Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-04-20
Why Maine
HaSHundredS0
3-Le3}8}ed Rats

JACK NOODLE, a clam digger from the Meadows
I River region Bay Maine has just solved
- long standing mystery. For more than three years
fishermen have wondered why there seemed to be tribe
Of threelegged bobbedta rats IN Upper Quohog Bay
Middle Island eff The Branches And new II leesas
If Mr. Wood1e has the answer.
There nothing surprising in swarms of rats around
leave fish ceanings stray clans and quohogs lying
around the rodents to congregate because they
love fish
But why should these particular rats have mutlated
legs tails? why should many drowned rats
be found floating around this comparatively nconspcuou
No wonder clammers have long speculated to
what marine Black Hand agencies were responsible for
such deaths and disfgureneILs-
Recently the mystery solved and this is the odd
story Woode recently told to interested group
the Nj j. F1aherty Fish shop in Portland where he
sold two bushels of CLANS he had dug;
I'D piled my baskets Of CLANS and quohogs in my
dory" explained and rowed out into the channel
where I'd left my motor boat. l looked to see If VAS
going to get home in time for supper when gosh, my
watch
Didn't have no particular money value but my old
Dad had carried IT and naturally set some store by II
Come that have dropped it back there sn the
fats when 1 digging I put about quick and rowed
back It my day an right for picked the watch
just where had hoped It might be
LAS mentally patting myself the back heard
lot OF sharp sqeals and they sent shivers down
1t growing dark had lighted lantern carried
in my boat Holding it nay head walked toward the
fats and what sight saw.
Half dozen big rats they a peck Of
trouble They tried when drew close. yelling their
foot or two staggering like they was plumb IT. When
they'd fall down. Something holding them back
I stepped and then knew I'd solved the
Quohog Bay mystery Hope to eat doghsh If every ore
them rats wasn't anchored by the foot or tail TO either
big clam or quohog- Then knew why we found so
many drowned rats The bvaves simply held until
the washed them and settled the hash
But how about the taless and egless rats?
Pretty quick the tide came tapping up the fats.
standing in inch of water when the rats must
have smelt the approach of doom. All Of sudden they
stopped suang and every Of them critters delber
atey gnaed off its foot tail that was held firm in that
natural rat-trap.
soon as they got free they made tracks away from
the flats the shores Of Middle Island used 20 be
the Woods ana tt an came clear TO me
minute All members Of the rat family viii turn
that same trick Catch muslrat beavers foot in
trap and itH just sit down and chew 1t oil every time
rather than be held prisoner That's why trappers make
waerses to drown their game before they get
chance to gnaw clear.
The clammers around Quohog Bay turning over
fats. naturally overlook lot of live clans and quohogs
Well you toss live clam or quohog on the fiat and
stay until the tide him
he'll dig in again And most Of the time he'll have his
she'll open
Now I figure these running around hunting for
food on the fats just accidentally step on some open
shell drag their tails Bingo! a clam or
quohog his front door quicker than lightning,
and Mr. Rats prisoner For awhile he'll squeal and try to
drag the clam with him "
but the Quohog Bay clam big betty, the flats
rough where they've been turned over much and
get tired They quit trying to and set
up a squealing Folks say dumb a clam but let
tell you those uohog Bay anything but dumb
They keep their mouths shut bulldog win to
sleep with foes paw his jaws Once the sea covers
the clam. he get foothold and dig in Mr. Rat Is
He just browns gnaws off his foot or tail
I figure have the and some haven't That
explains the cripples and corpses"
Asked why similarly mutiated rats were not found on
other fats Noodle explained that Quohog Bay is easy
the rats from the mainland and as the BIZ
quohogs to lie almost top of the mud or clay
diggers lying around than they would
they dig deeper and harder The rats have
learned this and they it their fayorite feeding
ground with disastrous results
Portland dealers feel that Noodles explanation
them cite instances where big wharf
been caught and held while scamperng across
baskets of live clans fish house floors overnight.