III.  THE HABITS OF RATS.

Rats breed very quickly.  This I have often proved by visiting a given haunt for many years together.  I remember an instance in point one June, when out with dog and ferrets.  The dog made a set under the root of a tree.  I put the ferret in and it bolted eight young Rats, nearly half grown, still suckling the bitch Rat.  When the old Rat bolted my dog killed it, and whilst the dog was shaking it I found she was very heavy in young again.  This, therefore, will prove how quickly Rats breed.

Another result of my observation may be of interest to my readers.  After removing a lot of old rubbish when ratting I came upon a nest of just-born Rats, and, in curiosity, I cut the tails off the lot, and then put the young Rodents back, leaving the nest undisturbed.  When I returned next day, I found the old Rat had carried all her young away, and, later, I found the same tailless lot in another part of the building, and, after disturbing them again, I found the following day that the bitch Rat had killed every one by eating off their heads. 

This destruction of the offspring I have witnessed on more than one occasion.  The old bitch Rat has always killed them in the same way by eating off their heads.

I must not forget to tell you of the young Rat’s dread of the ferrets.  I have often seen when the ferrets have been put in the hole the young Rats (not many days old and their eyes yet unopened) creep out of the hole.  This is a proof that the smell of the ferrets has a tendency to bolt Rats, either young or old.

Old Rats are very bold whilst suckling their young.  I have seen them very venturesome to get to water, and more eager for water than for food.  I have often traced their runs a long way for water, and noticed that when crossing a field to get to a pit or river they never walk, but are always on the run; and in the summer, when they reach the pit, they not only drink, but often swim about.  I have frequently watched them swimming on a moonlight night, but they generally go back to the buildings in the early morning, especially in the winter months.

Another habit I have often noticed.  Take a farm, or any place where there are many Rats, and it will be always found that when a Rat gets very old it becomes very greyish in colour and rather scabbed, and its hair comes

off, mostly on the back.  The healthy Rats will then drive the old Rat away, and these scabby old Rats may be caught by themselves in other parts of the buildings; and, further, I often notice that if the ferrets are bitten with these old Rats, they “take bad ways.”  I never put such Rats with the others nor allow my dog to kill them.  I would advise any gentleman having a dog he values never to let it touch one of these old scabby Rats, as it may prove injurious to the health of the dog.

It is surprising how far Rats will travel in the night.  I have traced their tracks from a stackyard over two or three fields to a farm to get to their food.  And you will always find that they have one time for feeding, which is as soon as it is dusk, the young Rats being the most venturesome for their food, always coming out first.

Rats, especially stackyard ones, are of a very clean nature.  You will find that after they have had their first feed they diligently wash themselves.  These Rats feed on nothing but good stuff, such as wheat, corn, and meal; and from experience I find that if a man is bitten on the hand by one of these Brown or Stack Rats it never “takes bad ways,” but, if bitten by a dirty Drain Rat, then whether he cauterises or bathes the wound is no matter,

it is sure to “take bad ways.”  I think the reason of this is because the Drain Rat, when it cannot get anything else to eat, exists on the worms and slugs, and this, I think, causes the teeth to become more venomous.  When bitten in this way blood poisoning is very likely to ensue.  Indeed, you must understand that the teeth of a full-grown Rat are quite half-an-inch long, and the jaw is very strong, so that if you are bitten on the finger it is almost sure to penetrate to the bone.  I have known a good many cases of blood poisoning through Rat-bites.

The damage Rats can do to property, commodities, etc., is almost incredible.  I have had so many examples of this that I scarcely know which to submit as illustration.  I think the worst case I have seen was where they gnawed a hole half way through a 2¼ inch lead pipe, and often I have known them to bite through a one-inch lead pipe.  The worst damage is done when they get under the flag floors of cottage houses out of the drains.  They scratch the soil from beneath the flags, which then sink, and the consequent stench from the drains is abominable, jeopardising the health of the tenants.  I have seen a great many of these cases in the poorer parts of Manchester.  The damage the Rats will do

in the silk and similar trades, to the goods of merchants, or in the grocery business, is enormous, and not so much by reason of what they actually eat as by what they carry away, which is often ten times as much as they eat.  I have often proved this when ferreting at a wholesale grocery warehouse.  When we have taken up the boards between the laths and plaster we have found the ceiling almost full of lump sugar, nuts, candles, etc., which have been there for years, hoarded by the Rats.  Now, this all means heavy loss, and that is why I say that any business man so suffering ought to engage the services of a professional Rat-catcher once a year in order to keep the Rats down, and catch as many as possible before they begin breeding.

Another Rat habit may be noticed where the Rodents are accustomed to have their holes and runs among flags and stones.  If they find any soft wood such as pine or white deal, they will nibble at it until it is eaten through.  I have often known them to eat right through the legs of tables in the middle of cooking kitchens.  This, I think, they do simply to keep their teeth clean and in order; I have known half-grown Rats to do the same.

Rats can exist a long time on herbage, if they can get nothing more palatable.  It is

a very common thing to find Rats in the rabbit burrows when ferreting; in fact, I have seen, not once, but many times, Rats, rabbits, and weasels all bolt from the same burrow.  I have also unearthed a Rat and a rabbit together out of one single burrow.

Now as to keeping Rats in store cages at home.  Look well after them, and I think it is possible to keep them alive for quite a year; but if you keep, say, 20 in one store cage and neglect their feeding,, you will find that when hungry in the night they will kill the weakest of their number and eat it, sometimes even eating two or three in one night, leaving the skin as clean as if a man had skinned them.  It is always the best plan to put the Rats in different cages, according to their sizes.  The young ones together, the old ones together, and the middle-aged ones together, as they keep themselves much cleaner when thus divided, and do not fight so much as they would otherwise.  They must also be kept in a warm place; if not, they soon have cramp.  Also keep them in a dark place and see that they have plenty of water; sprinkle them now and then with it so that they will wash themselves.  It is astonishing what a hungry Rat will do.  I have seen them in the summer at dusk run at an old hen with her chickens under her,

and almost as quick as I tell it, the Rat has snatched a live chicken and run with it under a pigsty floor.

I have known them to