Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1885-07-18
THE COTTON RAT.
Description of n Southern Agricultural
Marauder.

Of Southern Agricultural
Marauder.
The cotton rat (Signodon hispidus) is
about the size of the common ground
squirrel. The tail is ehorter than the
body, and the ears are broad and
rounded. The color above is dark
yellowish brown; beneath, ashy. The
head and body measure six inches in
length. This is the common wood and
field rat of the South, being found
abundantly in all the States south Of
Virginia, and westward into Mexico.
1t is nocturnal species, although seen
abroad at all hours. 1t digs shallow
burrows in the ground, often twenty
five yards in length, each of which is
inhabited by single family. This rat
builds nest of grass, or at times Of
cotton hence its name-and brings
forth from four to six young several
times during the year. The young at
tain theirsun growth in less than five
months. 1t runs rapidly, and is an
excellent swimmer and diver, like the
wood rats generally. This is a gresari-
GUS species, large numbers being always
found near together. They make beaten
paths, which may be found leading in
every direction in old fields where the
rats are numerous.
1t does little or no damage to the
planter, being more of an inhabitant o.
WORKOUT fields and woods than of cult
waited grounds, end it is rather frieno
than an enemy of the agriculturist. L
feeds upon the seeds of various grasses
and also largely upon animal food. era,
fish, various insects, wounded birds anC
; rats and mice, all enter largely into it
dietary. It will kill a Florida rat 0
twice its size in few seconds, AMI 81
,ugnacious is it that in captivity it vii
destroy and devour every rat and nous
put into its cage, and even weaker in
L diyiduals of its own species. 1t is ais
i very fond of eggs, and destroys number
of nests. of the quail and other bird
which build their nests upon tn
ground.
- The cotton rat has host OF enemie
e to keep down its numbers, severa
o species of birds and mammals feedin
n almost exclusively upon it in the State
u, in which it is common. Ali the cal
% nivorous animals prey upon it and a
e the weasels are its inveterate foe:
: Hawks o. many species, especially tn
A marsh hawk (Circus hudsonius), fee
largelyupon il, and it feeds the youn
70 of all the large owls found in the South
ern States. This species is easily cal
d tured in wire, steel or box traps; tn
n traps should be baited with a piece {
meat, or the head of fowl, and be 81
W overnight; but the destruction of tn
1t rat, except in rare instances, is wors
lg than useless, the animal doing far mol
,e good than harm to the farmer. 1t breed
readily in captivity, and becomes tan
in confinement, and familiar with tbos
II who feed and caress 1t.
e. The MyomorDha, or rat-like rodent
At to which division both the pouche
= gophers and the cotton rat belong, a
III have four incisor and no canine teetl
Ot The gophers have four molar teeth
70 each jaw, or sixteen in all; the cotto
n rat has twelve molars three in eaC
= Jaw. The incisors, two above and tw
le below, are coated with enamel muc
~ more heavily in front than an any 9th,
v, surface, so that they acquire and retail
70 chisel-like edge, the enamel in frol
wearing away less rapidly than the r
ID mainder of the tooth. These teei
s. grow throughout the life of the amin
i. and should one be lost by accident, II
20 tooth which played upon it above I
" below continues to grow, sometimes
d. the length of several inches, and so pr
is venting the unfortunate animal fro
If feeding and causing its death. Sever
\ specimens of various species of rodent
- are to be found in museums, iliustratil
~ this dental overgrowtb; in an EnSlis
- collection there is an incisor tooth OF
=. 's common brown rat (which has increase
=, - its growth upward to such degree tn
= it has formeda complete circle and
=, segment of another. The diameter Of
=, is about large enough to admit n goot
:" sized thumb" Ralph w. Seiss, in Cou
4 try Gentleman.