230 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE.

large arm-chair taken out of a French vessel, and covered
with blue satin damask, I sat prepared for my enemies, whom
I dreaded much more than the lightning, which was flashing
across the iron bars laid upon the floor. I felt that the silk
of my place of refuge was some sort of protection against
this; but my own arm could alone save me from my four-
footed foes. Presently my husband came in, and saluted me
with a shout of laughter, which, however, abated when he
saw my antagonists. The storm lulled for a while, and the
rats retreated. We then crept within the curtains of bamboo
cloth which encircled a rude imitation of a fourpost bedstead,
but I kept possession of my shoe. Weary with watching, I
closed my eyes, but was awakened by a tremendous flash of
lightning, immediately followed by awful thunder and a
tumultuous rush of rats. Some of them scrambled up the
outside of the curtains; but, arms in hand, I sat up, and
directed by the noise, I hurled the invaders to the ground,
till at length resistance and the passing away of the storm
allowed me to sleep in peace.” This was the brown rat so
farniliar all over the world.

Migrations The habit of rats to migrate in numbers, ap-

of Rats. parently well ordered, and under leadership, has
often been noticed, and the way in which they will leave a
burning house or a sinking ship has often beenrecorded. These
companies will as a rule pass on their own way, and mind
their own business if unmolested, but instances are recorded
of their attacking and severely biting those who have opposed
their progress. The Rev. Mr. Ferryman, who resided at Quorn
in Leicestershire and who made somewhat of a study of rats,
was walking in a meadow one evening when he observed a
large number of rats in the act of migrating from one place
to another. He stood perfectly still, and the whole assem-
blage passed close to him. His astonishment, however, was
great when he saw amongst the number an old, blind rat,
which held ong end of s piece of stick in its mouth while