M U S. 
to encourage them to purfue It to the centre place, where 
they are intended to be taken 5 at that place, where time 
admits of it, a more plentiful repaft is laid for them, and 
the trailing repeated for two or three nights. But, betides 
this trailing and way-baiting, tome of the molt expert of 
the rat-catchers have a thorter, and, perhaps, more effec¬ 
tual method of bringing them together, which is, the call¬ 
ing them, by making fuch a kind of whittling noifeas refem- 
bles theirown call, and by this means, with the attiftance of 
the way-baits, they call them out of their holes, and lead 
them to the repaft prepared for them at the place deiigned 
for taking them. But this is much more difficult to be 
praftifed than the art of trailing; for the learning the 
exa£t notes, or cries, of any kind of beafts or birds, fo as 
to deceive them, is a peculiar talent, not eafily attained to 
in other cafes. And in praftifing either of thefe methods 
great caution mult be ufed by the operator to fupprefs, 
and prevent, the fcent of his feet and body from being 
perceived; which is done by overpowering that fcent with 
others of a ftronger nature. In order to this, the feet are 
to be covered with cloths rubbed over with affafoetida, or 
other ftrong-fmelling fubftances ; and even oil of rhodium 
is fometimes ufed for this purpofe, but iparingly, on ac¬ 
count of its dearnefs, though it has a very alluring effeft. 
If this caution however be not properly obferved, it will 
very much obftruft the fuccefs of the attempt to take 
them ; for they are very Ihy of coming where the fcent of 
human feet lies very frelh, and intimates, to their faga- 
cious inftinft, the prefence of human creatures, whom 
they naturally dread. To the above-mentioned means of 
alluring, is added another of very material efficacy, which 
is the ufe of oil of rhodium, which, like valerian in the 
cafe of cats, has a very extraordinary fafcinating power 
on thefe animals. The oil is extremely dear, and there¬ 
fore very fparingly ufed. It is exhaled in a fmall quan¬ 
tity in the place, and at the entrance of it, where the rats 
are intended to be taken, particularly at the time when 
they are to be lad: brought together in order to their de- 
ftrudfion ; and it is tiled alfo, by fmearing it on the fur- 
face of fome of the implements ufed in taking them, by 
the method before'defcribed; and the effeft it has in tak¬ 
ing them off their caution and dread, by the delight they 
appear to have in it, is very extraordinary. 
It is ufual, likewife, for the operator to difguife his 
figure as well as fcent, which is done by putting on a fort 
of gown or cloak, of one colour, that hides the natural 
form, and makes him appear like a poll, or fuch inanimate 
thing; which habit mull likewife be fcented as above, to 
overpower the fmell of his perfon ; and befides this he is 
to avoid all motion, till he has fecured his point of hav¬ 
ing all the rats in his power. When the rats are thus en¬ 
ticed and collefted, they are buffered to regale on what 
they moll like, which is ready prepared for them; and 
then to go away quietly for two or three nights 5 by which 
means thofe which are not allured the firft night are 
brought afterwards, either by their fellows or by the 
effects of the trailing, See. and will not fail to come again, 
if they are not difturbed or molefted. But many of the 
rat-catchers make fhorter work, and content themfelves 
with what can be brought together in one night or two; 
but this is never effectual, unlefs where the building is 
fmall and entire, and the rats but few in number. 
With refpeft to the means of taking them when they 
are brought 'together, they are various. Some entice 
them into a very large bag, the mouth of which is fuf- 
ficiently capacious to cover nearly the whole floor of the 
place where they are collected; which is done by fmear¬ 
ing fome veflel, placed in the middle of the bag, with oil 
of rhodium, and laying in the bag baits of proper food. 
This bag, which before lay flat on the ground with the 
mouth Ipread open, is to be fuddenly doled when the tats 
are all in it. Others drive or frighten them, by flight 
noifes or motions, into a bag of a long form, the mouth 
of which, after all the rats are come in, is drawn up to the 
©pening of the place by which they entered, all other 
Vol. XVI. No. 1107 . 
m? 
ways of retreat being fecured, Others, again, intoxicate 
or poifon them, by mixing with the repaft prepared for 
them the cocculus indicus, or the nux vomica. A receipt 
for this purpofe has appeared, which directs four ounces 
of cocculus indicus, with twelve ounces of oatmeal, and 
two ounces of treacle or honey, to be made up into a moift 
pafte with Itrong beer ; but, if the nux vomica be ufed, a 
much lefs proportion will ferve than is here given of the 
cocculus. Any limilar compolition of thefe drugs, with 
that kind of food the rats are mod fond of, and which has 
a ftrong flavour, to hide that of the drugs, will equally 
■well anfwer the end. If, indeed, the cocculus indicus be 
well powdered, and infufed in ftrong beer for fome time, 
half the quantity here direfted will ferve as well as the 
quantity before mentioned. When the rats appear to be 
thoroughly intoxicated with the cocculus, or lick with 
the nux Vomica, they may be taker, with the hand, and 
put into a bag or cage, the door of the place being firft 
drawn to, left thofe which have llrength and fenfe remain¬ 
ing lb on Id efcape. By thefe methods, when well con¬ 
duced, a very confiderabie part of the rats in a farm, or 
other houfe, and the contiguous buildings, may be taken 
and dellroyed. 
In the Tranfaflions of the Bath Agricultural Society, 
the following compolitions are advifed for deltroying thefe 
mifehievous creatures, and which are Hated to have been 
attended with great iuccefs. Firft; To a quart of oat¬ 
meal, add fix drops of oil of rhodium, one grain of mulk, 
and two or three of the nuts of nux vomica finely pow¬ 
dered; make them into pellets, and put them into the 
rat-holes. This, it is faid, was at firft greedily eaten, and 
did great execution; but the wife animals, after a time, 
cealed to eat it. Secondly: Three parts of oatmeal and 
one of Itaves-acre, mixed well into a pafte with honey. 
Pieces of this pafte were laid in their holes, and again did 
great execution. Thirdly: There is a method of deftroy- 
ing them by laying a large box down on its front fide, 
with the lid lupported open by a llring over a pulley; and 
by trailing toalled cheefe and a red-herring from their 
holes to this box, and placing oatmeal and other food in 
it, which they are for a few nights to be permitted to eat 
unmolelled; and finally to watch them by moon-light, 
the infide of the box being painted white; and, when many 
of them are feen, to let down the lid; by which con¬ 
trivance fixty of them are Hated to have been taken at 
one time. 
Mr. Forfyth advifes to take a pound of good flour, three 
ounces of treacle, and fix drops of the oil of carraways : 
put them all in a dilh; and rub them well together till 
they are properly mixed : then add a pound of crumb of 
bread. The traps baited with this mixture lliould be fet 
as near their haunts as poffible ; but, for two or three days, 
lb as not to fall or llrike on the rats going in, but letting 
them have free liberty to go in and out at pleafure, as this 
makes them fearlefs. Some of the bait lliould alfo, he 
thinks, be laid at the rat-holes, and a little of it fcattered 
quite up to the traps, and fo on to the bridge of each trap, 
where a handful may be placed. It may alfo, he thinks, 
be proper to fcent the traps with the following mixture, 
for the purpofe of enticing the rats into them: Take twenty 
drops of the oil of rhodium, fix or feven grains of mulk, 
and half an ounce of oil of anifeed; put them in a fmall 
phial, and fliake it well before uling: then dip a piece of 
twilled paper or rag in the mixture, and rub each end of 
the trap with it, if a box-trap, and put two or three drops 
on the bridge, leaving the paper or rag in the trap. Of 
whatever kind the trap is, if lliould be lcented ; but once 
in a twelvemonth will be fufficient. Then throw lome 
chaff mixed 'with a little wheat about the bottom of the 
trap, in order to deceive the rats ; for they are very fao-a- 
cious, and will not enter a fufpicious place. This wilfbe 
neceflary to be done only at the firft time of letting t ] le 
traps; for, after fome rats have been caught and have 
watered and dunged into them, rats will enter boldly 
when they find others have been there before them : do 
3 P not, 
