25i SMALL AMMALS AND INSECTS. [Chap. IL 



hiy ill tlie cellar way. In two hours there was not a rat in the house, unless 

 it niiijlit be a roasted one. 



I'litder of Paris has proved a successful poison for rats ; and it has the 

 advantage of being quite harmless to liavc about the house. A tablespoon- 

 fill of the flour of jilaster, mixed in a cup of Indian meal, and slightly swect- 

 i-ned, will be eaten by rats, and kill them. A little grated cheese makes the 

 food more attractive. Oil of anise would be still more so. In fact, by the 

 use of it, rats may be coaxed out of a house to eat poison, and die where 

 their dead bodies would not be a nuisance. 



Phosphorus, powdered and mixed with meal, a few grains to a teacupful, 

 has been often uncd successfully as a rat poison. 



I'owdcrcd jiotash, strewn in the paths frequented by rats, has been known 

 to drive them away from a house. The theory is, that at gives them very sore 

 feet, and disgusts them with the place. 



252. English Rat-fatchcrs. — In England, rat-catching is a profession, sons 

 often following it as the business of their fathers. The rat-catcher visits a 

 farmer, and contracts witii him at so much a head for all the rats he destroys. 

 His trap is a large bag, which is set with the mouth open, baited Avith a 

 piece of bread scented with oil of anise and oil of rhodium, the scent of 

 which attracts the rats, and thus he bags enough to fill the contract. He 

 does not desire to rid the premises, as that would " spoil business." A rat- 

 destroyer would not be tolerated by the honorable company of rat-catchers. 



253. Rat-Tl'aps< — Among the many devices for trapping rats, we will 

 mention a few of the best. A large wire cage-trap, where the second rat 

 will go in because he sees the first in there, often proves successful. A large 

 brass kettle, half full of water, with a small stone island in the center, just 

 big enough for one rat to rest upon, the top of the kettle being covered with 

 parchment, similar to that of a drum-head, having a cross cut in the center, 

 is a first-rate trap. Fasten a small bait upon the points of the cut, and the 

 rat jumps down from a board arranged for the purpose, and through he 

 goes into the water. He scrambles on the island and squeals for help. An- 

 other hears him, and comes looking around, sees the bait, jumps for it, takes 

 the plunge, and goes down upon the other fellow's head. Then comes a 

 scramble for place, the strongest pushing the weakest off ti) take his chance 

 in the water. This muss, as with men, attracts others, and in they go. We 

 have heard of twenty in a night thus inveigled to destruction. 



A barrel, one third full of water, with an island, the surface covered with 

 chaft", and a bait suspended over it, we have been told, is an excellent trap. 



Ferrets and weasels have been highly recommended to be kept about the 

 barn, to drive away rats. Tlie objection to them is, that they drive away the 

 poultry also. Ferrets have been trained so as to be obedient to the call of 

 their master, and used not only to hunt rats, but to drive rabbits out of their 

 burrows. 



2Si. Domestic Cats. — Perhaps the best thing for a farmer to do, who is 

 troubled with rats, is to multiply his stock of cats. We knew one farmer 



