Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-09-24
THE WOOD RATS INDUSTRY
Constructed House of Kind1ing
wood and Kept II In Repair.


In the natural history coming under
my observation 1 have not seen any
thing concerning the wood rat. 1t may
be that the rodent is too common to at
tract special attention, but | am in
clined to believe that, If he is widely
distributed, he Is rarely observed.
About two years ago | became inter
ested in pair of wood rats that seized
upon and possessed themselves of my
woodhouse for a habitation The house
is thirty feet long, and one end Of 1t Is
used for a workbench, repair shop and
tool house. The other end is used main
ly for storing dry kindling wood and
small stove wood. The rats moved in
when | was away for period. and the
pair found a good supply of dry pine
sticks foot 10 sixteen inches in length
split from inch boards. These were Of
various widths, from one to five inches,
and there were number of heavy
sticks Of scantling in Il corner. With
notable industry the rats had piled the
small sticks into fairly regular pyra-
mid, using the heavy pieces they could
not move for foundation and frame,
adapting their architecture to the con-
ditions of the location with remark
able ingenuity.
Their architecture fitted in with the
! landscape in the woOdhouse so well
that it was some time before | noticed
that the kindling wood was mcthodical-
~ placed. AS wet weather came and
the kindling was needed | frequently
took an armful into the house, without
realizing that | was taking gargoyles
and cornices from private residence.
In removing the sticks often pulled
down q quantity of the pile in select
ing After doing this for some days L
began TO notice that each morning the
pyramid was reformed, the scattered
sticks collected and placed methodical-
ly. AS the wood was used the pyra-
mid grew smaller and smaller, but each
morning all the scattered sticks, except
SOME that became wedged and fasten-
ed in the larger and heavier wood,
would be found replaced upon the
apex of the diminishing pile. When
the wood had been about half removed
| began to get occasional glimpses or
the rats. When I removed sticks they
lodged In and out of the pile, as though
they would defend their castle to the
extent of their power
The wood was never entirely re-
moved, and that which remained was
kept in a fairly shaped pyramid until
1t was not more than three feet in
diameter. The rats, of which ! had
never seen more than two. became so
tame that they would remain in sight
on the stills near their house within an
arms length of me at times. Later in
the season the mistress of the pyramid
appeared with two young ones.
now began to miss some of my
portable property. Files. small chisels,
nails, measuring sticks. patterns. pieces
Of leather and such articles would dis
appear from my workbench. These
from time to time / would find mixed
In with the sticks in the building ma
teral used by the rats. l have been in
formed this is one of the traits OF the
animals. They are SO excessively in
dustrious that they annex almost any
thing they can carry or drag away,
with very Indifferent ideas of property
rights or ownership. They are partial
to bright and glittering things such as
bits of glass, tin and metal. They
would doubtless acquire and hoard
money with almost trustlike perspicu-
ity and acumen if they were not so
much addicted to twigs and kindling
wood. Forest and Stream.