no Studies in Rat Catching, [ch. vi, 



mouth ; and look down its throat, you will not 

 find blood in it, nor will there be blood on 

 the portion of the rat that has been held in 

 its mouth. No, people are misled by a 

 ferret sending its teeth deep home in the 

 flesh and making a sucking sound as it with 

 difficulty breathes through its nose and the 

 corners of its mouth. If you watch a ferret 

 after it has killed a rat, it will, as soon as it 

 is sure the rat is dead, begin chewing at the 

 skin of the head or throat till it has made an 

 entrance, and will then eat the flesh. 



To finish this chapter, I will tell you a 

 story which you are never to put into prac- 

 tice. Some long time ago I found myself 

 far from home in a country village, and 

 having nothing to do, I went for a walk, and 

 soon came upon a brother professional rat- 

 catcher ; and thinking I might learn a wrinkle 

 from him that would come in useful, I joined 

 him and carefully watched him and his dogs. 



