to perform various tricks, such as picking up cards, drinking out of glasses, &c.; and what is even more extraordinary, he has in his possession ten rats, the lightest of which weighs four pounds.
The “Naturalist’s Cabinet” gives an interesting account of a gentleman who, about thirty years since, was travelling through Mecklenberg, and was witness to a very singular circumstance:—“In the post house at New Hargard, after dinner, the landlord placed on the floor a large dish of soup, and then gave a loud whistle. Immediately there came into the room a mastiff, a fine Angora cat, an old raven, and a remarkably large rat with a bell about its neck. They all four went to the dish, and, without disturbing each other, fed together; after which the dog, cat, and rat lay before the fire, while the raven hopped about the room. The landlord, after accounting for the familiarity which existed among these animals, informed his guest that the rat was by far the most useful of the four; for the noise he made with his bell had completely freed the house of rats and mice, with which it had been previously seriously infested.” This I know, to a certain extent, would have the effect mentioned. But that is not removing the national evil; it is only driving the calamity from your own house into that of your neighbours, and to the country at large. It matters little as to whether the rats have eaten up all farmer Smith’s corn, or farmer Johnson’s; the corn is missing in the market, and hence is the price of bread affected, without any advantage to the farmer, who has no corn to sell. But I shall mention this subject hereafter, and at present proceed with the taming of rats.
In Lee’s “Habits and Instinct of Animals,” it is related that two ladies were walking out one day and were accosted by a man who requested them to buy a beautiful little dog which he carried in his arms, and which was covered all over with beautiful, long, curly, white hair. Such things are not uncommon in that part of London, and the ladies passed on without heeding him. He followed, and repeated his intreaties, stating that, as it was the last he had to sell, they should have it at a reasonable price. They looked at the animal, and thought it a most exquisite little creature. The result was that they purchased it. The man took it home, received the money, and leaving the animal in the arms of one of the ladies, went about his business like an honest man. In a short time the imaginary dog, which had been very quiet in spite of a restless bright eye, began to show symptoms of uneasiness; and, as he ran about the room, he exhibited some unusual movements, which rather alarmed the fair purchasers. At last, to their great dismay, the dog ran squeaking up one of the window-curtains; so that when the gentleman of the house returned home a few minutes after, he found the ladies in consternation, and right glad to have his assistance. He vigorously seized the animal, took out his penknife, cut off its covering, and displayed a large rat to their astonished eyes, and to its own destruction. But Mr. Lee of course vouches for the truth of this upon the respectability of his authors, and consequently makes apparent two facts—first, that the ladies were perfectly ignorant of the peculiarity of dogs’ teeth, &c.; secondly, that the rat must have been a very tame one to bear so much handling.
It is well known that the Japanese tame rats, and teach them to perform many entertaining tricks, and, thus instructed, they are exhibited as a show for the diversion of the public. Indeed there is no doubt but, through the natural shrewdness of the rat, he might be taught to do many extraordinary feats.
In Belgium, a short time ago, there was a company of theatrical rats, which went through dramatic performances with admirable success. They were dressed up like men and women, walked on their hind legs, and mimicked, with curious exactness, many of the ordinary stage effects. On one point only were they intractable. During the performance the manager had to bring in some food; but the instant it made its appearance, they forgot their parts, the master, and the audience, and, falling on all fours, set to work most heartily to devour it; that done, the performance concluded by their hanging the stuffed cat, and dancing right merrily round it.
At Rochester, some few years ago, a singular incident occurred. The landlords of the Victualling Office Tavern had a beautiful tortoiseshell cat, the admiration of every one who came to the house. One day she kittened, and all the kittens were drowned. The poor cat felt the loss of her sucklings, and was whining and mewing all over the place in evident distress, but no notice was taken of her. But some few days after, some of the children came across her nest, and saw her in the act of suckling what they thought to be a young kitten. They mentioned the circumstance at the dinner-table, and were laughed at for their trouble; but upon their insisting on the fact, it created some curiosity, and a search was the result, when, to their great surprise, they found the cat suckling, not a kitten, but a young rat! Now it was quite clear that the poor cat had been in extreme pain from an overcharge of milk, and meeting with the young rat, had fondled it up, and from its giving her ease by drawing her milk, her attachment had grown as strong for the rat as for one of her own progeny, which was afterwards manifested to the great delight of numerous customers. If a strange dog came in the house, she would defend the rat with all the vicious determination of her nature; and even after he had grown up a fine, strong fellow, he would, in time of danger, run to her for protection. This curious circumstance spread far and wide, and proved a great attraction to the house; for the rat was as tame as a kitten, and would allow any of the children or customers to nurse and play with it. But, however, to the great sorrow of the landlords and their patrons, a traveller one day called, and, in the absence of the cat, his dog killed poor Master Rat. This was not only a pitiable affair, but a great loss to the landlords; for there is no doubt but many a man has made his fortune by a far less pleasing and remarkable phenomenon in nature.
At the railway stables at Wolverhampton, there was a cat which had a litter of five kittens. Three of the kittens were drowned shortly after their birth, and the cat seemed much distressed at their disappearance. She soon after, however, discovered a rat’s nest with a large litter of young ones, upon which she killed the old rat and all the litter but three, which three she carried to her own nest, and suckled them with her own remaining two kittens.
Now this certainly goes far to prove that cats are not such implacable enemies to rats as is generally believed, or they would not, in a state of nature, be so far reconciled, as not only to live with them, but actually, from their own choice, to suckle them in their infancy.
At a tavern in Woolwich, there was to be seen a tame piebald rat, most curiously marked, which was as docile as a puppy, and considered a great natural curiosity.
A friend of mine informed me, that when at home in Edinburgh, he kept a number of rabbits for amusement; and on the floor of the washhouse, where he kept them, lay the remains of an old iron pot which had been used as a copper; but, from some cause or other, a piece had flown out of one side, thus rendering it useless. One morning, when he entered the washhouse, he saw a beautiful and commodious nest of hay, straw, &c., built in the old pot, which was then quite warm. The neatness of the snuggery so excited his wonderment and curiosity, that he resolved upon leaving it alone, thinking he might presently come across the owner. Nor was he far wrong; for on the following morning, on going to feed his rabbits, he looked into the nest, and there lay fast asleep one of the finest rats he ever beheld. He said he could not find in his heart to hurt it, as it was such a beautiful, clean, glossy creature. Presently it awoke, and, instead of showing any alarm or desire to escape, it simply raised its head, and, after looking drowsily at him, opened its mouth, and gaped most lustily; then doubled itself up, and went off to sleep again; thus leaving my friend to mind his own business, and not interfere with him. This off-handed indifference so pleased my informant, that he laid him down some food, and thus left him unmolested to finish his sleep. For some time things went on in this way, till he proceeded, from feeding, to stroking him down the back, and tickling him with his fingers; and in this way was there a perfect friendliness established between them. However, one morning when he went into the washhouse, the rat met him half-way, and with tail erect he reared up on his hind legs, and opened his mouth with such menacing aspect and gesture, that my friend became alarmed, and thought it was time their familiarity should cease; so he ran for the poker, and on his return he found the rat in the iron pot, where he killed him. But he has regretted it ever since, believing, as he now does, that it only wanted to play with him.
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