The Concordia eagle. [volume] (Vidalia, La.) 1873-1890, 1880-04-08
Rats and their Habits.

Rats and theic habits is not very inn
portant subject, but may be interesting
TO some of our readers. The most i'm.
portant Of the rat species are the Nor.
way or brown rat, and the black rat
The brown rat is known all over the
world, and is very destructive in its
habits. 1t belonged originally to Cen.
trial Asia. Crossing the Volga in large
troops in 1887. 1t stocked Russia, and
subsequently overran all Europe. The
original locality of the black rat is un.
known. 1t has been the house rat Of
Europe from earliest times, and was in.
troduced into America in l544. The
brown rat appeared in America about
the period of the revolutionary war, and
has increased with great rapidly, hav.
ing almost, If not entirely, exterminated
the black rat.
Rats begin to breed at two or three
months old, and will have six or eight
litters year. of eight young ones eact
on an average. Were there no natura
hindrances to their multiplication, one
pair would increase to no less than six
thousand in single year, and this il
they bred only once in two months.
There is, however, one way in which
they are destroyed by wholesale, for moi
only will rats deyour the weakly and
sick of their species as soon as they are
unable to defend themselves, but if very
hard pressed by hunger, as they doubt.
less often are, they will eat tn cir young.
The destruction by cats, dogs and men
is rs a general thing inconsiderable
The very happy results often attributed
to the use OF dogs and cats are usually
due to the rats having multiplied so as
to overstock the premises at the time
their foes are introduced, when they
scatter, emigrating, as is their instinct, in
families to localities. The number of rats
in any single locality is almost always
underestimated. They live in families,
and send out scouts and spies, which
are the only rats seen, unless great pains
are taken, and a person remains quietly
upon the watch from early in the even
ing. so that he is neither seen nor heard.
Then they are often seen in scores, and
often fierce battles are witnessed. The
rat does not see very well by day, being
nocturnal animal, but his hearing and
sense of smell are very acute. A rat
will never jump higher than thirty
inches, but will climb rough walls,
posts, ETC., easily.
The Egyptians and Phrygians deified
rats. The people of Bassora and Cam
bray to the present time forbid their de-
struction. In Egypt the rat symbolized
utter destruction;" it also symbolized
Judgment" because rats always chose
the best bread for their repast. Piiny
tells us that the Romans drew presages
from these animals, and to see white
rat foreboded good fortune. The buck
lers at Lannviam being gnawed by rats
presaged ill-fortune, and the battle of
the Marees, fought soon after, confirmed
this superstition. Proserpine's veil was
embroidered with rats.
1t was once a prevalent opinion that
rats could be extirpated by anathema-
tizing them in rhyming verse or by
metrical charms. This notion is fire.
quently alluded to by ancient authors.
Thus Ben johnson says: Rhyme them
to death, as they do Irish rats" and
Shakespeare makes Rosalind say, 81
was never so berhymed since l was an
Irish rat. alluding to the Pythagorean
doctrine of the transmigration of souls.
Apollo received the aristoeratic So
briquet of Rat. killer" from the fol-
lowing incident: i'Crinis, one of his
priests, having neglected his official
duties, he sent against him swarm of
rats; but the priest, seeing the invaders
coming, repented and obtained foI give
ness of the god, who annihilated the
swarms which he had sent with his far
darling arrows. For this redoubtable
exploit, the sun-god received the appel
lation of Apollo, the Rat-killer."
Comparatively few rats are poisoned,
but their actions alarm others, and
when the poisoned ones run away it
brings on general fight, so that often
not single rat is left. Strange noises,
rs the discharge of firearms OF a wide
awake terrier, will cause a stampede of
rats; phosphorus paste causes them
especial discomfort, and is efficient in
driving them away.