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INSTINCT OF THE BROWN RAT. 
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During this temporary migration, the female Rats make their snug and comfortable 
nest in any sheltered spot; and before the autumnal season has fairly ‘commenced add a 
considerable number of new members to the Rat family. It is a wonderfully prolific 
animal, beginning to breed at four months of age, and having three broods in the year, 
each brood being from eight to twelve or fourteen in number. When the autumn has set 
in, the emigrants return to their old quarters, marvellously increased in number. 
The female Rat is a most affectionate mother, braving all dangers in defence of her 
young, and dashing boldly at any real or fancied foe who may happen to alarm her 
roaternal sympathies. Unfortunately for her peace of mind, the paternal Rat is far from 
partaking of these tender atfections, and if he condescends to pay a visit to his young 
family, only does so with the intention of eating them. Should the mother be at home, 
she shows such a defiant front, that he is fain to decamp from the cradle of his offspring, 
but if she should perchance happen to be absent from her charge, the result is tragical 
indeed. 
Rats are very cleanly animals, always washing themselves after every meal, and 
displaying the greatest assiduity in making their toilet. They also exhibit considerable 
delicacy of palate wherever they find a sufficiency of provisions, although they are in no 
way nice in their diet when pressed by hunger. If, for example, a party of Rats discover 
an entrance into a butcher's store-house, they are sure to attack the best parts of the meat, 
utterly disdaining the neck, the shin, or other coarse pieces. 
There is one peculiarity in the structure of the Rat which is worthy of notice. 
These animals are able not only to ascend a perpendicular tree or wall by the aid of their 
sharp, hooked claws, but also to descend head foremost with perfect ease. In order to 
enable them to perform this feat, their hind legs are so made that the feet can be turned 
outwards, and the claws hitched upon any convenient projections. 
However unpromising a subject the Rat may appear, it has often been tamed, and is a 
very much more educatable animal than could be supposed. It will obey its master’s 
commands with promptitude, and has been known to learn very curious tricks. 
For further information on this subject the reader is referred to a work published by 
Messrs. Routledge and Co., entitled “ The Rat,” by James Rodwell, in which may be found 
an elaborate account of the animal and its habits, together with much enrious and 
original information. 
There is a well-known proverb that Rats always desert a falling house ; in which 
aphorism there is really much truth. One curious example thereof I here offer to the 
reader. 
On page 204 may be seen an account of a cat which had, by some mysterious intuition, 
migrated from a mill in which she had long lived, and to which she was greatly attached, 
and which was burned to the ground in a few hours after she had taken her departure. 
Pussy, it seems, was not the only animal which had been thus forewarned of impending 
danger, for the Rats also took alarm, and were actually seen upon their journey from their 
late habitation. They were about one hundred in number, and, starting from the mill some 
two hours before the fire broke out, proceeded in a compact body towards four stacks 
belonging to the landlord of the Commercial Inn, and there took up their abode. 
A similar account of Rat prescience has been narrated to me by a spectator of the 
scene. 
When H.M.S. Leander was brought into harbour after her voyage, in the year 1803, 
she was so infested with Rats that a wholesale destruction of these four-footed pests 
was rendered absolutely necessary, not only for the comfort of the crew, but for the very 
safety of the vessel. The entire contents of the ship were therefore landed on the wharf, 
a number of chafing-pans filled with lighted brimstone were placed between decks, and 
the hatches being battened down, the animals were soon stifled by the suffocating vapours. 
As soon as the preparation for this wholesale destruction commenced, the Rats took 
alarm, and endeavoured to make their way on shore by traversing the “warps,” or ropes 
by which the vessel was made fast to the shore. Sentinels were accordingly placed by the 
warps, and furnished with sticks, so that as soon as a Rat came running along the ropes, 
it was speedily checked by a sharp blow, which struck it from its foot-hold, and knocked 
it dead or dying into the water, where it soon perished. 
