New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-09-03
A Chapter ON Rats.

It is curious, but nevertheless well ascertained
fact, that wherever there Ia . good habitat for q
rat, it is quite certain that there rat will be. The
immediate occupier may be slain, but in few days
the favorte spot will be found out and taken posses
sion of another rat who will in his turn meet the
fate OF bis predecessors and will be succeeded by an
other victim, who is doomed, as the doctors would
say, Z" to be taken as before"
The rat is the most strict observer Of the law B<
fruitful and multiply" In cleaning ont the cell con
tanning little happy family of five rats of variegated
coors-all Of which were perfectly tame, and lived
in peace and harmony-I felt something among the
proved to be little tiny rat hairless and eyeess but
nevertheless endowed like biped baby with the full
and audible uses of its infant lungs On hearing its
cries. the MOTHER beautiful snow-white rat, upon
whose head maternal cares were pressing at the early
age Of eight weeks-rushed forward and seizing her
screaming infant between her teeth hastily ran of
with it. Upon further examination ten other young
nnocents were fund carefully packed up in the
the use Of the colony in general but which had been
kindly vacated by other considerate rats in favor OF
the one literally in the straw.
The owner is happy to announce that the mother
and her little family all doing well. Such, in
deed, is the amazing fecundity Of this animal, that
they would soon overrun the whole country, and
render all attempts to destroy them frutless, had
they no enemies to lessen their numbers. But this
numerous foes among other animals, but by their de-
stroying and eating each other The same Unsuitable
appetite that impes them to indiscriminae carnage,
also ncites the strongest to devonr the weakest of
their own kind and large male rat is as much to
be dreaded by its own species as the most formidable
enemy.
once had three rats brought to me in cage; in
removing one it got hurt. I fed them and put them
in stable. The next morning there were only two
rats in the cage the injured rat having been set upon
and slain BY his fellowpriaoners. They had not only
slain him. but had actually begun to eat him. chooa
ing the head to begin upon. Wishing TO see the re
suit left him, and, in the course of the day, al
though well supplied with bread and milk, these
cannibals had nearly devoured their friend. have
preserved the bones as proof of the fact. after
wards ascertained that it was only one Of these rats
that was murderousy Inclined for he killed and ate
every rat put in to him. In the course Of about q
month this brute killed five rats that were put into
his cage. BE always began at the neck just behind
the ear.
A gentleman at Chatham, to whom gave some
rats had bred number in squirrel cage, which WAS
hung up in garden. One morning, not long ago, be
looked at the rat in it-a white female with young.
Instead of the white rat he found great brown male
of the common kind coled up In the nest. The white
one was gone, and the young ones all killed and
partly devoured. This rat must have climbed up q
perpendicular smooth iron bar to get at the cage.
Out of the hole in the cage, where the intruder got
in the white mother might have got out she liked,
but she preferred staying at home and looking after
her young ones.
was witness to the following circumstance A
dog had been killing some rats for match, and one
wounded rat was left alive in the rat pitt Twenty
other rats then placed in for another dog The
though there were many people looking on, set upon
ond killed him then and there. One of these rats
seemed to take the part Of the wounded one, but q
gigantic rat left the wounded be was numbering
and attacked the would-be rescuer and killed him
also.
This seems wise provision, though at first sight
cruel one. If wounded rat got into hole he would
pger there perhaps many days in dying state. His