The Newtown bee., 1880-11-24
Ferrets and Rats.

A New York paper says: Mice ana rats seem to increase very rapidly Tn the haunts of civilization, especially Tn large cities. Seaports are particularly in- fested with them, as New Yorkers know but too well. These vermin have grown to be a supreme nuisance here, notably in old houses, which are fairly overrun. They multiply every year. appearing in numbers where q short time ago they were hardly seen. How to get rid of mice and r2ts is serious problem with householders, who are often forced to move on their account. Even all entirely pew house is apt to be invaded after a few months, and to be seriously hurt as 8 place of residence by the ravages of the noxious animals. Traps, however ingenious of contrivance, do little or no good after brlef whlle, ss the cunning creatures detect their purposes, and either avoid them or secure the bait without danger of captivity. Cats get lazy. A good mouser will Tn few months become indifferent to what has been its favorite pursuit. And any ordinary cat is afraid of rats, as well It may be, and will seldom venture to at- tack them. They are generally too wary for terrier, which, with all his yfgi- lance and ferocity, is frequently deceived by them. It is thought that the intro duction of ferrets into houses would mitigate the annoyance. They are often employed in Europe to destroy such vermin, and were so employed by the old Romans. If kept from the cold they are readily taken care of, and, although not docile or affectionate, they are ranked as domesticated animals. They are natives of Africa, and dependent on man, both here and in Europe, as with olt his aid they would perish. They will soon rid house, 1t is said, of mice and rats, which have natural dread of them, and have been known to desert premises that they occupy. They are terrible and nnrelenting foe. They are nocturnal, sleeping nearly all day, and very watchful at night, when the mousse hold pests commit most of their depre- | dations. Their smallness ani slender ness enable them frequently to follow rats into holes and Kill them in trice. The general belief that they destroy life by sucking blood is erroneous, notwith- standing the statement of naturalists, from Buffon to Cuvier and Godfrey St. | Hilaire. After death they, like other members.of the weasel tribe, doubtless suck the blood of their victims, but they kill too quickly for SO slow a process. 1t has been shown by repeated experi- ment that they often intiiet but 8 single i wound, Wnlcn proves almosC lnstan- taneously fatal. They then, as rule, quit their victim at once and kill an other in the same way. The simple wound is under or behind the ear, and may or may not pierce the large blood
 vessels. The canines enter .he spinal cord between the skull and the first vertehra of the neck, destroying the victim as the matadore destroys the bull | They pierce the medulla oblongata. the very center of life, and immediately ex- tinguish motion, consciousness and sen
 sation. This is one of the many in. stances in which the instinct of animal: has anticipated the tardy deductions O science. The ferret is so masterly rat slayer that there seems to be every req son for introducing him into our do
 nestic economy, as he will accomplish what trap, poison, cat and dog have mol and cannot.