The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1912-08-17

that the species is at present I'M
known in Persia, and that in India
the black rat is the generally distri-
buted species, while the brown rat
occurs only along the coast and the
navigable rivers This implies that
the latter species is comparatively
recent immigrant into India.
AS regards the arrival of the
brown rat in Europe, two facts ere
known. The species reached Eng
land from some eastern port about
1928 or 1929, and according to Pal
las, little earlier, 1927, crossed he
Russian frontier from Asia and soon
spread over the greater part of that
country. This statement, taken Ill
connection with that of Blanford,
makes it highly probable that before
this migration the Asiatic home of
the species was north, rather than
south, of the high mountains of
northern India This view, which
has been adopted by several natn-
ralists, is further strengthened by
the fact that the animal flourishes
better in temperate than in tropical
climates.
Possibly earlier and unrecorded
westward migrations of the brown
rat took place. A few years ago
Professor Waile, the archaeol0gist,
while making excavations at Cher
chell on the coast of Algeria, dug
up the skull Of a rat, which he
stated was contemporary with he
Roman occupation of the country un.
der the Caesars. The skull had but
one mOlar, much worn, but the chan.
ial bones were intact, and French
biologists pronounced the remains
as undoubtedly those of the i"surmu-
lot" or brown rat. This shows that
We have little more than conjectures
for the early history of this species.
The brown rat is said to have first
appeared in Paris in 1850. 1t was
brought to the United States, prob
ably from England, about the begin
ming of the Revolution, ITS. Ac-
cording to Audubon, it was unknown
on the Pacific coast OF the United
States in 1851; but DR.. y. S. New
berry thought it must have arrived
at San Diego, Monterey, and San
Francisco at a much earlier date.
Doctor Cooper recorded its arrival at
Fort Steilacoom, Washington, as oc
curing about 1855.
General Description.
The brown rat differs considerably
from the black rat and roof rat. II
is larger, has a shorter head, more
obtuse muzzle, smaller ears, and a
relatively shorter tail. The general
color is grayish-brown above and
Wh!tish below The over hairs Of
the upper parts have black tips. The
tail is usually shorter than the head
and body , combined. The average
measurements of adult specimens of
the brown rat in the biological sur
Vey collections are as follows: To-
tai length, Ais. millimeters 1853 in
chest; tail, 1872 miIlimeters )71 in
ches; hind foot, .43 millmeters az
incheS). This species sometimes at.
ta,Ds a total length of 10 to 20 in
ches, and has been known to weigh
a to % ounces and even more. The
average weight of an adult brown rat
is considerably less than a pound.
The black rat is less robust than
the brown rat. 1t has a longer head.
sharper muzzle, and larger and
broader ears. The tail is longer than
the head and body combined. The
fur is of sooty, or plumbeous black
color, paler on the underparts. 1t
is much softer and denser than that
OF the brown rat, and the mixtures
OF very dark and lighter over hairs
give it a peculiar shining appear
ance. The average measurements OF
20 apparently adult specimens in the
collection of the biological survey are
as follows: Total length, 379 MILL
meters GAS inches; tail, 2O7.4 MILL
meters CS.1 inches); hind foot, 1913
millimeters q. inches).
The roof rat in general resembles
the black rat, except as to color and
texture of fur. Above it does not
greatly differ in color from the brown
rat, but its under parts are usually
more yellowish. The fur is common.
ly shorter and harsher in texture
than that Of the black rat, but this
difference might not always be ap-
parent in specimens of the two forms
from the same latitude. The aver
q