TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE EAT. 
67 
considerable distance, tlie author says is a fact ; but bow 
they accomplish this feat he should very much like to know, 
as they do it without either breaking the shells or leaving a 
mark upon them. I shall explain this mystery to him 
in another place. 
Enough, I think, has already been adduced to convince 
even the most sceptical as to the predatory nature of rats, 
with regard to fish, flesh, fowl, and vegetable substances. 
But I will wind up the evidences of our numerous authors 
by giving the practical testimony of our Salopian friend, as 
published in the " Sporting Magazine. 
The " Salopian Gentleman " says that the very great 
damage which is done to farmhouses, outbuildings, and 
drains, as well as to the potatoes, carrots, and Swede turnips, 
both when in the hods and while growing, must be apparent 
to every one ; but the blame is often most wrongfully laid 
to hares and rabbits. Thus the quantity of poultry destroyed 
(the eggs taken while hens, turkeys, and ducks are sitting 
away from the house — the young of every kind devoured as 
soon as they are hatched, and can follow the mother about 
the fields) is a constant source of loss and vexation to the 
farmer's wife and daughters, who generally have all the 
trouble of rearing the poultry, and only a share of the profit 
for themselves. To the small landholder or cottager, where 
there happens to be water near, it is worse ; his chief hope 
being the pig, and next the flock of young geese, turkeys^ 
&c. If such is the known and well-ascertained loss and 
destruction of poultry, what must be that which in the fine 
summer months is going on amongst winged-game of every 
kind ? No doubt many, like myself, have constantly found 
the nests of partridges or pheasants and wild ducks destroyed, 
and the eggs missing or broken. Sometimes this is done by 
a stoat, weazel, magpie, or other vermin ; but six times out 
of seven it is by the rats then living in the hedge-rows ; and 
bits of the shell may be traced to their holes. This is par- 
ticularly the case where wild ducks are preserved ; and it is 
scarcely possible to protect the old duck when sitting close at 
hatching time, if near the edge of the water — the place 
most often selected for nesting. If the unhappy duck does 
get her tiny brood into the water, the pike assails them there ; 
and when she seeks safety on the shore, the rats on laud 
f2 
