Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1890-02-15
RATS IN TREE TOPS.
Another Instance OF Man Trying to I'm
provo on Nature.

Another Instance OF Man Trying to In
provo on Nature.
A curious and interesting instance of
animals changing their habits owing to
tho altered circumstances of their sur
roundinge, or, as Darwin called it, their
"adaptability to environment" camo
under the writer's notice a short timo
ngo on the Island of Jamaica. While
travelling through tho northern part Of
that island he passed grove after grove
OF cocoa-nut palms. All tho trees five
years old and upwards, that is, the fruit
bearing trees, were tin-girdlcd around
their trunks. For five feet above tho
ground each tree was incased in a plato
Of tin nailed firmly.
Tho explanation is a strange one. For
many years the sugar-planters in Jamai-
CO we're cursed with the raVages of rats.
These rodents would invade the fields
just when tho cano was getting ripe for
cutting. Each rat would select some
choice cane and begin to nibble at it's
base, gradually gnawing deeper and
deeper into it until it toppled over. Tho
crash of the falling cane frightened tho
rat, who, scampering off, soon began at
another one. These pests did enormous
damage and no small item in the sugar
planters yearly bill was the one for the
rat-catcher.
Ten years ago Bancroft Espent,
well-known planter on the island i'm
ported from India six couples of mon
goose or ichneumon, the deadly enemy
OF snakes and rats. The mongoosc in
creased and multi oiled in an incredible
manner and the selves became a pest,
which every means failed to destroy.
Tho rats at first fell an easy prov to
their destroyers and wero soon driven
out Of the fields and tho stone-wall
fences that had formed their homes.
They swarmcd into tho houses and
towns, but were still followed by the
ichncumons. The full-grown rat by it's
1lcctncss did escape for a time, but tho
mongooso easily scented out tho nest of
little ones and destroyed them, or,
fcrret-lilSc. traced the rat to it's last
lair and killed it there Tho rat, driven
from cvcry refuge, took then TO the palm
GrGcS, and among tho cluster of fronda
that crown each tree mado it's homo and
reared its family in safety.
At first it was hardly credited that tho
rat had turned into an arboreal rodent,
but 1T soon became a painful fact, for as
VIZ IL ocdIlllB spike puSneQ us way
out, tho rats would nibble it off and rem
der the tree barren. The writer has
himself seen rats, disturbed by a negro
who had climbed tree for the cocoa
nuts, jump to tho ground fully fifty foot.
but nature has not endowed them with
tho nine lives of cat also, for the fall
certainly knocked all the wind out Of
them, and they fell an easy prey to the
nearest dog or man. Owing to this now
development in the habits Of the ia
maica rat, the planter has been Obliged
to tin-line his cocoa-nut trees.
In the meantime the mongoose has
turned his attention to the farm-yard,
and whereas few years ago fowls wcro
the cheapest and commoncst food, now
thcy can DO enjoyed only by the well-to-
do. 1t is another instance of man trv-
ing to improve on naGure. Not long
ago there was good gulnca-Dl quail
and partridge shooting to be had on the
island, but as these birds build on tho
ground, not one is to DO found now, for
If there is any thing n mongcosc likes it
Is to suck an egg, and no does it so ar
tistically, making tho smallest OF holes,
that tho mother-bird still SITS on, in
vain hopes Of Matching her brood.-N.
Y. Tribune.