Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1875-02-18
ALL ABOUT RATS.


more powerful OF the two. The brown
has waged relentless wsr against the
black, until the latter has almost disap-
peared from some localities.
The brown rat IL famous trencher-
man. Nothing comes amiss to him.
Corn, the offsl of slaughter houses,
cheese, soap. candles, bacon, eggs, jam,
pastry, butter, oil, boots and shoes, lever
cts and other small game all serve him
when hungry. But, sad to relate, he is
also 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 decrepit companion shares the same
fate. Mrs. Rat is obliged to conceal her
little ones for time, lest papa or his
friends should make q meal of them.
On one occasion in France twelve rats
were shut up in box; the result was
nearly as marvellous as the fate of the
celebrated Kilkenny cats; for when the
box was opened only three rats re-
NAMED.
Even human beings are not quite free
from danger. The fingers and toes of
babies, lying peacefully in their cradles,
have been cate, off by rats; once an in
fants face was obliterated by similar
means; and the toes of drunken man
disappeared through a like agency.
About four years ago a coroners inquest.
reported in the Times, brought to light a
sad tale. Between Highgate and Horn
sey an old house had lost respectable
tenant on account of its being infested
with rats. A new tenant out all day on
business, and his wife out temporarily,
three children were left at home in bed
On the mothers return, she found the
bed stained with blood; one child had
wounds in the head and under the eye
lids and hole eaten through the cheek !;
she died three days afterward; an elder
child was bitten in the throat
Mr. Rat displays a good deal of ingenu-
ity in working out some of his plans.
He can carry away eggs without break
ing them; he stretches out one foIeleg
under the egg, steades it with his cheek
and hops away cautiously on the other
three legs. Two of them, working to-
gether, have been known to carry eggs
upstairs; one standing upon his head,
lifted an egg high up on bis hind feet;
his confederate, standing upon the next
step above, took the egg and held it
until the acrobat had come up; after
which the same process was repeated
again and again. A pastry-cook once
found that his eggs disappeared in a
mysterious way; an investigation showed
that rats made off with them, down
stairs instead Of up. A big rat stood on
his hind legs, with his forepaws and head
resting on the step above; smaller rat
rolled an egg gently to the proper spot
the big fellow seized it firmly but care
fully in his forepaws, and brought it
down; and SO on step after step. One
particular egg adventure is as amusing
as a comedy with the additional merit
Of being true A rat lay down beside
an egg, folded his body round it length
wise, and took his tail between his teeth
to get tirmer hold; other rats ap-
preached, seized him by the neck, and
dragged him and the egg Oft together in
triumph-on what principle the booty
was divided does not appear. Mr.. Jesse
narrates an incident in which a rat
helped himself to savory Florence
oil in an ingenious way; the ami
NAL gnawed OFT the covering of the
flask, inserted his tail, and licked
Oft the unctuous treasure which adhered
to it. A drum of figs being within sight
OF a family of rats, papa-rat got upon the
table, upset the drum and scattered the
figs on the floor, where the others could
easily get at them. Some of us are old
enough to remember when an atmos-
pheric or pneumatic railway was con-
structed at Croydon; the engineers had
so many difficulties to contend against
that the enterprise was ultimately aban.
doned; but one of the most provoking
was that rats cunningly came at night
and ate the grease with which the valve
along the top OF the tube was made air.
tight; each new application of grease
served them for supper. Mr.. Jesse, Oh
the authority of a medical friend, gives
vivid description of desperate fight
between rat and a ferret, in a vault or
cellar which was only lighted with win
dow on one side; the rat kept his pow
erful enemy at bay for nearly two hours
by sagaciously securing to himself
what prize-iighters call the advantage
OF the SUM-" that is, keeping himself al
most in darkness under the window and
compelling the ferret to take a position
where the light would enter his eyes and
embarrass him. One rat was q little too
clever on a certain occasion. A publ
can, going into his cellar, saw a large
rat put his foot into the shelly house of
an oyster who temptingly opened his
mouth; the oyster suddenly closed his
she'll, took the rat prisoner, and both
were carried alive into the kitchen Con
sidering what the Happy Family men
manage to achieve, we do not know that
we are justified in disbeleivlng story of
theatrical company of rats, exhibited
in Belgium few years ago; dressed like
men and women and walking on their
hind legs, they mimicked many ordinary
stage effects; concluding their perform
ance with hanging a cat and dancing
round il
On the principle of giving every one
hia due however sable his cnmnlnNinn