RATS. 91 



Among the principal poisons that have been recommended 

 for killing rats are barium carbonate, strychnine, arsenic and 

 phosphorus. 



'Domestic Animals. — Among domestic animals emplpyed 

 to kill rats are the dog, cat and ferret. 



Dogs. — The value of dogs as ratters can not be appre- 

 ciated by persons who have had no experience with a 

 trained animal. The ordinary cur and the larger breeds of 

 dogs seldom develop the necessary qualities for ratters. 

 Small Irish, Scotch and fox terriers, when properly trained, 

 are superior to other breeds, and under favorable circum- 

 stances may be relied upon to keep the farm premises 

 reasonably free from rats. 



Cats. — However valuable cats may be as mousers, few 

 of them learn to catch rats. The ordinary house cat is too 

 well fed and consequently too lazy to undertake the capture 

 of an animal as formidable as the brown rat. Birds and 

 mice are much more to its liking. 



Ferrets. — Tame ferrets, like weasels, are inveterate foes 

 of rats, and can follow the rodents into their retreats. Under 

 favorable circumstances they are useful aids to the rat catcher, 

 but their value is greatly overestimated. For effective work 

 they require experienced handling and the additional services 

 of a dog or two. Dogs and ferrets must be thoroughly 

 accustomed to each other, and the former must be quiet and 

 steady instead of noisy and excitable. The ferret is used 

 only to bolt the rats, which are killed by the dogs. If un- 

 muzzled ferrets are sent into rat retreats, they are apt to 

 make a kill and then lie up after sucking the blood of their 

 victim. Sometimes they remain for hours in the burrows 

 or escape by other exits and are lost. There is danger that 

 these lost ferrets may adapt themselves to wild conditions 

 and become a pest by preying upon poultry and birds. 



