Orange County observer., 1898-03-17

FERHETS ARE THE NATURAL EkE.
MES OF THE GREAT PEST.
Rats Are Divided Into Three Kinds.
and Are Essentially Social Animal
They viii Eat or Drink Almost ANYTHING
The Flexible Ferret and His Ways


/ The Flexible Ferret and His Ways.
Comparatively few persons know
anything definite about rats, bevond
! the fact that such animals exist. They
are supposed TO be al article Of staple
diet III China, and IN every other coun-
try of the world, says the New York
Mail and Express, are extermlnated
at the expense Of much loss and trou-
hle. aud yet there is book published
Oh the subject Of rats and ferrets,
the ferret being the natural enemy of
the rat, and consequently being na1u-
rally included III any remarks which
| may be male about rats.
Rats are divided into three classes.
the black, the brown and the water
varieties. The most common variety
Is the brown rat, which was originally
brought from Norway to this country
about / 177J. Before this time the indi-
genous black rat hal things al his
own way III this country, but the i'm
ported rat rapidly exterminated the
home product The original black
rat is practically extinct, whereas the
brown rat is found everywhere. This
IS because the brown rat IS the larger
and bolder and most ferocious.
That the rats III previous times were
considered quite as great nuisance
as they are at present Is witnessed by
the fact that there was in England an
official rat catcher to the king This
individual was usually a gypsy and
wore a scarlet coat. embroidered in
| ,f re,
destroying wheat sheaves He also
carried a heavy staff surmounted by
the insignia Of his office, which he al
ways bore while taking part in royal
pa.eants. He also had an attendant,
who took no part in the professions,
but who did the main part of the work,
and was munifcently rewarded by
the princely wage of twopence a
month.
The rat is essentially q social animal,
and he habitually herds with his kind.
La the cold weather whole colony of
rats, composed usually of about sixty,
sleep together in heap for mutual
warmth, and they change from the
bottom to the top Of the heap IN order
to give each rat chance at the warm
9pet at the bottom. This unseltish-
lnoss. however. does not exist when
the rats are hungry Then they eat
each other. If the mother rat does
not get enough to eat she eats her
Young Rats also eat their dead and
iniirm, which accounts for the fact
that sick rats are never found at large
Where number of rats are con fined
iii cage it is no uncommon occurrence
for all the rats except one to combine
and kill and eat one ill-fated compan-
ion.
The multiplying capacity of rats is
prodieious. \ writer has calculated
; that from single pair Of New York
rats there will spring, III three years,
800, 0JO descendants.
There is practically nothing which
! a rat will not eat or drink. They will
, drink all kinds of liquor, and are par
ticularlv fond Of oil, and it makes nc
difference TO the rat whether whatever
. he eats or drinks is fresh OF not. In
fact. he rather prefers decaylng meat
and stale drink AL rats are inebri
, ates. AMI get as drunk as they car
whenever possible In the brewerles
they lie around in druaken heaps. and
are consequently easily captured
Those who have eaten rats say that
] they are pretty good food and taste
. not unlike rabbit.
As has been said. the ferret is the
: natural enemy OF the rat. and seems
, TO have been created for the sole pur
pose Of exterminating the tribe. Fol
: this purpose the ferret IS emlnentis
9 titte by nature Both in mead ano
!. BODY the ferret IS fiexibility itself. and
I he can 60 anywhere that rat can. !
. ferret is a cross between mink,
: martin and Il poIecat.
The ferret is comparatively DO
/ mesticated animal. and will readil,
become attached 10 its owner. but i
| Is Il very treacheroil@ little animal, an
t when irritatei will bite even the per
2 sou bv whom ii has been accustomed
e tn be ted. When bitten by ferre
the hand should never he withdraw Il
The moment ferret feels wnateve
-n*. has bitten resisting. he Instant
. fastens upon il with the teLaclty Of
wise, and ii order 10 make fsrre
give up It's hold il j. frequently neeeS
= sarv IL cut-its head III,
> FerretS not only kill rats. bat the
! eat them. 4 ferret will deyour a
= entire raj. including skin and tail
uhich carnixoToas quality marks h
, chief usefulness. The ferret does II
i kill the rat ii the wall anil the
Leave hlu II decay. but lie absolu.el
i eliminates tue rat AID removes nlt