252 FORAYS AMONG SALMON AND DEER. 



seen since with the exception of seven which were 

 found on the following day, crowded together in a small 

 hole, whither they had rushed in the general alarm 

 their presence there being discovered by the protrudiug 

 tail of the last rat, for whose total concealment there 

 was not sufficient room left. It is also said that about 

 a fortnight afterwards a great number of rats arrived 

 at a place, distant from this some five-and-thirty miles ; 

 and though rats had never been seen there before, they 

 have since continued to frequent the place. 



The most extraordinary instance of sagacity in a rat 

 that I am acquainted with is the following, which would 

 appear almost incredible, though it attained a very- 

 general circulation in the newspapers a short time 

 ago. 



A piece of bread or something of the kind was 

 spread over with a mixture of butter and poison, and 

 placed in the way of some rats whose destruction was 

 meditated. An old rat, however, was found too cunning 

 for his enemies. He rolled himself about on the 

 bread, and thus rubbed off the poison, and then ate the 

 bread with impunity. 



THE END. 



