American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-10-24
Rats.

THE principal kinds of rats known are
the black and the brown, the latter be-
ing the more powerful of the two. Both
entered Europe from Asia, the black
about four centuries, the brown about
two centuries ago. A few black rats still
exist in old houses in London among the
roof-rafters; but they are very few.
The brown rat Is famous trencher-
man. Nothing comes amiss to him.
Corn, the Otfal of slaughtcr-houses,
cheese, soap, candles. eggs, jams, pastry,
other small game, all serve him when
hungry. But, sad to relate, he is also Il
cannibal; he eats his own species. When
two rats fight, the one killed and the
other sadly mutilated, the spectator rats
set to and eat them both. A lame or de
crepit companion shares the same fate
MIR. Rat displays good deal of in
genuity working out some of his plans
He can carry away eggs without break
ing them; he stretches out one foreleg
under the egg, steadies it with his check.
and hops away cautiously on the other
three legs. Two of them working to-
gcther have been known to carry eggs
upstairs; one. standing upon his head,
lifted an egg high up on his hind feet
his confederate, standing on the next
step above, took the egg, and held it I'M
til the acrobat had come up; after which
the same process was repeated again and
again. Rats are caught for the value of
their skins. There is firm in Paris
which buys the skins for this purpose.
The fur is dressed into a very good sub
stitute for beaver; while the pelt or mem
brane is dressed into leather so fine,
elastic, and close as to be used for the
thumbs of the best gloves. If anyone
believes that rats are not used for human
food he must change his opinion. In
Paris the chitfoniers or bone grubbers
eat them. Gypsies eat such rats as
are caught in stacks and barns,
and are less strong in their flavor
and odor that those that feed omniver-
ously. In China rats are bought as Il
dainty. An English surgeon of some
note had them cooked for his own eat
ing. In a man ofwar, where the rats
made havoc with the biscuit, the sailors
had IA regular battue, and brought down
numbers of them; Jack made rat pie,
baked it and liked it, AT the siege of
Malta, the French garrison, when fam
ished, offered as much as Il dollar a head
for rats, or two dollars if barn fed.
During the siege of Paris, in the late
Franco German war, many tasted rat
who had never tasted it before.
The fecundity of the brown rat is pro
digious, and it has been calculated that
if Mr.. and Mrs. Rat live three years
after their first child is born, and if all
the children, children's children, chill
drens children's children, etc, survive
the family at the end of the three years
would comprise 600, 900 mouths. AS a
rat is credited with eating one-tenth as
much rs an average man, this interest
ing family would consume as much as
an army of 60 900 men.
Rats greatly infest ships, and are by
them carried to every part OF the world
So industriously do they make homes foI
themselves in the numerous crannies and
corners in the hull of ship, that it is
almost impossible to get rid of them.
Ships take out rats as well as passengers
and cargo every voyage; whether the