THE BROWN RAT 229 



hitherto they were unknown. In a few years they exter- 

 minate the smaller animals and birds, and have to continue 

 a more precarious subsistence upon the marine crustaceans 

 and molluscs that can be picked up on the shore. 



Rats always prey upon any of their kind that have been 

 wounded or disabled ; and when food is scarce the strong 

 inevitably prey upon the weak. No better example can be 

 adduced than the manner in which the comparatively gentler 

 Black Rat has succumbed to the brown species. In some 

 cases the former have been known to confine themselves to 

 one part of a building and the latter to another portion ; 

 on board ship one species has kept to the fore part, while 

 the aft has been the special domain of the other. But 

 the ultimate result is always the same the Brown Rats 

 invariably devour their sable kindred. 



The superiority of the brown species, and its extreme 

 ferocity, are exemplified in an incident vouched for by 

 the late Frank Buckland. A London rat-catcher captured 

 several dozen rats, consisting of more or less even numbers 

 of brown and black ones. They were intended to provide 

 sport for some dogs on the following day. By morning, 

 however, only Brown Rats remained the black ones had 

 fallen victims to the rapacity of their cannibal fellow- 

 prisoners. 



Though a rat will always attempt to escape from man 

 and any animal not weaker than itself, it will present a 

 savage front when brought to bay. It will defend itself 

 to the last against man, and many cats and dogs will turn 

 tail at its desperate onslaught. In some cases it has been 

 known to attack persons, especially children, in their sleep. 



When impelled by hunger, rats migrate in large bodies 

 in search of food, and then, with the additional courage 

 which numbers give, they will not hesitate to attack human 

 beings, as a Hertfordshire farmer received painful proof. 

 One night, in crossing a common, he encountered a body 

 of rats, a hundred strong. Though by throwing stones at 

 them he endeavoured to prevent their purpose, they sur- 

 rounded him, some of them running up his body as high 

 as his shoulder, and inflicting severe bites, especially upon 

 his hands. 



