PREDATORY HABITS OF THE RAT. 
77 
This gentleman has seen a hen pursuing a rat that was run- 
ning away with one of her chickens. Last week some of the 
neighbours waged a war, and with the aid of dogs and 
ferrets they succeeded in killing above two hundred of these 
robbers. 
A baker residing in London, had a spare kitchen, wherein 
he kept a number of fowls and four ducks ; and from their 
being allowed to run into the bakehouse, which was kept 
continually warm by the oven, they throve pretty well. 
One of the ducks was sitting upon a dozen eggs ; and, on the 
morning of hatching, curiosity prompted him to see how they 
were getting on. He found seven hatched, and the other 
five were in progress ; for the shells of all were broken, and 
the bills of the young ones peeping out. In about an hour 
afterwards, as the family were above-stairs, they thought 
they heard the old duck making a very strange noise, but 
concluded that the whole of the eggs were hatched, and that 
the mother was making a great fuss over her young family. 
Curiosity of course led them to go gently down stairs, and 
have a peep at them, when, to their utter astonishment, there 
were two old rats standing upon their hind-legs, with their 
ears thrown back, their mouths wide open, and making an 
anxious moaning noise close by the old duck, which was 
backed into a corner, and pecking at them with all her might, 
or rather striking them with her bill. The clandestine old 
thieves were creeping nearer and nearer, evidently with the 
intent of fixing upon her as soon as an opportunity should 
offer. So intent were they upon their savage design, that 
they did not perceive the person approach them ; whereon 
he dealt one of the old savages such an unmerciful kick as 
sent him flying, and the other was off before he could kick 
him. But on looking after the young ducks they were all 
gone, eggs and all. The rats had carried them away into 
their holes ; and these two old cannibals were trying what 
they could do with the mother ; and doubtless, had they 
not been so unceremoniously disturbed, they would have 
succeeded in killing her also. 
Lately a gentleman, of whom I have already spoken, 
was greatly annoyed by the following circumstance. He had 
eighteen fine young goslings, more than a week old. They 
were all hearty and strong, and bid fair to make an early and 
