The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1883-12-12
MoNcoosEs.
rrighif,,l Little Animals From india Thai
y0racIousiy Eat Rats.

az have Just received the only mongooses
that have ever come to America, and ]
wouldn't sell them for 81 900 apiece" said
Mr.. Isaacsen as he led the way TO pen
about four feet square, in which two little
animals were moving about briskly. Mr..
Isaacsen is destroyer of vermin by profess
sion, and an enthusiast by nature.
Look at them" he exclaimed as he toss
ed bit of meat into the pen. They are the
inveterate enemy Of the rat. They kill foxes
and beasts of all sorts and eat snakes. They
attack oil animals in the same way. They
| spring upon their prey and eat into the back
Of the neck and then up the head, and go
on until the animal is entirely consumed.
| Nothing can shake them OFF. They eat rats
entirely up in nlaryelously short order.
| Everything is eaten--bones, flesh, hair and
tail. A rat will fly from mongoose with
the widest terror, but il is useless. The
mongoose always catches it,"
The piece of meat that Mr.. Isaacsen had
thrown into the pen was seized by one OF
The moongooses. The animal was trifie
larger than rot, and was covered with
brown hair about half an inch long. Six or
seven stripes of white hair ran about its
boly, and its face was black. Its Little eyes
twinkled brightly. The tail was short. The
ferocity of the mongoose when it seized the
meat was extraordinary. It has four-claws
IN each foot that look like curved shingle
nails. It sank its claws into the meat, and,
prit viz &x.r. he slg
apart. As 1t did so 1t Owed in between its
paws with its sharp nose, and, with rapid
motion Of the jaws, ate q hole into the meat
until half its head was embedded. Then it
abruptly withdrew its head, thrust its claws
into the hole 1t had made, and tore the beef
again. Again 1t began to eat, and in q mo-
ment more 1t had torn the chunk Of beef in
two pieces. The female mongoose came
forward and began to eat one.
" Are you sure these are the only speci-
mems OF mongoose in American"
Mongooses, my dear sir. Yes, am
positive. / sent for them myself to Calcut.
to nearly year ago They arrived in the
ship Mariette few days ago. The captain
didn't feed them crumb on board. They
lived during the whole trip on the rats they
caught. The mongooses were very success.
fnl when they were first introduced into the
island Of Jamaica. The island was SO over
run with rats that people gave up cultivat-
ing the soil. Extensive farms were neglect
cd. Every attempt to conquer the rats fail
I'd. They were running the financial pros.
poets of the island. The first attempt TO
introduce animals destructive to rats failed.
The rattle ant killed rats, but 1t also killed
birds, chickens and calves. The aqua toads
were quite as great M evil as the rats, as
they killed birds and chickens aud Destroy
cd eggs. Ferrcts were destroyed by the ma
tive chigoes. Fox terriers wore cut by the
sharp edges of the leaves of the sugar cane.
Then mongooses were introduced, and in a
short time the rats were extorminsAea. The
mongoose breeds rapidly, and he soon
spreads over the island"
g What will you do with this pair Of mon.
gooses ?"
shall use them In my business. One
mongoose will eat all tho rats In the biggest
house in town."