14 Studies in Rat Catching. [ch. i. 



on the ground and keep picking it up and 

 letting it go ; if when I do this it sets up the 

 hairs of its tail, arches its back and hisses at 

 me, I may buy it; but I know, if I do, 1 

 shall have to handle it much to get it tame. 

 If, on the other hand, when I play with it the 

 ferret begins to dance sideways and play, I 

 pay down my money and take it at once, for 

 I have never known a playful ferret to prove 

 a bad one. 



If when you get the ferret it is wild and 

 savage, it should be constantly handled till 

 it is quite tamed before it is used. Little 

 brothers and sisters will be found useful at 

 this. Give them the ferret to play with in an 

 empty or nearly empty barn or shed where it 

 cannot escape. Put into the shed with them 

 some long drain pipes, and tell them to ferret 

 rats out of them. The chances are they will 

 put the ferret through them and pick it up so 

 often, that it will learn there is nothing to 



