PAET III. 



THE HABITS OF EATS. 



OATS breed very quickly. This I have often 

 proved by visiting a given haunt for many 

 years together. I remember an instance in 

 point one June, when out with dog and ferrets. 

 The dog made a set under the root of a tree. 

 I put the ferret in and it bolted eight young 

 Eats, nearly half grown, still suckling the bitch 

 Eat. When the old Eat bolted my dog killed 

 it, and whilst the dog was shaking it I found 

 she was very heavy in young again. This, 

 therefore, will prove how quickly Eats breed. 



Another result of my observation may be of 

 interest to my readers. After removing a lot 

 of old rubbish when ratting I came upon a 

 nest of just-born Eats, and, in curiosity, I 

 cut the tails off the lot, and then put the young 

 Eodents back, leaving the nest undisturbed. 

 When I returned next day, I found the old 

 Eat had carried all her young away, and, later, 

 I found the same tailless lot in another part of 

 the building, and, after disturbing them again, 

 I found the following day that the bitch Eat 

 had killed every one by eating of! their heads. 



