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diff --git a/17243.txt b/17243.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c9bfdd4 --- /dev/null +++ b/17243.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1738 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Full Revelations of a Professional +Rat-catcher, by Ike Matthews + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Full Revelations of a Professional Rat-catcher + After 25 Years' Experience + + +Author: Ike Matthews + + + +Release Date: December 6, 2005 [eBook #17243] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FULL REVELATIONS OF A PROFESSIONAL +RAT-CATCHER*** + + + + + +This eBook was prepared by Les Bowler. + + + + + +Full Revelations of a Professional Rat-Catcher, +after 25 Years' Experience +by Ike Matthews. + + +[Title page image: title.jpg] + + + + +Introduction. + + +In placing before my readers in the following pages the results of my +twenty-five years' experience of Rat-catching, Ferreting, etc., I may say +that I have always done my best to accomplish every task that I have +undertaken, and I have in consequence received excellent testimonials +from many corporations, railway companies, and merchants. I have not +only made it my study to discover the different and the best methods of +catching Rats, but I have also taken great interest in watching their +ways and habits, and I come to the conclusion that there is no sure way +of completely exterminating the Rodents, especially in large towns. If I +have in this work referred more particularly to Rat-catching in +Manchester that is only because my experience, although extending over a +much wider area, has been chiefly in that city, but the methods I +describe are equally applicable to all large towns. + +Yours truly, + +IKE MATTHEWS. + +PROFESSIONAL RAT-CATCHER, + PENDLETON, + MANCHESTER. + + + + +PART I. HOW TO CLEAR RATS FROM WAREHOUSES, OFFICES, STOREROOMS, ETC. + + +In the first place my advice is--never poison Rats in any enclosed +buildings whatever. Why? Simply because the Rats that you poison are +Drain Rats, or what you call Black Rats, and you can depend upon it that +the Rats that you poison will not get back into the drains, but die under +the floor between the laths and plaster, and the consequence is that in a +few days the stench that will arise will be most obnoxious. And there is +nothing more injurious than the smell of a decomposed Rat. + +Having had a long experience in Manchester I am quite sure of this. As +an instance, I remember a private house where I was engaged catching Rats +under a floor with ferrets. I went as far as possible on my belly under +the floor with two candles in my hands, and I saw the ferret kill a large +bitch Rat, about six yards from me against a wall, where neither the dog +nor myself could get at it. I finished the job and made out my bill for +my services, but in about two or three weeks after they again sent for +me, declaring they could not stay in the sitting-room on account of the +smell that arose from beneath the flooring boards. They had in +consequence to send for a joiner; and as I knew the exact spot where the +Rat was killed I ordered him to take up the floor boards just where the +dead Rat lay, and the stench that arose from the decomposed Rodent was +bad in the extreme. I disinfected the place, and I was never sent for +again. This was under a cold floor, and it is much worse where there is +any heat. + +Now to deal with the different methods of catching Rats. The best way, +in my opinion, is, + + + +TRAPPING THEM WITH STEEL SPRING TRAPS. + + +Whenever you are trapping, never on any consideration put bait on the +traps; always put traps in their runs, but you will find Rats are so +cunning that in time, after a few have been caught, they will jump over +the traps, and then you must try another way. A good one is the +following, viz.:--Get a bag of fine, clean sawdust, and mix with it about +one-sixth its weight of oatmeal. Obtain the sawdust fresh from under the +saw, without bits of stick in, as these would be liable to get into the +teeth of the trap and stop them from closing. Where you see the runs put +a handful in say about 30 different places, every night, just dropping +the sawdust and meal out of your hands in little heaps. That means 30 +different heaps. Do this for four nights, and you will see each morning +that the sawdust is all spread about. Now for four more nights you must +bury a set trap under every heap of sawdust. Thus you will have 30 +traps, on each of which there is a square centre plate; you must level +the sawdust over the plate with a bit of stick, and set each trap as fine +as you can on the catch spring, so that the weight of a mouse would set +it off. They will play in the sawdust as usual, and you will have Rats +in almost every trap. You will find that this plan will capture a great +many of the Rodents. I have trapped as many as 114 in one night in this +way. + +In time, however, the Rats will cease to go near sawdust. Then you must +procure a bag of fine soot from any chimney sweep, and you will find that +they will go at the soot just as keen as they did in the first instance +at the sawdust. When they get tired of soot (which they will in time) +you must procure some soft tissue paper and cut it fine, and use that in +the same way as the sawdust and the soot. You can also use light chaff +or hay seeds with the like result. + +I must not omit to tell my readers to always trap Rats in the night, and +to go very quietly about it, for if you make much noise they will give +over feeding. You must not go about with too big a light whilst +trapping. You should stay at the building from dark until midnight, and +every time a Rat is caught in the trap you should go with a bull's eye +lamp, take it out of the trap or kill it, and then set the trap again, as +you have the chance of another Rat in the same trap. From experience I +can say that you need not stay in any place after 12 o'clock at night, as +I think that the first feed is the best, and that the first three hours +are worth all the other part of the night. You can go home at 12 +o'clock, and be sure to be in the place by 6 or 7 a.m., for many a Rat +caught in the trap by the front leg will, if it gets time, eat off its +leg and get away again, and they are very cunning to catch afterwards. + + + +NEVER HAVE YOUR TRAPS SET IN THE DAYTIME. + + +Handle them as little as possible. Always catch as many Rats as you can +in your buildings in January and February, as they begin to breed in +March, and every bitch Rat means, on the average, eight more. Also get +as much ferreting done as possible before breeding time, for a young Rat +can get into the ends of the joisting under a floor, where a ferret +cannot get near it, and the consequence is that a ferret is unable to +cope with its task. The best thing I can advise for clearing young Rats +is a good cat, one that must not be handled nor made a pet of, but +allowed to live in almost a wild state. A good cat can do as much, in my +opinion, in one night, when Rats are breeding, as two ferrets can do in a +day, especially in a building where there are cavity walls, as it is +impossible for a ferret to follow a Rat in such walls. + +This is all the information I am able to give on the trapping of Rats--a +method I have proved by 25 years' experience to excel all others. Still +another way of clearing the pests is as follows:--The majority of Rats +are Black, or what we call Drain Rats; if they are in a building they +will in most cases come from a water-closet. Sometimes you will see from +the drain pipes in the water-closet, say, a six-inch pipe fitted into a +nine-inch pipe, and the joint covered round with clay, through which the +Rats eat and scratch and get into the building in great numbers in the +night, but most of them return into the drains during the day. Now, if +it is the breeding season (about eight months out of the twelve) they +will do much damage to silk, cotton, leather, lace, and, in fact, all +other light goods. And one would be surprised to see the quantity of +cloth, paper, etc., they will procure for their nests whilst breeding. + +The way to get clear of these is to go in the day with two or three +ferrets and leave the drain pipe open. Ferret them all back into the +drain; don't put a net over the drain for fear you might miss one or two. +If they got back into the building they would be hard to catch, as they +would not face the net again. Then, after ferreting, make the drain +good, and if there be an odd Rat or two left in the building you will get +them in a few nights by baiting the trap. + +There is another way of catching the Brown Rat which breeds under the +floor in large buildings where there are no drains. They are very +awkward to catch. Always have a trap or two set, but do not set them +where they feed; place them in their runs. But there are other methods +for other Rat-infested places. For instance, take a restaurant, where +they feed in the cooking kitchen; we will suppose they have eaten four +holes through either floor or skirting boards. The best way to catch +these--however many holes they have leading into the kitchen--is to block +up (with tin or similar material) all the holes with the exception of +one, and let them use that one for two nights. Then put a plateful of +good food, such as oatmeal and oil of aniseed, as far from the hole as +you can in the same kitchen; then run a small train of meal and aniseed +from the hole to the plate. Next drive two six-inch nails in the wall, +with a long piece of string tied to the nail heads. Put on these nails a +brick or piece of board right above the hole 2 inches up the wall. Be +sure the nails are quite loose in the wall over the hole, and leave in +that position for two nights, so that the Rats will get used to it. On +the night that you are going to catch them, before leaving the place +carry the string from the nail heads to the door or window; let the door +or window be closed within an inch, with the end of the string outside. +After the place has been quiet for thirty minutes return to the door or +window very quietly, and you will hear the Rats feeding. Pull the +string, the loose nails come out of the wall and the brick or board drops +over the hole. You can then go in, close the door, turn up the gas and +catch or kill them at your leisure, as they cannot get back again. + +By this method I may mention that I have caught a great number of Rats, +and it is quite possible to clear a place in this manner: that is, if +they do not come out of the drains. I have caught upwards of 103 in six +nights in this way. The best time to catch Rats in any building is +always at night, and always about half-an-hour after the place has been +closed, as Rats are generally more adventurous to come for their first +feed. Always go about as quietly as possible. + +In some of the very old Manchester buildings that were built in the days +before drain plans had to be submitted to the corporation, one finds +under the cellar floors old-fashioned brick and flag drains (better known +as "spit" drains), that were left in when the place was built. Once the +Rats get in these disused drains all the professional Rat-catchers in +England could not clear them without pulling the building down. The Rats +have, by some means, got out of the main sewer, probably by the bursting +of a sewer into one of these disused dry brick drains. It is then +impossible to get underground to see where they have got into the dry +drain, and the only thing that can be done in a case of this sort is to +engage a professional Rat-catcher occasionally, and keep two or three +good cats to keep the Rats down. These places as a rule are more plagued +with them when it is very wet weather and there are floods running. This +is the best time to catch them, as they are all under the floor of the +building, and are very easy to catch in the night with the traps. + +As a rule the Black or Drain Rats feed only in the night, very rarely in +the day, as they are of a dirty nature, and prefer being in the drains. +In my opinion the Black Rat is more vicious than the Brown. + +There is another Rat I call the Red Rat, which is akin to the Brown Rat. +You will always catch these at a tannery, or about kennels, where hounds +are kept, and they generally feed on horseflesh or offal. Red Rats are +the "gameist" Rats I know, for whatever kind of Rats are put into the +store cage, these Red Rats kill them the first night they are left quiet. + +I may describe another mode of catching Rats. In any Rat-overrun +warehouse, storeroom, or cellar, where there is a deal of rubbish such as +packing cases, wrappers, waste paper, etc., throw a lot of food, say +oatmeal or soaked bread, carelessly amongst the cases or rubbish and let +the Rats have a full week's feeding at their leisure, and then if you +know the holes round the floor wherefrom they come, go in some night as +quick as possible, turn up the lights, run to the three or four holes, +and block them up with pieces of rag, etc. Now as all the Rats will not +run out of the packing cases or waste paper, but will hide amongst the +same, this is the time to take a good terrier dog or two with you, and to +have a bit of sport. Let one dog hunt among the cases, etc., and hold +the other, for the Rats will soon make for the holes, but the rags +preventing their escape you will catch and kill a great many by this +means. + +It should be stated here that as Rats are very cunning, it takes a lot of +study, dodging, and experience to be able to rid them entirely. When you +are feeding Rats anywhere, never feed them with other than soft stuff, +which you can squeeze through your fingers, for if you feed them with +anything lumpy, they will carry pieces into their holes and eat at their +leisure. + + + +FERRETING. + + +Ferreting is a very good plan for destroying Rats in cottage houses, +stables, hotels, etc., as it can be done in the day, but in buildings, +say five or six storeys high you cannot ferret very well as you cannot +tell where to set your nets. The only way to ferret a large building is +to ferret one floor at once, and always start at the top storey first. +The majority of floors are laths and plaster. This is what the Rat +likes, especially the Brown Rat, and there are more nests found in these +places than anywhere else. To ferret thoroughly in such places you will +require to have a board up at each end of the floor: the two end boards +that run crossways with the joist; then you must have a man to put the +ferret in at one end, and ferret one joist at a time; have a net set at +the other end. The best way at the catching end is to have a long sheet +net about a yard wide, and the full length of the boards that are up, for +sometimes under the boards the Rats can get out of one joist into +another, and if you use the long net you can catch them whichever joist +they bolt at. + +Now we will suppose you are ferreting a seven-storey building, which +might occupy three or four days. If you have ferreted two stories the +first day, during the night the Rats that have not been ferreted on the +lower stories may get back again to the top storey. + +How to prevent this happening I will give you a plan of my own, which I +don't think any Rat-catcher but myself has ever employed. The course of +action--a rather expensive one I admit--is the following: While you have +the boards up you must go to the druggist and get two shillings' worth of +cayenne pepper, and put it into a pepper duster. Scatter the cayenne +along the boards and joist where you have had the long sheet net, and +also along the other end of the joist where you put the ferrets in, and +you will find that under no consideration will Rats face the cayenne +pepper. Cayenne is alright for any dry place and will last a long time, +but it will not do in any water closets or any damp places, as dampness +takes all the nature out of the cayenne. + +After ferreting in any kind of building, always go carefully round the +outside, and see that there are no broken air grids, or broken cellar +windows, as these are likely ways that the Rats get into the building at +first. When ferreting always be careful how you set your nets, and be +extremely quick on the Rats when they bolt, for sometimes if they get +back they will face the ferret before they will bolt again; then the +ferrets kill them under the floors, and this as in the case of poisoning +them is liable to cause an abominable smell, more especially where heat +is near. + +In the whole of my experience of Rat-catching, which is a lengthy one, I +never gave a guarantee to clear a place completely, in Manchester or any +other town where so many large buildings are so close together. And let +me show the reason for this. Take Cannon Street, Manchester, as an +illustration. Here are six or eight different firms in one block of +buildings. Now, suppose four of these firms are suffering from the +damage the Rats are doing. Well, one or two of these firms may go to the +expense of having the Rats cleared away. But between the two buildings +there may be a hardware business or ironmonger's shop, where Rats cannot +do any harm to their goods. The owners of these shops will not go to the +expense of having Rats caught, nor will they let us go into their shops +at midnight; therefore the result is the Rat-catcher in his trapping and +ferreting is limited to these two places, and all he can do is to catch +some and drive the rest into the hardware shop. When under the floors in +such places one finds there has been so many alterations made at +different times that one joist may be a foot or six inches below the +other, and when the Rats are completely driven out of these places it +would require joiners and bricksetters to work for weeks under the floors +to stop the Rats returning. And most firms will not go to this expense. +I only give my readers this as an illustration of what has often happened +with me, and to show why I never guarantee to clear Rats completely in +large towns. If they are in a private house, stable, greenhouse, or any +block of houses, of say five or six, I might then, after looking through, +give a guarantee to clear them completely. + +These are the fullest details I can give you, and if you will put any of +the ways I have mentioned into practice you will find that they are all +successful, especially the covering of traps. I can give you just one +more instance in Manchester, where I was engaged. The workpeople had +been tormenting the Rats with traps, not knowing how to set them. They +sent for me, and on my looking round the place I knew there was a lot of +Rats. I submitted my price to do the job, and when I went down one night +with 40 traps, dog, and two ferrets I thought I should catch 20 or 30 +Rats, but I found that they had plagued them so much with their attempted +trapping that I only caught three in the whole night. This place +belonged to a limited company, and when I went before the committee the +next morning they were not satisfied. I told them that their own +workpeople had tormented the Rats so much with traps that the Rats would +not go near one. I then told the committee that I would still stick to +my terms, but I would leave the job over for a fortnight. Now during +that fortnight I went down a good many times, and laid the sawdust as I +have already described, and thus got the Rats used to it. The first +night that I went catching I took with me 33 traps. I had them all set +by 8-30 p.m., and by 12-30 a.m. I had trapped 45 Rats; the next night 31 +Rats; and before I completed the job, with the trapping and the other +ways that I have mentioned, I caught 183 Rats! This I give merely as an +illustration to show the necessity of engaging an experienced man to +catch Rats--that is, if you want them caught. And to confirm the +statements above, I shall be most happy to supply privately the name and +place of the firm, and also to give a personal interview if necessary. + +And now a word or two respecting the different ways in which Rat-catchers +are treated. Many people think that a Rat-catcher is favoured if they +give him permission to catch Rats on their farms or round the banks of +their corn or wheat fields. Well, on some occasions I grant this may be +a favour, for I have seen when I have had an order in hand for about 10 +dozen Rats, and have had only a day or two in which to get them. Such +are the only times and circumstances when a Rat-catcher gives his +services gratis, and simply because he wants the live Rats. Most farmers +will send you word when they are threshing their corn, and then the value +of the Rats are worth the day's work to the Rat-catcher. + +This is all right as far as it goes, but when one comes to consider the +yearly expenses of the Rat-catcher it will be found that they are very +heavy. Now, first of all it will cost, at the least, 5 pounds annually +for the wear and tear of traps alone, then there is the wear and tear of +nets; two dog licences; always three or four ferrets to keep (and ferrets +are often lost down drains or killed by Rats); also sundry other +expenses, such as store cages, etc. Then, again, the Rat-catcher always +has to pay a man to help him. + +I don't call Rat-catching a trade only: I maintain that it is a +profession, and one that requires much learning and courage. I have +found this out when I have been under a warehouse floor, where a lot of +Rats were in the traps, and I could not get one man out of 50 to come +under the floor and hold the candle for me, not to mention helping me to +take the live Rats out of the traps. I just relate this because at some +places where we go and where we catch perhaps 30 Rats, the first thing +they say when the bill is presented is "Why, you have got 15s. worth of +live Rats!" They don't think of the damage 30 Rats can do to fancy +goods, nor do they consider the evil smells that men have to tolerate +under the floors or from the bad drains. + +I could relate many interesting anecdotes of what I have seen and heard +about Rats, but I fear its perusal might take up too much of my readers' +time. There is, however, one thing I will mention. I dare say you have +heard of Rats running about in "swarms" in the night. Do not believe it. +In my whole experience I have never been so fortunate as to meet a +"swarm" of these, when I have had an empty cage on my back, and an order +for 12 dozen live Rats at 5s. per dozen. When trapping at farms on a +moonlight night I have seen a train of Rats almost in single file going +from a barn to a pit or brook to drink, and then I have simply run a long +net all along the barn very quickly, sent my dog round the pit and caught +all the Rats in the net when they ran back to get in the barn. For in +these places you must be as cunning as the Rats to catch them. The +quickest way for a farmer to get rid of Rats is to run a long trail of +good oatmeal outside his barn doors, and shoot them on a moonlight night. +I have seen 11 killed at a shot in this way. They will stay eating the +oatmeal because they cannot carry it away. At farms or out-houses you +might poison Rats round a pit or along brook sides where they go to +drink, although I don't believe in poisoning, as one never knows where it +ends--the Rats being likely to carry the poisoned food about, and then +dogs, hens, pigs, pigeons, etc., may pick it up. + +There may be a few more ways of catching Rats than I have enumerated, but +I think I have given the best ways in detail. Some people think that to +use + + + +THE MONGOOSE + + +is very good, but I think that the mongoose is no better than a good fox +terrier dog or a good cat, the only advantage in the mongoose being that +all the Rats it kills it will bring back dead to its habitation, and that +stops the dead Rats from smelling under the floors. I think that the +mongoose is not half so sly or sharp as a good cat, and a mongoose, +moreover, has to be taught how to kill a Rat (just the same as a dog). I +am fortunate in having actually seen a mongoose and a Rat put alive in a +tub together, and the mongoose would not even look at the Rat. And I +maintain that the mongoose cannot compare with the ferret anytime, for +the simple reason that a small ferret can get anywhere that a Rat can, +whilst the mongoose must wait until the Rat comes out to feed. For +instance, if a board of a floor be left up for a mongoose to get under +the floor, it can only get into one of the joists; but a ferret can +follow a Rat wherever it goes. Then again, the Rats can smell a mongoose +even more strongly than they can smell a cat. So these facts prevent my +recommending a mongoose on any account. I have also heard of people +experimenting with different sorts of + + + +DRUGS AND CHEMICALS + + +for enticing Rats out of their holes. I hope none of my readers will be +attracted with this device. I hold that there is nothing that will tempt +a Rat from its hole like hunger. The nearest approach that I have found +to entice the Rodent out of its hole is oil of aniseed or oil of rhodium, +but the latter is expensive. I can rely best on oil of aniseed, because +I have often successfully tried it in experiment upon the plate of a set +trap. I have placed only three or four drops of oil of aniseed upon the +plate of a set trap without bait, and often the trap has closed and +trapped the Rat by the nose; so that it will be seen that the Rat must +have been licking the plate, or it could not be caught in that manner. I +have also frequently noticed when I have set, say, 20 traps covered with +meal and sawdust mixed, that if I have put only two drops of oil of +aniseed on half the traps I should find next morning on looking at the +traps that most Rats are in those in which I had placed the aniseed. I +think that oil of rhodium and oil of aniseed are very good to drop on the +traps after setting, or to mix with the stuff with which the traps are +covered. + +There is also another way of bolting Rats. Sometimes when the ferret is +put under a boarded floor, all the Rats will run together and pack +themselves in a heap at the end of a joist. When the Rats pack +themselves on each other thus, the ferret on reaching them will tackle +only one at a time. You can always tell when this happens by the ferret +working a long time and bolting no Rats. Now, immediately you notice +this, put your mouth near the hole where you have put the ferrets in, and +make a squealing noise with your mouth to imitate a squealing Rat. This +causes the heap of Rats at the end of the joist to disperse through fear, +and when they get running about they will bolt into the net. Many times +I have not had a bolt for half-an-hour and when I have squealed at the +hole I have had four or five Rats in the nets at once. + +These are some of the methods of clearing Rats from various places, and +from experience I think they excel all others. + + + + +PART II. HOW TO KEEP AND WORK FERRETS. + + +The first necessity in ferret-keeping is that they shall be kept in +hutches or "cotes," as they are commonly called. Care must always be +taken to have their places well swilled with carbolic water, and then +allowed to thoroughly dry before whitewashing the inside, which is also +essential to keep them healthy. This should be done at least four times +a year. Always have your hutches leaning from the wall, so that wet or +refuse will not lodge, for when the bottom of a hutch is always wet it is +liable to give the ferrets a disease called foot rot, which is very +frequent where ferrets are neglected. Always keep the feeding part of +the hutch well covered with sawdust. + +In feeding ferrets for the purpose of Rat-catching, never do so before +going out with them; I think it is quite sufficient to feed them every 24 +hours. If you feed them oftener they are liable to get too fat, and also +lazy and unwilling to work as they should. The best food you can give +them is bread and milk, and occasionally a little raw liver. Mix the +bread and milk with a little hot water, stir well with a spoon or squeeze +through your fingers, so that the ferrets will have to eat it where you +feed them; if not they will carry the large pieces of bread that are wet +into the corners of the sleeping place, which would soon cause that part +of the hutch to smell very sour and become injurious to the health of the +ferret, especially where four or five are kept together, as they are of a +very perspiring nature. Always give them plenty of room to run about +when you can; if you don't they are likely to take cramp. + +Ferrets are usually subject to distemper. The first symptom is the +ferret's neglect of its food. When you see this you will observe a +little matter at the corner of the eyes, and the ferret will have a +slight running at the nostrils. Immediately you see these symptoms +separate that ferret from the others, as this is, I think, the worst +disease one has to contend with. + +In the whole of my ferret-keeping experience I have found distemper, if +caught in time, can be cured; but if it gets too far I know of no cure +for it. I have known a gamekeeper to have dogs with the distemper, and +he has not touched his ferrets or handled them at all during the time his +dogs were bad, yet a week afterwards his ferrets caught the disease. He +tried all the remedies he knew of, but in 14 days 12 hitherto good, +strong, healthy ferrets died: all he had. This will show at once that +the disease is very contagious. The moment you see signs of distemper +coming on feed the ferret as little as possible. Give it as little to +eat as will just keep life in it, for in feeding the ferret you also feed +the disease. When you have kept the food from it is the time to start +curing if possible. Now, from experience the first thing I recommend is +to sweat the disease out of it, and I find the best way to do this is as +follows:--Get an old bucket with a few one-inch holes bored in the +bottom, and almost fill it with good new straw horse-droppings; put a +little hay on the top of the droppings, and then put the ferret on the +hay. Place or hang the bucket over a boiler or on the mantelpiece, and +let the kettle steam under the bucket, say for 30 minutes, and you will +find the steam and the ammonia from the droppings will together sweat the +disease out of the ferret; then you can start feeding it again. Feed it +with something substantial, such as the jelly from stewed cowheels; give +them the jelly only, not the meat; and you will have a good result. Also +give them a teaspoonful of cream. This is the one and only cure for +distemper. + +Another disease in ferrets, especially young ones, is what I call "red +mange." This starts always under the belly, and you will find that the +skin becomes very red and speckled. This is easily remedied by the +simple process of washing in lukewarm water and rubbing with sweet oil +and black sulphur. The same mixture will answer for "foot rot" if rubbed +well into the paws. The general cause of this latter disease is neglect +of the ferrets and the hutches not being cleaned out regularly. + +I think the best bedding for ferrets is good oat straw, fresh every +fortnight. Throw the straw in carelessly, and the ferrets will make +their own beds. When breeding ferrets, never go near them more than you +can help, as they are of a wild nature and liable to destroy their young. +When you know a Jill or bitch ferret has young, give her a little extra +good food, but don't interfere with the young ones on any account, and if +you want to give her a little extra bedding put the straw in the same +place as the food, and she will take it into the sleeping place herself. +It is advisable not to touch the young ones for five weeks, or better +still leave them until they come out to feed themselves; and when running +about, if there be a good number, say nine or ten, in the lot, it is a +good plan to remove them into a larger place for sleeping, as young +ferrets are very liable to catch the red mange, which arises from too +many being together and sweating very much. + + + +WHEN WORKING FERRETS FOR RAT-CATCHING + + +always work them unmuzzled. Make as little noise as possible, as Rats +are very bad to bolt sometimes. Never grab at the ferret as it leaves +the hole, nor tempt it out of the hole with a dead Rat. The best way is +to let the ferret come out of its own choice, and then pick it up very +quietly, for if you grab at it, it is likely to become what we call a +"stopper;" and never on any account force a ferret to go into a hole. + + + +WHEN WORKING FERRETS FOR RABBIT-SHOOTING + + +always muzzle them. The old-fashioned style of muzzle is, I think, the +best, that is, made with string. I don't approve of wire muzzles, as +they are liable to catch against tree roots and bits of sharp stones, and +from experience I find the ferret works much better with the string +muzzle. + +There is one way of working ferrets when rabbit-shooting which, if +followed, I think would lead to a better day's shooting. You will often +see the ferrets stick up with the rabbits. Now, in most cases the +gamekeeper or his man working the ferrets will often cut open a dead +rabbit and put the paunch to the burrow. I quite agree as to the +desirability of this to get the ferrets out, but I say that the man using +the ferrets ought never to touch the paunch, as the ferrets will not work +half so well after he has the smell of the paunch on his hands. + +Another bad plan is that of throwing a dead rabbit into the burrow so +that the ferret will follow it out. The best plan is to let the ferret +get clear of the hole, and then pick it up quietly. If you will break +your ferrets in in this manner you will never have any trouble with them +afterwards. + +When ferrets are conveyed about for the purpose of rabbiting, boxes are +much better to use than bags, as the ferrets then get a better chance of +resting. If bags be used you disturb the ferrets' rest and position each +time you remove one. Take care to observe this and it will result in a +good day's sport. + +Always take your ferrets home as quickly as possible after a day's work. + +Ferrets kept only for rabbit-shooting should always be fed as soon as the +day's work is over, but they must not have more food till the same time +the following day. If fed in this way regularly you will find that they +will work very well. It is also advisable to let them drink at a stream +when they have worked about three hours. + +When ferrets have been fast in a rabbit burrow, their paws may be full of +down with scratching at the rabbits. Always remove this before placing +them to another burrow. Each time you handle the ferret see that the +muzzle is alright, and in muzzling with string great care should be taken +to remove the long hair on the snout from under the string; otherwise the +ferret may experience a tickling sensation, and not work so well as it +should; see also that the string is tied tightly around the ferret's +neck; if not it can easily pull off the muzzle with its paws. + +Whenever a ferret is severely bitten by a Rat the best course to take +immediately you get it home is to bathe the wound in clean luke-warm +water. See that all the dirt is removed, and then apply a few drops of +sweet oil to the wound. Repeat this every four hours, until the wound is +healed, but until then do not work the ferret lest more dirt gets into +the wound. My experience proves this to be the best way to cure a ferret +when it has received a severe Rat-bite. + +It is also a good plan occasionally (say once a fortnight) to skin a nice +young Rat and give it to the ferret. + + + +SUITABLE DOGS. + + +And now a word or two as to what is a good dog for waterside hunting, or +working with the ferrets. I recommend a cross-bred dog, but I find that +it is always better to have the pointer breed in it, whatever other breed +you get, because the pointer always has the nose or scent. Pointer and +Airedale would be very good, or pointer and Irish terrier. I have often +noticed that pure-bred dogs are not much good for hunting in buildings or +rivers. I have frequently seen a cross-bred dog stand at one side of the +river, and if the wind has been in his favour he has winded his nose +across the river, and I have sent him over and he has turned a Rat out, +bolted it into the water, and killed it. + +The best precaution to take in breaking a dog to Rat-catching and +waterside hunting (especially if it be a puppy) is to never allow anybody +but yourself to have anything to do with it, it being the worst thing +possible to let a working dog have too many masters. Break it in to the +ferrets first, and then it is a good plan to go up the river banks, with +either a dead Rat or rabbit skin, letting the dog play with it for a +while, and then burying it about 18 inches in the river bank; or you may +pull up a clod and put it under, only you must not let the dog see where +you place it. Then take the dog with you near to where the rat or skin +is buried, and you will soon see that the dog knows its work. Do this a +few times, and you will see that once the dog finds the dead Rat or the +skin it will never forget. The younger the dog the better, the right age +to break a puppy this way being about four or five months. Break it in +for taking to the water at the same time. If you want a good working dog +always keep it on the chain when at home, and feed it at the same time as +the ferrets, but do not over-feed it; also give it one dose of castor oil +or syrup of buckthorn every 14 days. I recommend this because you never +know the nasty poisonous stuff that the dog gets on its stomach from the +dirty brook and river sides. + +Let me add that all I have written about ferrets and dogs are not given +merely from hearsay, but are the facts derived from study and experience +during 25 years of dog and ferret-keeping. + + + + +PART III. THE HABITS OF RATS. + + +Rats breed very quickly. This I have often proved by visiting a given +haunt for many years together. I remember an instance in point one June, +when out with dog and ferrets. The dog made a set under the root of a +tree. I put the ferret in and it bolted eight young Rats, nearly half +grown, still suckling the bitch Rat. When the old Rat bolted my dog +killed it, and whilst the dog was shaking it I found she was very heavy +in young again. This, therefore, will prove how quickly Rats breed. + +Another result of my observation may be of interest to my readers. After +removing a lot of old rubbish when ratting I came upon a nest of just- +born Rats, and, in curiosity, I cut the tails off the lot, and then put +the young Rodents back, leaving the nest undisturbed. When I returned +next day, I found the old Rat had carried all her young away, and, later, +I found the same tailless lot in another part of the building, and, after +disturbing them again, I found the following day that the bitch Rat had +killed every one by eating off their heads. This destruction of the +offspring I have witnessed on more than one occasion. The old bitch Rat +has always killed them in the same way by eating off their heads. + +I must not forget to tell you of the young Rat's dread of the ferrets. I +have often seen when the ferrets have been put in the hole the young Rats +(not many days old and their eyes yet unopened) creep out of the hole. +This is a proof that the smell of the ferrets has a tendency to bolt +Rats, either young or old. + +Old Rats are very bold whilst suckling their young. I have seen them +very venturesome to get to water, and more eager for water than for food. +I have often traced their runs a long way for water, and noticed that +when crossing a field to get to a pit or river they never walk, but are +always on the run; and in the summer, when they reach the pit, they not +only drink, but often swim about. I have frequently watched them +swimming on a moonlight night, but they generally go back to the +buildings in the early morning, especially in the winter months. + +Another habit I have often noticed. Take a farm, or any place where +there are many Rats, and it will be always found that when a Rat gets +very old it becomes very greyish in colour and rather scabbed, and its +hair comes off, mostly on the back. The healthy Rats will then drive the +old Rat away, and these scabby old Rats may be caught by themselves in +other parts of the buildings; and, further, I often notice that if the +ferrets are bitten with these old Rats, they "take bad ways." I never +put such Rats with the others nor allow my dog to kill them. I would +advise any gentleman having a dog he values never to let it touch one of +these old scabby Rats, as it may prove injurious to the health of the +dog. + +It is surprising how far Rats will travel in the night. I have traced +their tracks from a stackyard over two or three fields to a farm to get +to their food. And you will always find that they have one time for +feeding, which is as soon as it is dusk, the young Rats being the most +venturesome for their food, always coming out first. + +Rats, especially stackyard ones, are of a very clean nature. You will +find that after they have had their first feed they diligently wash +themselves. These Rats feed on nothing but good stuff, such as wheat, +corn, and meal; and from experience I find that if a man is bitten on the +hand by one of these Brown or Stack Rats it never "takes bad ways," but, +if bitten by a dirty Drain Rat, then whether he cauterises or bathes the +wound is no matter, it is sure to "take bad ways." I think the reason of +this is because the Drain Rat, when it cannot get anything else to eat, +exists on the worms and slugs, and this, I think, causes the teeth to +become more venomous. When bitten in this way blood poisoning is very +likely to ensue. Indeed, you must understand that the teeth of a full- +grown Rat are quite half-an-inch long, and the jaw is very strong, so +that if you are bitten on the finger it is almost sure to penetrate to +the bone. I have known a good many cases of blood poisoning through Rat- +bites. + +The damage Rats can do to property, commodities, etc., is almost +incredible. I have had so many examples of this that I scarcely know +which to submit as illustration. I think the worst case I have seen was +where they gnawed a hole half way through a 2-1/4 inch lead pipe, and +often I have known them to bite through a one-inch lead pipe. The worst +damage is done when they get under the flag floors of cottage houses out +of the drains. They scratch the soil from beneath the flags, which then +sink, and the consequent stench from the drains is abominable, +jeopardising the health of the tenants. I have seen a great many of +these cases in the poorer parts of Manchester. The damage the Rats will +do in the silk and similar trades, to the goods of merchants, or in the +grocery business, is enormous, and not so much by reason of what they +actually eat as by what they carry away, which is often ten times as much +as they eat. I have often proved this when ferreting at a wholesale +grocery warehouse. When we have taken up the boards between the laths +and plaster we have found the ceiling almost full of lump sugar, nuts, +candles, etc., which have been there for years, hoarded by the Rats. Now, +this all means heavy loss, and that is why I say that any business man so +suffering ought to engage the services of a professional Rat-catcher once +a year in order to keep the Rats down, and catch as many as possible +before they begin breeding. + +Another Rat habit may be noticed where the Rodents are accustomed to have +their holes and runs among flags and stones. If they find any soft wood +such as pine or white deal, they will nibble at it until it is eaten +through. I have often known them to eat right through the legs of tables +in the middle of cooking kitchens. This, I think, they do simply to keep +their teeth clean and in order; I have known half-grown Rats to do the +same. + +Rats can exist a long time on herbage, if they can get nothing more +palatable. It is a very common thing to find Rats in the rabbit burrows +when ferreting; in fact, I have seen, not once, but many times, Rats, +rabbits, and weasels all bolt from the same burrow. I have also +unearthed a Rat and a rabbit together out of one single burrow. + +Now as to keeping Rats in store cages at home. Look well after them, and +I think it is possible to keep them alive for quite a year; but if you +keep, say, 20 in one store cage and neglect their feeding,, you will find +that when hungry in the night they will kill the weakest of their number +and eat it, sometimes even eating two or three in one night, leaving the +skin as clean as if a man had skinned them. It is always the best plan +to put the Rats in different cages, according to their sizes. The young +ones together, the old ones together, and the middle-aged ones together, +as they keep themselves much cleaner when thus divided, and do not fight +so much as they would otherwise. They must also be kept in a warm place; +if not, they soon have cramp. Also keep them in a dark place and see +that they have plenty of water; sprinkle them now and then with it so +that they will wash themselves. It is astonishing what a hungry Rat will +do. I have seen them in the summer at dusk run at an old hen with her +chickens under her, and almost as quick as I tell it, the Rat has +snatched a live chicken and run with it under a pigsty floor. + +I have known them to take half-grown young ducks from the water side. I +remember once ferreting round a pit, near a barn, and when I put my +ferret in the hole, it pulled out two dead chickens and three +middle-sized dead ducks, and behind them, not more than a yard deep in +the pit bank, was an old Rat. I have also known them to get into the +coops where a gamekeeper was rearing his pheasants, and to kill nine +young ones in a single night all from under the same hen. + +Rats are also fond of eggs. I have read of many ways in which Rats take +eggs, but in my quarter-of-a-century's experience of Ratting I never saw +Rats take eggs save in one way, and that is, dragging or rolling them +along the floor with their front paws, until they get them to the mouth +of the hole. I remember one place where I was ferreting. There was an +old cellar, the door of which at the top of the steps had to my knowledge +been nailed up two or three years. Out of the hen house the Rats had +eaten a hole at each side of the cellar door at the bottom. One day we +burst open the door, went into the cellar (where it was impossible for a +hen to get whilst the door was closed) and beneath the bottom step we +caught two Rats. On lifting the flag at the bottom of the steps, we +found 15 whole eggs, some good and some bad, all of which I am quite +satisfied the Rats had carried down those nine stone steps! How they had +done so I cannot explain, but content myself with stating only the plain +facts of my own personal observation. + +Rats are also very cunning in the water, say a pit or a river. Now, a +Rat can exist in water for at most about seven minutes, and you will find +when a dog is swimming after a Rat that the Rat is watching the dog all +the time, for as soon as the dog gets within a yard of the Rat the latter +will dive under water and come to the surface again about 15 yards away. +When the dog has tired the Rat out with swimming, you will very often see +the Rat dive again and come up very quietly and just put its nose out of +the water, or rest its head on a floating leaf. It is so cunning that it +will remain still there, and if the leaf or reed gives way it will come +up at the water side and just thrust out its nose to breathe. By this +means the dog loses full scent of the Rat. + +I have also noticed how useful are the Rat's front paws and tail. I have +seen a Rat on the top of a swill tub at a pigsty, when the swill has been +about ten inches from the top of the tub. The Rat was too cunning to +jump down on the wet swill and drown, but I saw it reach as far down the +inside of the tub as possible with its front paws and scrape the grease +from around the sides! I have also seen the same Rat, when unable to +scrape any further down the tub sides, turn round, clutch the top of the +tub with its front paws, dip its tail into the swill, and then gain the +top of the tub and commence licking its tail. + +I have also tried an experiment with the same tub, which consisted of +covering the top of the wet swill with bran, which floated on the +surface, and placing a bit of lumpy swill in the middle of the bran, in +the hope that the Rat would jump on the bran in the expectation of +getting at the swill in the middle. However, it did not do so, no doubt +instinctively guided against the danger. + +I have also watched Rats run round a set wire or cage trap for a full +hour. I have seen them go half way in and out again, look at the bait +and never touch it, but go away and never return to the same trap that +night. These examples show the cunning instinct of Rats. + +There is, however, one power that the Rat is not favoured with, and I am +afraid if they were they would be a greater pest. It is the ability of +high jumping. A Rat cannot, I think, jump higher than three feet six +inches, and will have to be very hungry before doing that to obtain food. + +Many people may not know how fierce Rats are when fighting. Let me +instance. I have often taken, one in each hand, two good Rats from my +cage before a hundred spectators and set the Rats at each other on the +top of a table. To see them fight would be surprising. They will fight +like two bulldogs. When they have got a grip of each other with their +teeth I have taken away my hands, and they have stuck and shook one +another for at least half-a-minute, although you must understand that the +moment they are loose of one another they are off if you don't catch them +again. + +There are several other cunning ways of Rats which I can scarcely +explain. One must be amongst them regularly to know their wonderful ways +and habits. Yet another little incident, in conclusion, may be of +interest. I once called at a farm where they had been threshing a wheat +stack. A Rat-catcher had been there but without a dog, and when I +arrived two hours afterwards my dog made a set, and commenced scratching +amongst the old chaff left at the bottom of the stack, and to the +astonishment of myself and the farmer I pulled out of the hole where the +dog was scratching 73 live Rats! The other Rat-catcher, who had been at +the threshing all day, had caught only 14 Rats. This will serve to show +that a Rat-catcher must not be without a good dog. + +And now, respecting the ways and habits of Rats I think I have given my +readers interesting and varied illustrations of what I have seen and +experienced during my time. + + + + +PART IV. LIFE OF THE RAT-CATCHER. + + +This work will not be complete if I do not deal with the Rat-catcher's +life. The profession is a peculiar and exciting one, but all right if +pursued in the right way. Although the calling takes one into dirty and +obnoxious places, there is no reason why the Rat-catcher should not +always appear respectable. The Rat-catcher has many temptations to +dishonest conducts, for instance, when Rat-catching on a farm or private +estate where there are numerous rabbits and game. It looks rather hard +lines for the Rat-catcher to come off a farm with his cage full of Rats +and see rabbits running about whilst he has all the requisites in his +possession for catching them; and yet he must not touch one, but go home +and merely reflect on what a good Sunday's dinner he is leaving behind. +This I have experienced many a time, but I have always found even from +the business view-point that the old advice still remains true, "Honesty +is the best policy." Leaving the rabbits to themselves has always turned +out to be the best, for to take a rabbit worth a shilling, and get caught +in the act, means that you can never go on the same estate again. And +from that same estate you might have got 500 Rats in a year, worth four +shillings a dozen. + +I must also put in a good word here for the gamekeepers. My opinion is +that if you go on a keeper's ground and do what is right, you will be +able to go again, for in the whole of my experience never having carried +any nets but Rat nets when on private estates, I have the consolation of +knowing that I should always be welcome on going again to such estates. + +Of course there are inconveniences that the Rat-catcher has to put up +with. Whatever engagements he takes in a town, the only time he can +catch Rats with a good result is in the night. On one occasion, when +going round with my bull's-eye lamp to examine the traps, I was taken for +a burglar by the policeman on the beat, and he doubted me so much that he +would not release me until I had shown him my cage with Rats in and my +traps set all over the place. Then he took almost as much interest in +the catching of Rats as myself, and also brought in the other policemen +who were outside waiting for me to attempt an escape. Ever after that, +when I had a night's engagement in any town, I always went to the police +station to tell the man on that beat where I was. + +It behoves the Rat-catcher to be always attentive to his customers, +those, I mean, who want live Rats wherewith to try their dogs. Amongst +mine I have the honour to include clients of highest rank and position, +barristers, magistrates, solicitors and a host of sporting gentry. If +the Rat-catcher's efforts commend themselves to such gentlemen, and he +always maintains a respectable appearance, he will obtain some very nice +outings in the country. Oft-times a party of gentlemen have sent for me +in the summer, having arranged with me to bring four or five ferrets and +Ratting appliances, and we have gone 50 miles up the country. They would +bring their terrier dogs, and we would hunt all along the brooks and +rivers, and round the corn and wheat fields, putting the Rats we caught +into the cage, and after lunch, taking the Rats to a meadow and coursing +them with their dogs, which I think it real good sport. We would put up +at the best hotels and repeat the procedure next day, very often taking a +drag or coach, and driving ten or a dozen miles farther up the country. + +I can assure my readers that the Rat-catcher is well remunerated for the +trouble he undertakes in these cases, and moreover this is the class of +people he requires to fraternise with. There is always a plentiful +supply of "refreshments" on these outings, and I would therefore advise +the Rat-catcher not to indulge too freely. + +The foregoing is, of course, a brief sketch of the pleasantest part of a +Rat-catcher's life, and to complete the picture I may as well describe +some of the other features, and the way he has to rough it sometimes. +Well, Rat-catchers are generally called upon to supply Rats for the Rat +coursings usually held at beerhouses, etc., on Saturday afternoons, which +one often sees advertised. Now, if he binds himself to supply a coursing +at a certain date, the bills announcing the event are printed and posted, +all of which means expense. Then you are bound to secure the live Rats, +whatever be the weather. In doing this I always followed the threshing +machine to the bays and stacks. (Anyone that catches Rats regularly can +tell by looking at the bays or stacks whether there are many Rats in or +not.) I remember many times when the men have started threshing a bay of +wheat in which were a great many Rats, and by dark they have threshed +only half of the bay. At such times the Rat-catcher must not leave the +remaining half, no, not for half-an-hour throughout the whole night, for +if he does the Rats will run out. To stop the Rats from leaving, the Rat- +catcher has to lie on the top of the bay or go about every thirty minutes +and beat the bottom with sticks until daylight, in order to keep the Rats +in. Then, after the machine re-starts, and the bottom of the bay is +reached, the Rat-catcher will be well paid for his trouble, for he may +get, say, 150 good Rats for the coursing, at six shillings per dozen. The +reason I call them good coursing Rats is because they have not been +handled, and that enables them to run well. + +Now, when you go to these coursings (which are mostly in the colliery +districts) you will find about 60 dogs entered. It is the Rat-catcher's +business to measure and handicap the dogs, and a very unpleasant job it +is. He has also to be the referee at these coursings, and if it is a +"near thing" with two dogs running at one rat, and you decide to award +the victory to a given one, then the owner of the other dog will probably +accuse you of wrong-doing and favouritism. Then is the time the +Rat-catcher has to be prepared to pull off his coat and start fighting +before, perhaps, 500 spectators. This has often occurred with me. This, +I can assure my readers, is what I call "roughing it." + +Of course, what I have just related occurred a few years ago, but when +the Muzzling Order came into force, the authorities practically stopped +Rat coursing, for they would not let a dog run at a Rat unless the dog +was muzzled. This was about the worst thing that the authorities could +do for Manchester and district, for at that time I was supplying for +coursings about 100 Rats per week, and at the same time sending 50 Rats a +week into Yorkshire, and all the Rats I supplied were caught within 15 +miles of Manchester. This in my opinion, speaks very bad of the Muzzling +Order, which I think is nothing but a farce, for at the very time I was +going ratting, dogs were muzzled in some parts of the country but not in +others. My opinion of dog muzzling is, muzzle all or muzzle none. + +You will see by what I have said respecting these coursings, etc., that +the Rat-catcher has plenty of work to supply so many live rats, and he +has also to mix with company high and low. He also sometimes experiences +difficulties in travelling on the railway. I have often entered an empty +third-class carriage, sent my dog under the seat, and put the Rat cage +there also. The carriage would fill with passengers, and upon reaching +my destination I would take from under the seat my cage full of live +Rats, to the amusement of some and the disgust of others. + +I have also entered a railway carriage with my cage of rats when there +were passengers in, one or two of whom would generally object to live +Rats being in the same compartment, and on enquiring of the railway +officials, I have found that any one travelling with live Rats is +expected to put them in the guard's van. + +I have also had a few good customers in my business, one or two in +particular. Gentlemen have often sent me post-cards instructing me to +take six or twelve Rats to their residences. I would run them out on the +lawn in front of the house with their dogs, and generally I have received +good remuneration for my trouble. These are the customers who should be +looked well after, for they are the sportsmen who do not consider +expense, though of course there are others who are just the opposite. + +Further, Rat-catching is a business in which one is not called upon to +allow credit. It is all a ready-money trade, and as there is not much +competition, the Rat-catcher can command a good price for his work. He +has always one resource open to him when he has finished a job according +to contract (catching say 40 or 50 Rats), should there be a dispute about +the price and the people decline to pay the bill, then he has the +expedient of letting the Rats at liberty again in the place where he had +caught them. Most people will pay the price you send in rather than have +the Rats turned loose again. + +Although I am showing how the Rat-catcher can always have the advantage +of stubborn payers, I may as well assure my readers that in all my +experience such an occurrence as the above has never happened with me, +simply because I always make my arrangements beforehand, which course I +always find the best and most satisfactory all round. + +Another matter I may mention. If any one could find out a sure way of +catching Rats so that he could give a guarantee to clear large buildings, +my opinion is that he would make a fortune in a very short time; for I +know firms in Manchester alone that would pay almost any amount to be rid +of the Rats; not only because of what they consume, but more for the +damage they do to their goods. + +I have referred to the Rat-catcher obtaining good pay. The reason he +commands such a big price for his work at the present time is because +there is not much sale for live Rats. The trade is not what it was some +years ago when Rat-pits were allowed. I think it was one of the worst +things they ever did for this country when the authorities stopped the +Rat pits, for when Rat killing was allowed in pits, it was a common thing +for a Rat-catcher to receive an order for 100 Rats, all to be killed at +one time; then the Rat-catcher would get the Rats and wherever he got +them from he was ridding that district of a nuisance. But when the +authorities stopped Rat-pits and Rat-coursing, the consequence was that +the Rat-catcher left the Rats to breed in thousands. Rats being vermin, +I don't see why they should not be killed 50 or 100 at a time in the pit, +but the Humane Society maintain that it is cruelty to dogs to put them in +a pit with a lot of Rats. I don't see where the cruelty comes in, but +from what I have seen of Rat-pits during my time I approve of them, and I +think if they were in existence again there would be a clearing of many +thousands of Rats. Some 15 or 20 years since, I supplied 400 Rats in one +week, all to be killed in Rat-pits. + +Many of my readers may not understand what a Rat-pit is, and so I will +just give an outline as well as I can. + +The Rat-pit is of circular construction, say ten feet diameter, and about +four feet six inches deep, the sides being perfectly smooth to prevent +the rats climbing up and making their escape. A certain number of Rats +are placed in the pit according to the arrangements made with the owner +of the dog. Then the dog is put in the pit with the rats to kill them, +which a good dog does very quickly. + +The reason the pit is built circular is so that the Rats will keep +running round, for if it were square they would all run in a corner, one +on the other, and then the dog would have no difficulty in killing them. +It is better to have the pit fairly deep; if not, the rats might escape. + +I think the best dog, within my recollection, that I have seen was a bull +and fox terrier, which killed 40 good Rats in three minutes and 21 +seconds. I have read and heard of dogs doing better feats, but I am only +writing of what I have myself seen. I may say that the records for Rat- +killing in Rat-pits are held by a dog called Jacko, which killed 200 Rats +in 14 minutes and 37 seconds, and 1,000 Rats in less than one hour and 40 +minutes. + +The Rat-catcher has also some very dirty jobs to do sometimes. Often he +has to go under all sorts of cellar floors, both wet and dry, but the +majority of places are very wet and dirty, for the Rats nearly always +come out of some filthy drain, and very often near a water-closet, the +abominable smell arising from these places being sufficient to cause a +fever. + +I remember being once employed at a hospital, and I was paid at the rate +of 5s. per visit for trapping Rats. Well, I found that 5s. per visit did +not pay me (I had about 120 traps set all over the place), so I went +before the committee and requested 8s. per night. The committee said +they thought 5s. per visit was enough, and one or two of them said they +thought 8s. per night was above a Rat-catcher's pay. Now, as I was not +depending on that particular job at the time, I turned round and told +them what I thought. I told them I considered Rat-catching was a skilled +occupation, and I also offered any of them a five-pound note if they +would only follow me under the floors at midnight, not to speak of taking +the live Rats out of the traps in the dark; but I can assure you that +none of these gentlemen would venture to undertake the task. + +Now, if any of these gentlemen had to do this a few times they would not +refuse to pay the Rat-catcher the sum he asks, viz., 8s. per night. + +I remember more than once in big places such as bonding warehouses, when +I have been under the floors, my candle or lamp has gone out through +being knocked over with grabbing at Rats, and I have not had a match in +my pocket, and have had to grope about in the dark trying to find the +trap-door where I have got under the floors, more often than not putting +my hand in a set trap. It would be of no use shouting for a light simply +because I have been alone. It is always better for a Rat-catcher to have +assistance for night work, but I have done it myself very often. + +Now, the expenses of travelling come very heavy sometimes, for wherever +the Rat-catcher goes he always has to pay railway fare for himself and +his dog. + +Another thing I must tell you. Often when I have gone to inspect a small +building I have found that there were a great many Rats in, but I have +also known, after inspecting the place, that they have all come from the +one place, out of the drain. Well, if I have contracted to do this job +for a lump sum, I could easily clear this place and not catch an odd Rat, +simply by ferreting them all back into the sewer in the daytime, and then +making it good; but in most of these cases they do not like to pay your +bill because you have caught no Rats. Still, you have driven them all +down the drains, and after making the drain good they cannot get back +again into the building. + +Now, in a case like this I always trap them two or three nights and catch +a few, just to give satisfaction to those engaging me. + +Sometimes gentlemen will write inviting me to meet them at a certain +farm, and bring my ferrets and a good supply of nets, alleging that there +are "hundreds of Rats in the stacks." I just relate this to indicate how +anyone not regularly amongst Rats can easily be deceived as to their +numbers, for a couple of Rats on the thatch of a stack, especially when +they have young ones, will probably have twelve holes eaten in the thatch +and underneath the stack, and anyone not understanding their habits would +think there were a lot of Rats in it. + +And it is much the same with workpeople; if they chance to see two or +three Rats at once, they will say there are "scores" of them. You would +also be surprised to see the awful dread that tenants have of the Rat- +catcher in private houses. When ferreting these places they think that +if a Rat-catcher has once put his ferrets under the floor they will never +see another Rat in the place; but depend upon it they are very bad to +catch in these places. + +I have often had much trouble respecting houses, warehouses, etc., to +know whose duty it would be to pay the Rat-catcher for his work, the +landlord's or the tenant's, but I think that the landlord should pay. I +have had many engagements to catch Rats in newly-built houses before they +were tenanted. The time the Rats get into these places is whilst the +workmen are putting the drains in the back yards, leaving the drains open +at nights. Thence the Rats come out and get under the floors, sometimes +having to stop there, too, simply because the next day the joiners board +up the floors and thus block the Rats in underneath, and then the Rats +can always get into the kitchens up the back of the fireplace. Most +property owners would do well to take note of this fact. + +I must tell my readers, especially those having large shops, etc., that +it is a good plan, if possible, to turn off the gas and water every night +and week-end, for I have seen a good many cases where the Rats in the +night-time have eaten through a water-pipe, and the place has been +flooded by morning. It is just the same with a gas-pipe, and my opinion +is that it is quite possible for fires to be caused by Rats in the night- +time. Rats are very fond of nibbling and scratching at soft wood, and it +would be an easy matter at a grocer's shop for a Rat to bite or scratch +through the package of a gross of matches and ignite them, and the same +cause may prove disastrous with any other inflammable goods. + +Respecting the conveyance of live Rats, the Rat-catcher should always be +particular to have good strong cages and bags, because if he had a number +of Rats in an unserviceable bag which happened to break open at a railway +station or in the street, I think he could be summoned for the damage the +escaped Rats might do. Still, I have not in my time had or heard of a +case of this sort. + +Speaking of bags, a good many people seem to think that if a man puts his +hand into a bagful of Rats they will bite him, but I can assure you that +a child could do the same thing and not be bitten. Should there be only +two or three in the bag, then they will bite, but not in the event of +there being a good number. The same rule applies to Rats stored in a +cage, where there is open daylight--if there be 40 or 50 Rats together, +it is then the habit of the Rats for all to cling together, and they will +let you handle them anyway if only you will have sufficient courage. + +It is very good sport for gentlemen who want a good day's outing to go to +farms when threshing is on, and also to go hunting and ferreting round +the corn and wheat fields, and I think many sporting gentlemen who have +not seen such sport would indulge in it freely after they had once +witnessed it. I think it is much better and healthier sport than rabbit- +shooting, especially in the summer when the farmers are cutting their +corn and wheat. + +When catching Rats as a regular pursuit, one is surprised at the queer +places in which he finds them. I recollect ferreting seven full-sized +Rats from under the floor of a built dog kennel not above four yards +square, where a large mastiff and a terrier dog slept every night, only a +3/4-inch board dividing them from the Rats, and the Rats having eaten +holes through the boards in the kennel! I have also found at an +out-house an old bitch Rat and nine young ones in an old tin trunk +without a lid. I have also caught Rats and taken young ones out of the +nest from under railway sleepers where trains have been running and +shunting operations carried on every day. And I have even taken old and +young ones in their nest from a pile of Cheshire cheese, at a wholesale +cheese and bacon factor's! + +And mentioning cheese in this connection reminds me that once I +discovered that Rats had scratched and eaten a hole direct through the +bottom lot of cheese in a pile which had only been there three weeks. + +A word or two about what a Rat will do with a ferret. I have often seen +a Rat run a ferret out of the hole, and then wait with its head out of +the hole until the ferret has come to it again. I remember once +ferreting at a hencote, and put the ferret behind the hen nest, whereupon +the Rat attacked the ferret, which then jumped back and died in five +minutes, the Rats having given only one bite behind the ferret's ear! Of +course this is a very rare occurrence. True, I have had many ferrets +killed by Rats in my time, but it has always occurred through the +poisonous bite first swelling and then "taking bad ways," the ferret +dying in probably a week or so. + +You must understand that if you put a Rat and a ferret together in a tub +the ferret would kill the Rat in nine cases out of ten, the nature of the +Rat being to get away from the ferret if possible; but if it cannot it +will fight, and I think a Rat, for its size, is of a very vicious nature, +for I have often seen when trying a puppy at killing a Rat in a pit, that +a game Rat will run the puppy all round the pit. The best way to try a +pup to kill a Rat is to draw the teeth of the first Rat it secures for +sometimes if a pup gets a severe bite from a Rat it will never look at +another. It is a very bad plan to let a pup play with a Rat too much, +for this causes the pup never to put a hard mouth on the Rat. When this +latter occurs it is the best plan not to allow the same pup to see +another Rat until it is a month or two older. If you will take care and +trouble with a pup you can bring it up to your own liking, and to do +anything you want. I have worked seven years with a curly-coated +retriever bitch, and when ferreting a brook she would stand in the water +and catch the Rats that escaped from the nets into the brook and bring +them to me alive in her mouth. I have sold hundreds of Rats she has +caught in this manner, and to show you how the dogs can be brought up +with the ferrets I need only mention that this bitch would lie down and +let two ferrets kill a Rat on the curly coat of her back. + +Farmers know too well of the many restless nights the cows and horses +experience through Rats. I have seen when trapping all night at a farm +the Rats running over the cows and horses whilst sleeping: and when +horses have been working in the field all day they want better rest in +the night. I have known when farmers would not let the Rat-catcher +ferret their buildings gratis, simply because they have a few hens +sitting. They don't consider that when the hens have hatched the eggs +the Rats will take the chickens. Whenever a farmer has refused to let me +ferret at his farm I have passed that farm ever afterwards. To show you +the different dispositions of farmers I have met, I may mention that when +once ferreting at a farm, we caught nine rats and lost the ferret, and +two days afterwards the ferret was found on the farm, and I sent for it, +but the farmer demanded two shillings of me for the ferret's keep. This +same man I may add farmed about two hundred acres. + +Of course, there are other farmers just the opposite, who will not only +pay you for your trouble, but take great interest in helping you to catch +the Rats. I relate these facts and incidents to show you the contrast in +the disposition of different people one meets in this business. + +I don't think the Rat-catcher's life is one of the worst if he looks well +after his business, for he has a few advantages over other occupations. +In the first place, he is his own master, and need only doff his coat +when he chooses, there being for him no such summons to work as a factory +bell. And if he fancies a day's outing in the country he can always take +his dog and ferrets with him, and make a day's pleasure into a +remunerative business, by reason of the income from the Rats, and I find +from experience that the best friends he has are his dog and ferrets, if +he will look well after them and treat them kindly, for I think that a +Rat-catcher in the country without a good dog might walk over scores of +Rats and never know they were there, so you will see that his dog is +chiefly what he has to trust to. + +And now, in conclusion, let me express the hope that this book will prove +instructive, entertaining, and profitable to my readers, inasmuch as I +have endeavoured to make it so to the best of my ability and within the +somewhat limited scope and sphere of a Rat-catcher's calling. Of course, +I might have made the narrative portion of the book more startling and +exciting, had I drawn upon my imagination, but I have thought it best to +adhere to cold fact and actual experience. + + + + +HINTS ON RABBIT SHOOTING. + + +Always have your gun made at your gunmaker's to your own liking. + +Always be prepared for the worst of weather, and be sure to have good +strong boots. + +Never have your gun on full cock while walking about, especially whilst +going through a fence. + +Never stand too close to a burrow, and don't be too eager to shoot. + +Always have your gun pointed upwards to the clouds or down to the ground. + +Never shoot at a rabbit as it sits on the top of the hole, or you might +shoot the ferret. Always stand so that all the shooters can see one +another. + +Never remove from where the gamekeeper places you. + +Never have your gun barrels up while it is raining. + +When you go out in the country always provide yourself with refreshments +before starting. + +If you miss an easy shot don't blame the gun. + +Don't be too excited, and get well on the rabbits before you pull. + +If the keeper's dog is retrieving rabbits never attempt to take one from +it. + + + + +AUTHOR'S NOTES. + + +IKE MATTHEWS is prepared to go out Ratting with parties of gentlemen or +their gamekeepers on their private estates during the summer, supplying +dog, ferrets, and nets, at moderate charges. Arrangements may be made by +post. + +IKE MATTHEWS is also willing to go out rabbit-shooting with gentlemen +during the season, and will supply and work ferrets at reasonable +charges. He is also prepared to break dogs and puppies to ferreting and +Ratting on reasonable terms. + +Any number of live Rats and rabbits supplied at a few days' notice. + +All orders promptly attend to. + Undeniable References. + Yours truly, + IKE MATTHEWS. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FULL REVELATIONS OF A PROFESSIONAL +RAT-CATCHER*** + + +******* This file should be named 17243.txt or 17243.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/7/2/4/17243 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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