Editorial note — Chapter XXIII · A PEEP THROUGH THE ROSES.
Reading edition
At the time this book was written, rats were classified as Mus rattus and Mus norvegicus. The genus Rattus did not become standardized until the 20th century.
By some classifications, all the animals that appear in Chapter VII are part of the superfamily Muroidea within the rodent family.
German Hamster: Cricetus cricetus, the black-bellied hamster. The European hamster is at least twice the size of the Syrian or golden hamster. Its personality is much as described.
Musk-rat: Ondatra zibethicus
Lemming: Lemmus lemmus
“... the Musk Cavy, which I have heard of as inhabiting Ceylon and other places in the East” Possibly the hutia, Capromys pilorides, although hutias are indigenous to the West Indies, especially Cuba, not Asia.
A. A pair of facing pages are slightly damaged:
Text shown in italics was reconstructed from context or from the opposite page:
Page 60: We therefore set out dogs and cats in the streets
Page 61: my good friends notwithstanding the darkness observed that I have