Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1886-04-02
THE TRADING RAT.

These int teresting rodents are dwellers
In the Rocky Mountains and adjacent
hills, and are known among us by va
rious significant names, as mountain
rat, timber rat and trade rat. The first
of course, refers to their native home;
the second to the sound of their gnaw-
ing, scarcely to be distinguished from
the saving of timber, and the last to
their peculiar system Of barter or ex-
change, so curious a habit that il is
doubtful If any other animal has ever
been known to practice it while in a
wild or untamed state.
These animals are much larger and
stronger than the ordinary house rat
so much so that cats are apparently
afraid of them, and can not be induced
to attack them: They are pretty, we'll
formed, have very bright black eyes and
soft gray fur. Their tails are not rat
like, but are more like "a squirrels, only
less bushy, being covered with fur.
Such keen, intelligent-looking Great
ures are they that, but for instructive
dislike to the name of rat, we should be
strongly tempted to tame them as at
tractive and teachable pets. Until they
learn that they have an enemy in man,
they are quite unsuspicious, and will
allow any one to walk up to them.
One of these rats being caught in the
house, attracted by his size, measured
him: body, eight inches long; tail,
eight inches; around the body, under
his fore legs, seven inches; ears, an
inch and a half; fur, beautifully fine,
gray, with dark shade, nearly black,
runding lengthwise down his back. He
was very plump and fat, but | omitted
getting his weight.
They haunt houses and camps near
the hills. but seldom, If at all, those Il
few miles away. The peculiar trading
characteristics natural to this little mer-
chant. its habit of exchanging goods
without "by your leave" wise ways,
and queer tricks, seem far more like
reason than instinct. A few incidents
which came under my own observation
will illustrate this characteristic. Some
men, passing through the country,
camped ia deserted cabin, and before
wrapping themselves in their blankets
for the night, they placed their bread
for breakfast in pan near the fire. On
rising, to their dismay, not crumb of
bread was left in the pan, but it was
filled with old scraps of leather, chips,
bones, mouldy beans, rags, etc. Search
ing, they found high up on a partly
broken shelf, in an old tin can, their
bread packed away with old bacon-rinds,
bones rags, and other trash.
In the house of one of my neighbors
these mischiefs carried of a lot of Indian
or corn meal, and in the meal box de-
posted quantity of bird-shot, which,
mixed with the remaining meal, caused
the housekeeper great dissatisfaction
In the same house a trunk was acci-
dcntally left open one night; in the
morning quantity of rice, bits of dried
fruit, and some oats were found mixed
up with loose coral beads and other
small trinkets; it was All exercise of pa
tience to separate the articles, as may
be readily imagined.
With these traders, exchange is no
robbery, aud distance small hindrance ;
they travel from their homes, and go
from barn to house, from loft TO cellar,
and through living rooms (noiseless
when acting as porters) with great
speed and impartiality. A sheepherder,
returning to his camp thirty miles away,
brought home Il fine new hat: placing
the box on his table, he went away for
the night. Returning, he found the
box had been entered, the crown of the
hat eaten entirety round, and the box
then filled with wool, flannel rags, re .
mains of food, wheat and dried fruits.
There was sudden forced abandonment
of that unsurveyed "squatter's claim"
Some ranchmen were gone haying
for several days, camping away from
home. After their return they soon
learned that their quarters had not been
unoccupied during their absence. A
nest composed of wool ard rags filled
the flour sieve left upon shelf; next
beside the sieve stood the coffee box; in
1T had been left about pound of good
coffee; now the box was filled to the
top, mixed with the coffee, moldy crusts,
bones and rinGs that had been scattered
about the place. "When i threw it all
out" said the man who was telling me,
provoked as / was, l could not help
noticing how prettily the nest was made
up of cravings of an old blue army
overcoat, red flannel shirt and many
white rags, put together so nicely and
made so soft Within" This morning
going to the store-house for lamp
chimney, l found an ordinary glass
chimney packed close with straw, grains
of rice, oats, wheat, few beans and
chips.
The mischief these rats can do in a
single night is almost incredible. One,
getting into lady's room, stripped her
house plants of every leaf and blossom
and hid himself behind the wardrobe,
where he was found next day, with a
most singular accumulation Of goods,
among them many bits of paper, guam
tity of raisins, a box of matches, some
candle ends, gBawed postage stamps