E. D. W. Hatch

“ Its most singular trait, its habit of barter, is apparently, if the same, unknown. He is not a thief like the monkey, who steals and makes no reparation, but, with a strange kind of honesty, whenever he helps himself he puts something (to his mind, perhaps, as valuable) in its place; he adapts himself to circumstances; there being neither corn nor shell-fish in the Northwest, he does very well without, and maintains a plump appearance upon something else. The habit of building here is in dry haunts, where it can find seclusion and secrecy. ”

“ They are "good providers," and in the fall build their nests, and fill them with stores of eatables, the result of persevering foraging expeditions for their families before winter is on them. Under a large cotton wood-tree on a side-hill, partly underneath a fallen trunk, a party of us found a mountain-rat's nest. It was built up nearly two feet in height, the top or roof covering it sloped on all sides to shed rain or snow; tearing it to pieces, we found it was built closely of grass, moss, chips, bones, and many leaves of the cactus (which grows plentifully among the rocks) ”

“ A description in Appletons' "Cyclopædia" seems in some respects to tally pretty well, under the name of "The Florida Rat." It describes these rats as "very abundant in the Southern Atlantic and Gulf States, and occasionally found in the West. The habits vary much in different localities, living in some places in the woods, in others under stones, or in the ruins of buildings; in swampy districts they heap up mounds, two or three feet high, of grasses, leaves, and sticks, cemented by mud; sometimes the nest is made in the fork or hollow of a tree; are very active, and excellent climbers ”

“ Still another writer, speaking of the same, calls it chinchilla; says that it usually sits upon its haunches, and is even able to raise itself up and stand upon its hinder feet; that it feeds in a sitting posture, grasping its food and carrying it to its mouth by means of its fore-paws, and adds, "The ancient Peruvians were a very industrious people, and they made of this fur wool coverlets for beds and valuable stuffs." ”

“ I have known them to bring nails, bits of iron, screws, and other things left about the sheds, quite a distance to the house, place them on shelves, boxes, or kegs, just as they fancied, but all in some selected spot, carrying back from cellar and storehouse dried prunes, apples, rice, and all kinds of eatables. If, working in the dark, the drawing of a match, a slight noise, or sudden light will cause them to vanish like a flash. ”

“ And he adds, which to us seems odd enough, about a little creature six or more inches in length, "For this reason it might well be kept in the houses, with no annoyance, and at a trifling expense, which would be abundantly repaid by the profits on its wool."
Another writer upon Chili, in 1824, speaks of the same animal and calls it a woolly field-mouse, which lives underground, and chiefly feeds on wild onions, saying that its fine fur is well known in Europe; that that which comes from Upper Peru is rougher and larger than that from Chili, but not always so beautiful in color. ”

“ With all their curious and often annoying tricks, they are wonderfully ingenious and persevering, and certainly possess the attributes of a good business man in their energy, industry, foresight, and a desire to make provision against a time of need. ”

“ They seem, too, to have a fancy for certain colors, particularly bright red, and will soon make away with garments of this color, and attach them to their nests. There may be something attractive in the dye, but, knowing their partiality for glittering, shining objects, I am inclined to think they have also an eye for color. ”