Vermin of the Farm. 
211 
recommended upwards of a century ago by a celebrated ratcatcher, 
Robert Smith, who wrote a quaint little book on the subject, ar.d 
described himself on the title-page as “ Ratcatcher to the Prin- 
cess Amelia.” * 
This is a box or hutch-trap, opening at both ends, and so 
much more inviting when daylight can be seen through it than 
a trap would be if open at one end only. So successful was the 
veteran Robert Smith with this form of trap that he tells us he 
has caught as many as seventy-two rats in one night ; not with 
one trap, of course, but with several traps of this one pattern, 
iudiciously placed, after finding the most frequented haunts, and 
after a few nights’ feeding in the traps, which were kept open and 
prevented from closing by the insertion of wooden pegs at the 
end. 
A more modern plan, and a very simple one, which may be 
adopted in-doors or out, is the following, which has the merit of 
being both cheap and effective : — 
Cover a barrel with stiff, stout paper, tying the edge around the barrel ; 
place a board so that the rats may have easy access to the top ; sprinkle 
cheese-parings or other “feed” for the rats on tie paper for several days, 
until they begin to believe that they have a right to their daily rations from 
this source ; then place in the bottom of the barrel a piece of rock, about six 
inches or seven inches high, filling with water until only enough of it pro- 
jects above the water for one rat to lodge upon. Now replace the paper, 
first cutting a cross in the middle, and the first rat that comes on the barrel- 
top goes through into the water, and climbs on the rock. The paper comes 
back to the place, and the second rat follows the first. Then begins a fight 
for the possession of the dry place on the stone, the noise of which attracts 
the rest, who share the same fate. 
The time for out-of-door trapping is during the summer 
months when the rats live a good deal in the open air. Here 
again a little attention to their habits will ensure success. It 
should be noted that in travelling, rats usually seek concealment ; 
thus they will run along the base of a wall in preference to 
crossing an open space. If a slanting board be placed so as to 
leave a covered way between it and the wall, the rat will run 
under it. By setting small unbaited gins in these places they 
are almost certain to be caught. When the rats are coming in 
from the fields, their runs should be carefully looked for, and 
‘ The Universal Directory for tahing alive and destroying rats and all other 
kinds of four-footed and winged Vermin in a method hitherto unattempted ; 
calculated for the use of the Gentleman, the Farmer and the Warrcner. By 
Robert Smith, Ratcatcher to the Princess Amelia. London. Printed for the 
author, MDCCLXVIII. A description of the dress of the royal ratcatcher has 
been preserved by Pennant, who states, in his British Zoology (ed. 1812, vol. i. 
p. 142) ; “ Among other officers, his British Majesty has a ratcatcher, distin- 
guished by a particular dress, scarlet embroidered with yellow worsted, on 
which are figures of mice destroying wheatsheaves.” 
