Practical Game-Preserving. 352 



the rat attains its full size, after the first winter is past, 

 they range from eight to fifteen, rarely being fewer and 

 often more. I have often found nests of seventeen or 

 eighteen at a time, and many instances have occurred of 

 twenty and upwards. Rats continue to breed for three or 

 four years. 



The female rat when rearing a family is devoted and 

 courageous, ready at any moment to lose her life rather 

 than see the capture or disturbance of her progeny, spring- 

 ing at man, dog, or ferret with a fierceness and determina- 

 tion only equalled by her agility. The male rat, however, 

 has none of these qualities, and takes no interest whatever 

 in his offspring, except as far as concerns eating them. 

 If he discover the situation of the female's nest, he is 

 always on the look-out for a favourable opportunity, 

 during her enforced absence in search of food, to step 

 in and quietly to consume his numerous family. Some- 

 times, however, he may doubly " put his foot in it " 

 when seeking to intrude with bloodthirsty intent, and may 

 meet the female. Fully aware of his design, she waits for 

 no apologies, but flies at him with a fierceness sufficient 

 to induce his precipitate flight. The broods of one female 

 remain for the most part in company until the females 

 begin to breed, after which the circle breaks up and each 

 pursues its individual course. 



Rats live in colonies, in much the same way as rabbits, 

 but owing to the nature of their habits, not to the same 

 extent. As soon as it is dusk and the places of their 

 nightly mischief are quiet, they issue from the retreats 

 where they may have remained sleeping during the day, 

 some seeking materials for nests, others improving the 

 strategical value of their runs, but the greater number 

 bent on satisfying their inordinate appetite. Each colony 

 of barn and house rats spends the time of repose in close 



