On a supposed Native Rat, observed at Whangarei. — Extract of a letter from Mr. J. Martin to Captain Hutton.

Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 3, 1870, Page 88

6. On a supposed Native Rat, observed at Whangarei. — Extract of a letter from Mr. J. Martin to Captain Hutton. “In accordance with your request I beg to furnish you with such particulars as I can remember of a strange species of rat, seen by me at Pauia Bay, Whangarei, in June, 1869. “At daybreak I was awakened by the clattering of a rat among some plates left on the table in an adjoining room, and when I went to drive away the intruder I found it quietly eating some pumpkin seeds and taking no notice of my presence. * * * Its appearance was somewhat different from the common rat; it measured about six inches from the tip of its nose to the root of the tail, and the tail was about seven inches long; it was mouse-coloured, and darker on the back; it had large ears, erect and forward, and bright eyes, and as it sat upon its haunches reminded me of a squirrel. “Relating the extraordinary docility of this rat to a friend the next day, he supposed that it must have been a Native Rat. * * * “I have also heard of one or two animals supposed to be native rats (from their small size, light colour, and extraordinary tameness), having been seen at Maungatomoto, Kaipara, and which made no attempt to get away when they were about to be killed. “Upon a range of hills through that district there are several pits; and a settler there (Mr. J. Kendall) told me that the Maoris had informed him that these pits were dug out as traps or preserves for native rats.” Mr. Kirk stated in reply to a question from Captain Hutton, that the rat observed by him at Great Omaha, and referred to at the first

meeting of the present session, differed from the rat described by Mr. Martin (so far as could be judged from so brief an account), in the much larger size of the body, greater length of the tail, and absence of docility. The large size of the ear was a characteristic of both forms. It was worthy of remark that the Omaha variety appeared to live on good terms with the ordinary Norway rat. Captain Hutton said that different species and varieties of rat inhabiting New Zealand had not received sufficient attention. It had been stated that the English black rat (Mus rattus) was found here, but he thought the statement had not been proved, as the Norway rat (Mus decumanus) varied greatly in colour. He also considered it very doubtful if any indigenous rat had been found in New Zealand. Sir George Grey had informed him that he had sent three specimens of the Maori rat to Dr. Gray, of the British Museum, and that Dr. Gray had stated, he could detect no difference between them and a rat inhabiting the Polynesian Islands. Taking into consideration the absence of any knowledge of the fauna of New Zealand before its colonization by the Maoris, in conjunction with the fact of the so-called Maori rat having been pronounced identical with a rat found in the countries from which the Maoris are supposed to have migrated, it appeared to him exceedingly rash to suppose that an indigenous rat had ever existed in these islands, especially in view of the fact that no indigenous rat had yet been found in any oceanic island. 7. Artesian Wells. Dr. Purchas stated that since the last meetin he had made enquiry respecting the Artesian well sunk by Messrs. Thornton, Smith, and Firth, at their mill in Queen-street. The principal supply was obtained at a depth of 112 feet; an additional supply was tapped at a depth of 180 feet. The borings were discontinued at the depth of 480 feet without a further supply having been struck. The water was perfectly clear, with a slight but not unpleasant chalybeate taste and smell, and filled the pipes to overflow, a little below high-water mark. Fine sand was brought up from each water-bed, and required to be occasionally removed from the pipes. Mr. Baber hoped that from the encouraging statement just made, the Provincial Government would be induced to direct experiments to be made, to test the possibility of a supply for the city being procured from this source.