The Havre herald. [volume] (Havre, Mont.) 1904-1908, 1908-01-03
HOW CREATURES DRINK


Effect of Thirst ON Rats, Cats and
other Animals.
All creatures, with the exception OF
only teetotallers, but drink very mod
erately of Water-neyer anything else.
For instance, it would be equally diff
cult to picture dormouse quatfing
pint of soda water as d bottle OF Bur-
gundy.
Rats, especially when they are feed
ing on corn in ricks or barns. suffer
very much during comparatively
short spell of rainless weather. Even
the dews, which In some measure com
pensate for the absence of rain, are
quite insufficient for their needs.
II you would like to see really happy
rats, watch rat-1nfested corn stack
OH summer evening after shower
following few scorching days. Yon
will not have long to wait before you
hear the stack rustic, as 1t were, and
soon the rats will steal out to gulp
down the great, glistening raindrops on
the thatch and heritage near their
abode.
So thirsty do rats become that have
seen one which, in spite Of my fright.
ening him back each time he appeared,
made fresh attempt about every half
| minute to gain puddle Of DRAWINGS
from a farm yard. And remember
farmer shooting at one, shot no fewer
| than seven rats, which had crowded to
drink from small pool Of water near
a stable.
Moreover, my experience of rats
and have dealt with" tens of thou
sands-leads me to believe that the
larger rats when hard pushed for
drink" kill their own and other rats
young ones for their blood-truly
CHASTITY beverage, even In times Of fam.
Inc This theory certainly dovetails
with the fact that dry breeding sea
son means poor crop Of rats and vice
versa.
Rats are even credited with 20 far
forgetting themselves as to drink from
uncorked bottles, by inserting theis
tails into the liquid, though, personal
~, have yet to behold this astute
dodge.
My old black cat is cat among cats,
and don't think any rat can best her
at ways and means. When she has q
plain thirst, puss balances herself
on the edge of IN open galvanized tank
and subdues her feelings by means OF
about five tongue laps to one swallow
But sometimes, after washing day,
for instance, the water level Is too
low for direct drinking, 50 she dips q
front paw and licks the water there
from In way unexcelled In daintiness
by any society stars manipulation OF
finger bowl.
Rabbits and hares. which may be
truthfully called strict vegetarians
need very little In the shape Of direct
drink but dew, for their food In its
raw state contains a very large per
centage of moisture.
And sheep, In this country at least
seldom require water, except in thu
hottest part of the summer and never
I believe, when feeding Off root crop:
In autumn and winter. III
Now, water, in direct form, is In
dispensable to stoats and weasels
This accounts for their being found ii
much greater numbers In well-WatereG
districts, where the supply never fails
than In parts where there is only {
pond here and there which holds water
all the year round.
Ferrets, too, when fed on warn
flesh and milk only, do not thrive 81
well as those which have water Away
In reach 1t suggests that water Is ST
necessary to stoats and weasels, ant
in lesser degree to ferrets, becaus
the warm blood Of their prey create
an exceptional thirst, for salt is pres
ent In considerable quantity In blood
Pearson's Weekly.
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