Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-11-07
CHAPTER ON RATS INTERESTING z II &c FACTS


Tha Newark IN j. Sentinel of Freedom furnishes the
following information relative to that repuiVe ANIMAL
the rat:
In the indulgence of their prediction for eggs, rats
display great judgment II would appear almost impos
sibie for them to carry off such fragile spoil without
hreakage but they do contrye to do If the theft
is achieved without confederate, the rat stretches out
its oreleg underneath the egg steadies ABOVE Win us
cheek and hops away cautiously upon three legs 10
convey an egg from the bottom 70 the top oil house is
still more difficult Affair." and probably an impossioity
for single rat to perform With the aid oil partner,
the operation is thus managed The male rat stands up
on his head aud lifts up the egg with his hind legs the
female taking it thence in her fore paws secures It till
her lord ascends step higher aud SO they proceed
from stair to STAIR till heir booty Is deposited safely IN
their hole pastry cook had some hne eggs Whch she
priced hghly but the number Of which was mysterious
IL diminished night after night. Suspicion, OF course,
fell upon the domestics One Of them mald-servant,
hearing one night noise the stairs stole out on the
landing fancying she might be fortunate enough TO de-
detect the egg perer. She was not mistaken, although
she was considerably astonshed at discovering who the
real offenders She two rats, one larger than
the other busy engaged in carrying the cherished eggs
down stairs and felt Interested n watching their
proceeding TO think of disturbing them The big rat
stood on his hind legs with bis fore paws and head rest
ing on the step above the lady rat rolled the egg gent
y toward her spouse casping it gently, but FIRMLY, he
lifted it carefully the step upon which he stood, hold
ing Il there until she and took charge OF IT, when
he descended step lower, till the clever pair reached
the lowermost floor with their prize uninjured.
The Wholesale larceny with which the rat Is too just
y charged Is criminal enough, in all conscience, but
worse remains behind. He has been known to make
meal Of the fingers and toes of living baby. Forty
wears ago plemaker finding his decaces unaccounta-
bly, disappear determined 10 lie in wait in his bakehouse
one night aud so catch the denquens. Unfortunately,
they caught him. and devoured the unfortunate pie-man
in preference his pies There is one dish that more
tempting the rats palate, than any other, aud for
which he will desert anything in the eaabe woodland
that is a deiunct relative.
Should two rats agree to settle thei. differences by
mortal combat their friends aud scquantances look
as compacenty distinguished amatuers contemplate
fight Tor the championship But immediately the at
fair is concluded by the death Of one of the combaants,
the spectators break up the ring, and ncontinenty set
upon the victor and vanqushed and eat them up then
aud there Woe, too to any meeting with an accident,
or becoming inrm, for he is gobbled up without re-
morse When rats leg is found in trap, Instead OF
rs being proof of his resolution in preferring to leave
a limb behind rather than remain in captivity, the
chances that of his kh and kin have eaten him
alive In consequence Of this propensity OF cannbasm,
when Mr. Rat becomes mother she Is obliged TO hide
her offspring lest papa or old gentleman Of his
quaintance, should make his dinner OF them, which
he would certainly do if he found them unprotect-
ed For the same reason wild old rats retire into soil
tude disguised with their kind and II attacked in their
retreat prove desperate foes beat of any rats without
regard TO SEX that venture TO ntrude on their privacy
An old gentleman Of this description will keep house
clearer of vermin than any cat or dog for be will allow
no brother near his throne.
The rat can scarcely be considered courageous ami
NAL he relies upon his cunning than his strength,
aad in the presence OF superior enemy, thinks only OF
escape but rendered desperate by being pressed into
a corner will turn savagely-the sewer rat being more
ferocious than his compeers
The females breed at three months old live in state
Of poygamy add to the vermin population five or six
times in year. and produce eight twelve, fourteen six
teeu and sometimes many eighteen young in lit
ter IL has been calculated that in three years here will
spring no less than COL 900 rats from single pair Al
though this seems too number TO be correct,
would perhaps be difficult to overestimate the numbers
of these animals GOO 900 rats killed in Paris in
the short space of aiortngh merely to obtain their skins
for couple Of manufacturers at Grenobe 5000 have met
their deaths from the dogs aud men at the slaughter
houses OF MOuiaucon in month. At the present time,
MArseies with them traps and poison prov.
ing futile against the army of desroyes, who range even
the public with mpunity the cats have fled at-
fright aud the only reliance OF the inhabitants lies in the
arrival of a cargo Of English terriers, these little cham
pons Of the pit alone being Of any avail against the n-
yading host.