46 Studies in Rat Catching, [ch. hi. 



hole is enough. If the rat is not in, on she 

 goes in a minute ; but should it be ensconced 

 deep down in the furthest corner, she stops 

 at once and just turns her head round and 

 says quietly to me, ** Here's one." Then, 

 whilst I am getting out a ferret, over the 

 bank she goes, in and out the hedge in all 

 directions, and never fails to find and mark 

 every bolt-hole for the other dogs to stand at 

 that belongs to the one where the rat is. 

 As soon as I begin to put in the ferret, she 

 will come over the hedge, give herself a 

 shake, and sit down and watch the pro- 

 ceedings, not offering to take a part herself, 

 as she feels there are more able dogs ready, 

 and that this is not her strong point. Sup- 

 pose a rat bolts and is killed and the ferret 

 comes out. Chance will never leave the hole 

 till she has taken a sniff at it to make sure 

 all the rats have been cleared out. I have 

 never known her make a mistake, \ishe says 



