge, London. He informed me that he first procured two white rats, male and female, from Normandy about three years ago; and from this couple he has bred an immense number in cages. He has also initiated his son-in-law in the art of subduing the natural cravings of various animals, and reducing them to one standard of peace and equality. He exhibits his happy family every fine evening in Regent Street, and in the present instance is my principal informant. At the time I write he has above a hundred white rats, besides others. He has crossed the breed with the brown and black rat; and has produced a vast number of both brown and white, and black and white piebald young ones, which are pretty little creatures, and as tame as kittens. He says, “they breed six times in the year; and when the young are two weeks old, the mother is again pregnant. The young ones will breed at four months old.” He mentioned one female which bred so fast that she died from sheer exhaustion. But the natural powers of the rat for breeding are so great, that I believe few animals, if any, in the creation can equal them. He also informs me that these animals are subject to no diseases, except when kept in a dirty cage for any length of time; and then, like ferrets, they are subject to a kind of mange; but cleanliness and good diet will soon cure them. The most he has had in a litter were thirteen, and not a dark hair among them.
Now this does not favour the general opinion of naturalists, or of Mr. Richardson, as to the albino or white rat being an accidental variation from the brown or black rat, because it is a well-known fact to all breeders, either of beasts or birds, that any young one, which may accidentally vary in colour from the rest, will in breeding-time revert to the original stock. So far from doing this, the albino, or white rat, will breed for generations together without varying in colour. Consequently I am led to believe that they are a bonâ fide species; but this I will most humbly leave in the hands of profound naturalists to investigate and decide.
The Brown Rat (Mus decumanus, Linnæus).
We now come to the common Brown rat, or, as Buffon and Cuvier style it, the surmulot. To me it is of little import by what name they call it. This is the animal against whose ravages the present work is directed. Its natural characteristics are so well known that a description seems almost superfluous. Nevertheless, for the greater completion of my work, I will give its colour, parts, and proportions, as described by Linnæus.
The brown rat is the largest species of the genus that occurs with us. Its body is rather elongated and full, the limbs short and moderately strong, the neck short, the head of moderate size, compressed, and rather pointed; the ears are short and round, the tail long, tapering to a point, and covered with 200 rows of scales. On the fore feet are four toes, of which the two middle are much the longest; the soles are bare, and have five prominent papillæ. The hind feet have five toes, of which the three middle are the longest, and nearly equal, the first shorter than the fifth; the sole is bare up to the heel, and has six papillæ. The general colour of the upper parts is reddish brown; the long hairs are black at the end, the lower parts greyish white. On the feet the hairs are very short, whitish, and glistening; the claws are horn-coloured, or greyish yellow. The oesophagus is four inches long; the stomach transversely oblong, 2 1/2 inches in length; the intestine slender, about 2 1/2 twelfths in diameter for four feet three inches; it then enters a large curved sack formed by the head of the colon, which projects two inches, with a diameter of nine-twelfths; from thence to the extremity the intestine measures ten inches; its diameter at first seven-twelfths, but gradually diminishing to four-twelfths. The liver is divided into six lobes, and there is no gall-bladder. In the female there are six pectoral and six inguino-ventral mammæ.
Besides the black and brown, Baron Cuvier gives accounts of seventy-two different kinds of rats, each of which has its native locality, and which it seldom or never quits, except by force or accident. But the black and brown rats are citizens of every genial portion of the globe, and seem to say the world is theirs, for they go where they like, and do as they please. Now it may be asked from whence came they? Ay, there’s the rub; for I know of no animals, in the whole range of natural history, wherein there is so much discrepancy of opinion as to the land of their nativity, or such conflicting testimony adduced by the various philosophers as to which country has the honour of claiming these little truants as its legitimate offspring.* Some naturalists believe these came from the East Indies; others believe they came from the West. Many assert they came from Norway, while others maintain that they were common in England before the Norwegians even heard of them.
It may surprise those who are sticklers for the Scandinavian origin, to know that this rat was brought to England from the Indies and Persia in 1730; that in 1750 the breed made its way to France, and its progress over Europe has since then been more or less rapid; and that when Pallas was travelling in Southern Russia he saw the first detachment arrive, near the mouth of the Volga, in 1766.
Some respectable authorities state that the brown rat came from Persia and the southern regions of Asia, and that the fact is
