

ANECDOTES OF BATS. 247 



too large to follow. The rats had for once been over- 

 matched. The hole was large enough for the passage 

 of ordinary spoons and forks, but when they aspired to 

 the soup lable, the " Sacra fames" not " aurl " but 

 " argenti" foiled all further depredations, by leading 

 to the discovery and explanation of the theft. On 

 removing the boards the rest of the missing silver was 

 discovered carefully hoarded together. About the time 

 of which I write, these old buildings were in part pulled 

 down to make way for the present residence. The 

 alterations began with the kitchen, the thatch of 

 which was removed, and the dilapidated walls pulled 

 down. 



These measures seem to have created an immense 

 panic among the rat population at large. So great 

 indeed was the alarm that all the rats at once migrated 

 from the place ; and not a single rat has ever been 

 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 protruding 

 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 



