at 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 t