2 1 8 The Mammals of Great Britain and Ireland
National Mouse Club in the nineteenth century, it was not until the twentieth
century that classes for fancy Rats came into notice at the shows.
With respect to superstitions attaching to this species, Mr. Harting has the
following interesting note in his ‘ Essays on Sport and Natural History ’ : 1 ‘ In
bygone times it was a prevalent notion that Rats might be extirpated by a
persevering course of anathematising in rhyme. Reginald Scott, in his “ Discoverie
of Witchcraft” (1584), says the Irish thought they could rhyme any beast to death,
but the notion was in general restricted to the Rat. It is with reference to this
belief or practice that Shakespeare in “ As You Like I t ” (Act iii. scene 2) makes
Rosalind say, “ I never was so berhymed since Pythagoras’ time that I was an
Irish R a t, which I can hardly remember 1 ” ’
Mr. Whitaker possesses a white variety of this species.
1 p . 164.
