WONDERFUL TALES OF RATS. 
93 
but on gathering the rats together, there were 139 ; and 
besides these, there was a nest in the flue with eleven young 
ones in it — thus making in all 150 dead rats. 
'Now what was to be done to prevent this house from 
being invaded by a fresh army of these destructive animals 1 
Why he adopted the plan which I have already described 
with regard to drains, sliding-gratings, and rat-holes. The 
result has been that from that day to this, a period of above 
seven years, not a single rat has been seen or heard of within 
the premises. 
Some years ago a correspondent of the ^' Boston Cultiva- 
tor" recommended potash for the purpose of driving away 
rats. The rats troubled him so much, that he felt justihed 
in resorting to extreme measures to effect their expulsion 
from his premises. He pounded up potash, and strewed it 
round their holes, and rubbed some under the boards and on 
the sides where they came through. The next night he 
heard a squealing among them, which he supposed was from 
the caustic nature of the potash that had got among their 
hair or on their bare feet. They disappeared, and for a long 
time he was exempt from any further annoyance. 
CHAPTEE XI. 
WONDERFUL TALES OF RATS. 
Before I treat upon the courage of rats, and their reason- 
ing powers in attack and defence, I will first explain how 
they carry eggs; but not as the Fables of La Fontaine 
represent, which is by one rat getting over the egg and 
gathering it up between its four feet, and then rolling on its 
side and back with the egg upon its stomach ; while a 
second rat takes him by the tail, and, throwing it over his 
shoulder, drags him backwards to his hole. All this is very 
pretty for a fable ; but still I have met with persons credu- 
lous enough to believe almost any exaggeration that may be 
ascribed to rats ; and if the two following accounts can meet 
with credence, then I must sa}^ that there are no rats in the 
