The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1881-03-09
DISCRIMINATING Rats and Mice,

Mice and rats seem TO increase very
rapidly in the haunts Of civilization, es-
pecially il large cities. Seaports are
particularly infested with them, as New
Workers know but too well. These YER
min have grown 10 be supreme nui-
sance there, notably in old houses, which
are fairly oyerrun. They multiply every
year, appearing i'll numbers where
short time ago they were hardly seen.
How to get rid Of mice and rats is Sc
rious problem with householders, who
are often forced to move on their ac-
count. Even m entirely-new house is
apt to be invaded after few months
and to be seriously hurt as a place of
residence by the ravagcs Of the nox-
ious animals. Traps, however ingen-
iUus Of contrivancc, do little or no
good after brief while, as the cunning
creatures detect their purpose, and
either avoid them or secure the bait
without danger Of captivity. Cats get
lazy. A good mouser will in a few
months become Indifferent 90 what has
been It's fayorlte pursuit. And any or
binary 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
vigilance and ferocity, is deceived by
| them. 1t Is thought that the introduce
| ton OF ieTets into houses would mitl-
| gate the annoyance. They are often
employed III Europe to destroy such yer
| MN, and were so employed by the old
Romans. Ii kept from the cold they
are readily taken care Of, and, al.
| though not docllo or afiectonatc, they
are ranked as domestic animals. They
are natives OF Africa, and dependent on
man, both here and In Europe, az with
out his aid they would perish. They will
soon rid ~ house, 1T is said, Of mice and
rats winch have natural dread Of them,
and have been known to desert premises
that they occupy. They are a terrible
and mreienting zoe. They are noe.
turnal, sleeping nearly all day, and very
watchiul ut night, when the household
pests commit most Of their depredations
Their smallncss and slcnderncss enable
them frequently to follow rats into holct
and kill them III II tree. The genera
belief that they destroy life by sucking
blood is erroneous, notwithstanding the
statements OF naturali3ts, from BufoI
to CuHcr and Gcollrey St. Hilulre
After death they, like other members d
the weasel tribe, doubtless suck tn,
blood Of their victims, but they xiii toe
qulck y for SO slow II process. 1t has
been shown, 10y repeated experiments
that they often inilict but single
wound which proves almost instantane
ouay fatal They then, rs rule, qui
their victim at once and kill another il
the same way. The simple wound il
under or behind the car, and may o.
may not pierce the large blood-vesscIs
The CANNES enter the spinal cord be
tween the skull and the first ycrtebra o
the neck, destroying the victim as til,
matadorc destroys the bull. They
pierce the mcdulla oblongata, the very
center Of life, and Immediately eXtin
GIiall motion, CONSEQUENCES and sensa
ton. This is one 0i the many instance,
in which the instinct Of animals has an
ticipatcd the turdy deductions Of sci
cucc. Tho ferret is 50 mastery rat
slayer that there seems TO be every rrn
son for introducing him into our domestic
economy, as he will accomplish wha
trap, poison, cat and dog have MOI IN,
cannot