East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1861-02-14
From the Newark Sentinel Of Freedom.
INTERESTING ABOUT RATS.

INTERFERING ABOUT RATS.
In the indulgence of their predelic-
tion for eggs, rats display great judg-
ment. 1t would appear almost impOssi-
bic for them to carry off such fragile
spoil without breakags, but they do con.
trivs to do so. II the theft is achieved
without confederate, the rat stretches
out its fore leg underneath the egg,
steadies it above with its cheek, and hops
cautiously upon three legs. To convey
IN egg from the bottom to the top of q
house is . still more difficult affair, and
probably an impossibility for single rat
to perform. With the aid Of partner,
the operation is thus managed:--the
male rat stands upon his head, and lifts
up tho egg with his hind legs; the fs-
male taking it thence in her fore e-paws,
secures it until her lord ascends step
higher; and SO they proceed from stair to
stair, till their booty is deposited safely
in their hole. A pastry cook had some
fine eggs which she priced highly, but
the number of which was mysteriously
diminished night after night. Suspicion,
Of course, fell upon the domestics. One
Of them, a maiG-servant, hearing one
night noise on the stairs, stole out on
the landing, fancying she might be
fortunate enough to detect the egg pill
ferer. She was not mistaken, although
she was considerably astonished at dis
covering who the real offenders wsre.-
She saw two rats, one larger than the
other, busily engaged in carrying the
cherished eggs down stairs, and fel: too
interested in watching their proceedings
to think of disturbing them. The big
rat stood on his hind-legs, with his fore.
paws and head resting OH the step above;
the lady rat rolled the egg gently towards
her spouse; clasping it gently but firmly,
he lifted it carefully on the step upon
which he stood, holding it there until she
came and took charge of it, when he de-
scended step lower, till the clever pair
reached the lowermost floor with the
prize uninured.
Should two rats agree TO settle their
differences by q mortal combat, their
friends and acquaintsnces look on as com
placently as distinguished amateurs con-
template fight for the championship
But Immediately the affair is concluded
by the death Of one of the combatants,
the spectators break up the ring, and in
continently set upon the victor and van
quishcd, and eat them up then and there.
Woe, too, to any meeting with an acci-
dent or becoming iniirm, or he is gobbled
up without rcmorse. When rats leg
is found in a trap, instead of its being q
proof of his resolution in preferring to
leave limb behind rather than remain
ia captivity. the chances are that some
Of his kith and kin have eaten him alive.
In consequence Of this propensity for can
ibalism, when Mrs. Rat becomes moth
er, she is obliged to hide her offsprings,
lest papa, or some old gentleman of his
acquaintance, should make his dinner of
them, which he would certainly do if he
found them unprotected. For the same
reason, wise old rats retire into solitude,
disguised with their kind; and if attacked
in their retreat, prove desperate foes, beat
off any rats, without regard to sex, that
venture to intrude on their privacy.
The females breed at three months old
live in . state Of polygsmy, add to the
vermin population five or six times q
year, and produce eight, twelve, fourteen
sixteen, and sometimes as many as eight
teen young in litter. 1t has been cal
culated that in three years there vii
spring no less than 651 900 rats from a
single pair. Although this seems too
enormous number to be correct, 1t would
perhaps be difficult to over-estimate the
numbers of these animals. 100000 rats
were killed in Paris in the short space OF
a fortnight, merely to obtain their skins
for a couple of manufacturers at Grenoble
5000 have met their deaths from tho
dogs and men at the slaughter house Of
Montfaucon in q month. At tho present
time, Marseilies is overrun with them
traps and poison proving futile agains
the army of destroysrs who range ever
the streets with impunity; the cats hav,
fled in alright; and the only reliance o
the inhabitants lies in the arrival of
cargo Of English terriers, those littl
champions of the pit alone being Of an,
, avail against tho invading host.
IL Some years ago, in Newcastle
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