Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1889-07-12
RATS HUILDINa FORTS.
How they Fortify Themselves A gainst
the Attack of Snakes.


From the st. Louis Globe Democrat.I
In many parts of New Mexico and Arizona
there grows peculiar kind of cactus, known
as togo, which from bottom to top is mass
of fine, sharp thorns. To snakes, coyotes,
and all sorts of "varmints' this cactus is
holy terror, for its thorns are easily detached
from the plant, and when once in the flesh
make poisonous sore. Birds build their
nests in togo thioket, and there:fnd safety
from their enemies. which do not dare to at
tempt the dangers of the togo for the sake
either of eggs or birds. Whether observa-
ton of the immunity enjoyed by the birds
prompted the rats to the intelligent actions
observed cannot say, but certainly if ever
there was a case of clear and consecutive
reasoning from cause to effect 1t was this.
Near the camp where I was located there
was large hill very much broken, and on
high. Passing close by the foot ofthe preci-
pioe enc day, and coming unexpectedly
round the corner of the rock, surprised
number of wood rats, apparently very busy
about something. Immediately on my ap-
pearanoe they all scampered away to hole
in the rock, each making high jump as he
neared the hole, and diving head first out of
| time, and did not examine the hole or its vi
cinity, but a day later, passing the same
spot, noticed them repeat the manBuvre.
Still did not regard 1t as anything out of
the ordinary, and not until had witnessed
/ their retreat and high jump for the third
time did 1t occur to me that tho incident was
| peculiar. / then went up to the hole, and
| to my surprise found that for foot in every
| direction the ground was thickly set with
| the togo thorns. wondered how they got
l there, but dismissed tho matter from mind
until day or 30 later, when I surprised o
caravan Of rats on their way from togo
thioket close by. Each rat carefully con-
veyed one or more thorns ip his mouth.
| Upon my appearance every one dropped his
little burden and fed as before, and l re-
solved to fathom the mystery.
Accordingly, the next morning made q
circuit over the hill at considerable distance
from the precipioe, and no Indian stealing
along In pursuit of an enemy ever orawled
over the ground with more clrcumspeot care
than I In chase of information about the
rats. Finally reaohing tho edge Of the little
olin, i selected spot whore cleft in the
rock gave me the opportunity l sough for,
OF seeing without being seen, and cautious
lily peeped over. Tho ground WAS alive with
rats, old aud young. and all were as busy AZ
nailers. Some were at the togo thicket out
ting tho thorns, others were transporting
the most, and still others were setting then
In tho earth In such q way an TO mako q per
fsot andsformidable chevaux.de-frise. AL
the points were turned out, and 30 thioklJ
were tho thorns planted that even the tiI
OF ones finger could not have touched
tho ground without wound from tn
points.
Day by day watched while the worl
, went on, and In three or four days tho forti
fioation was completed, and tho thorns sc
% thiokly % they could stand In semioircl
from, the wall Of rock In which WAS the hole
D the entrance to the neat. The rats were evi
, IDENTIFY fresh arrivals In that neghborhood
for the hole gave no sign of previous ocoupa
tion, but In less than a week they were quit
at home, and thoroughly fortified against
: snakes, which was evidently their purpos
= In constructing the thorny rampant. 70
6 | nearly two yards in every direction from tn
= rock the thorns extended, and when the for
@ tihcation was completed no engineer ooui'
have planned and executed better system
i of protection, With due regard Tor Incl
own comfort and convenience the rats had
!, | NV aome means best known to themselves
q | niaoed three stones double the size lof INST
!. | a. nearly equal distances from each other II
r | the midst of the thorny hedge, and when 90
4 inc in and out of the nest leaped from on
n | 10 The other. One evening, while watching
r | them at play, saw sentinel rat at som
:. | distance from the nest dome running in wit
4 evident signs of alarm. In moment th
k | scene was changed, and q stream of rat
q went leaping from one stepping stone to IN
. other, finally diving into the hole till q