RAT. The common brown or Norway rat, 
now so extensively diffused over this country, 
was almost, if not wholly, unknown in Hurope 
until the year 1750. It was conveyed to Eng- 
land about the period above mentioned, in the 
timber-ships from Norway; and hence it has re- 
ceived one of its common names. Many years 
| subsequently it was conveyed to America in 
Kuropean ships, and has been gradually propa- 
gated from the seaports over the greater part of 
that continent also. The brown rat takes up its 
residence about wharfs, store-houses, cellars, gra- 
naries, &c., and destroys the common black rat 
| and mouse, or entirely expels them from the 
vicinities it frequents. To chickens, rabbits, 
young pigeons, ducks, and various other domes- 
tic animals, it is equally destructive, when urged 
by hunger and opportunity. Eggs are also a 
favourite article of food with this species, and 
| are sought with great avidity; in fact, every 
thing that is edible falls a prey to their vora- 
city, and can scarcely be secured from their per- 
| severing and audacious inroads. In the country, 
_ they take up their abodes according to convenience 
and the abundance of provision, infesting espe- 
cially mills, barns, and out-houses, or residing in 
holes along the banks of races or other water- 
courses. The brown rat swims with great fa- 
cility, and dives with vigour, remaining under 
water for a considerable time, and swimming 
thus to some distance. When attacked, and not 
allowed an opportunity of escaping, he becomes 
a dangerous antagonist, leaping at his enemy, 
and inflicting severe and dangerous wounds with 
his teeth. The most eager cat becomes imme- 
diately intimidated in the presence of one of 
| these rats thus penned up, and is very willing 
to escape the dangers of an encounter. The 
brown rat is amazingly prolific, and, but for its 
numerous enemies, and its own rapacious dispo- 
sition, would become an intolerable pest. Hap- 
pily for the world, in addition to man, to the 
weazel, cat, some species of dog, &c., rats fre- 
quently find destructive enemies in each other, 
both in the adult and young state. The strong- 
est of the species prey upon the weaker, and are 
the most merciless destroyers of their own kind. | 
The weazel and the terrier are the most efficient 
rat-killers, as the first can pursue the enemy to 
his most secret retreat, and the second derives, 
from his superior strength and activity, a very 
decided advantage in the contest. The cat, 
though in general a very useful auxiliary in les- 
sening the number of this species, is very liable 
both to be foiled and worsted in her attempts. 
As these rats bring forth from twelve to eightecn 
at a litter, we have good reason to rejoice that 
sO many animals have an instinctive animosity 
against so noxious a marauder. The cunning of 
these rats is not less than their impudence; it 
is almost impossible to take them in traps, after 
one or two have been thus caught, as the rest 
avoid it with scrupulous care, however tempting 
RATTLE: 23 
may be the bait it contains. The surest way to 
remove them is by some special poison, or by 
means of peculiarly scenting the traps. See the 
articles Vermin and Movusz. The powder of nur 
vomica, mixed with oatmeal, and scented with 
oil of rhodium, is sometimes effectual in de- 
stroying them. Arsenic is commonly used in 
the same way for this purpose; but the fatal ac- 
cidents which frequently occur when this poison 
is kept about the house, in consequence of the 
label being removed or changed, render it a very 
objectionable resource. The brown rat measures 
about nine inches, and is of a light brown colour, 
intermingled with ash and tawny. The colour 
of the throat and belly is of a dirty white, inclin- 
ing to grey. It has pale, flesh-coloured, naked 
feet, with a tail of the same length as the body, 
and covered with small dusky scales, with short 
hairs thinly scattered between.—The lack rat 
was much more common previous to the intro- 
duction of the brown rat than at present. It is 
now found only in situations to which the brown 
rat has not extended, and is almost as injurious 
and destructive, resembling it closely in manners | 
and habits. It is of a deep iron-grey, and indeed 
neatly of.a black colour above, and of an ash 
colour on the lower parts of its body. Its legs 
are nearly naked, and on its fore feet, instead of 
the rudimental thumb, it has a claw. ‘The 
length, from the nose to the root of the tail, 
is seven inches; the tail itself is almost eight 
inches long. Blumenbach, who has devoted 
much attention to the subject, states it as his 
opinion that the black rat also was carried from 
Kurope to America. 
RATANHIA ROOT. See Kramerta. 
RATH-RIPEH. The property of early ripening. 
RATTAN. See CaLamus. 
RATTANY. See Kramenta. 
RATTLE (Rep). See Lousrworr. 
RATTLE (Yeutow),—botanically Rhinanthus. 
A genus of ornamental herbaceous plants, of the 
figwort family. Two annual species grow wild 
in Britain ; two yellow-flowered, summer-bloom- 
ing, hardy annual species, of respectively 12 and 
20 inches in height, have been introduced from 
Continental Europe, and a number of other spe- 
cies are known. The name rhinanthus signifies 
snout-flower ; and both it and the popular name 
yellow rattle, are descriptive,—the former al- 
luding to the form of the corolla, and the latter 
to the rattling noise made by the capsules when 
handled. 
The common or cock’s comb yellow rattle, 
Rhinanthus crista-galli, abounds in poor meadows 
and pastures in many parts of Britain. Its root 
is fibrous; its stem is quadrangular, smooth, 
leafy, scantily branched, frequently spotted with 
red or purple, and commonly about a foot high ; 
its leaves are lanceolate, acute, sharply serrated, 
spreading, rough, wrinkled, and from 1 to 14 inch 
long; and its flowers grow crowdedly on a ter- 
minal, bracteated spike, and have a yellow co- 
