[Aztlan] Oh, rats!

[Bruce Rogers]

In response to Kim Goldberg's comment:

>I got several opinions on whether or not any type of
>rat was indeed native to the Americas, so in my mind
>that is kind of still pending.

At least the genus Neotoma, the woodrat/packrat is native the the New 
World.  An inquisitive little creatures, they have slightly furred 
tails, big eyes (that nocturnal thing), live in large stick nests at 
tree bases or in rock shelters and caves, are excellent rock 
climbers, are generally wary of humans but tolerate their presence to 
within a few meters, smell their way through near total darkness 
along established trails of urine droplets, and *might* trade your 
car keys for a gold nugget . . .


cheers,
  Bruce Rogers, earth scientist and connoisseur of amberat on a good day

NB: amberat is dehydrated packrat urine...