The Rat; Its History & Destructive Character. James Rodwell
Pet Rat—A Game Hen killed by a Rat—A Battle between a Rat and a Bantam Cock—Combat between a Rat and a Weasel—A Ferocious Rat—Rapacity of a Rat—A Battle between a Rat and a Ferret—The Champion Rat
Rats of the Serpentine—A Cat eaten alive by Rats—An Extraordinary Contest between Rats and Terriers—Four Prisoners attacked by Rats—Ferocious Rats
The Teeth of Rats—Rat’s-tooth Thumb-rings—How Rats descend Trees, Walls, Palings, &c., without falling—The Value of Rats’ Teeth
ARTICLES MANUFACTURED FROM RAT-SKINS.
Ladies’ Gloves—Rat-skins, Fitch, and Ermine—Rat’s For used for Gentlemen’s Hats—A Lady gnawing Rat-skins—Lady Rattle’s French Kid Gloves
Rat-eaters of China, India, &c.—The British Admiral and the roast Puppy—What’s in a Name?—Is a Rat a Rat, or a Kid?—Sermulot or Rat Eaters in the East Indies—Sermulot or Ground-pig Eaters of Africa—Sermulot-eaters of Naples, California, China, France, Malta, England, and the British Navy—Sermulot-eaters of Cornwall—Fried Sermulots and Sermulot Puddings—The Flesh of the Sermulot—Are Farm-fed Sermulots wholesome as Human Food, or are they not?—Is a Rat Carrion or Game?
WHISTLING JOE, THE HERTFORDSHIRE SERMULOT-HUNTER AND RATCATCHER.
Joe’s Dinner off broiled Sermulots—His Opinion of Sewer Rats—His Remarks on Rat-catching—His Appreciation of the Barn Owl—Whistling Joe’s History of himself, and his Rat-catching Exploits—His Success in Stocking a Preserve with Game, and his Reward
MISCELLANEOUS ANECDOTES OF SERMULOTS AND SNAILS.
Destruction of Birds by Sermulots—The Puffins driven off Puffins’ Island—Sermulots in the Zoological Gardens, Regent’s Park, London—A Sermulot swallowed by two Pikes—Snail-eaters of Paris
TO THE FARMERS OF GREAT BRITAIN, ON THE FECUNDITY AND DEVASTATING CHARACTER OF THE RAT.
ON THE UNIVERSAL PREVALENCE AND DESTRUCTIVE HABITS OF THE RAT.
Rats in Shropshire—In Middlesex—Rat-match at Hanwell—Rat-killing in Suffolk—Destruction of Rats in London—Rat-match in a Tub—Rats in different Places and different Parts of the World—In the Hebrides—In the Islands of the Pacific—How Rats cross the Seas—Suffocating Rats on board Ship—Why Rats do not sink Ships—Cats for California—Number of Rats caught alive in one Ship—Rats and the West-Indian Mails—A Will devoured by Rats—Quantities of Biscuit and other Food devoured in the Ship Valiant—The Dutch driven out of the Isle of France by Rats—Rats in Van Diemen’s Land—Rats in India
Number of Rats springing from one Pair in Three Years
DEVASTATING POWERS OF RATS, AND THEIR ENORMOUS CONSUMPTION OF GRAIN.
What Farmers lose in Corn—Loss in the shape of Bread—Rats destroy more than would keep all the Poor cf England—Peculiarities of Rats and Mice in a Rick
VERMIN-KILLERS AND RAT-MATCHES.
Comparative Estimates—The Napoleons of the Rat Wars—Number of Rats destroyed yearly in London in Matches and Private Practice
THE SEWER RATS AND RATCATCHERS OF LONDON.
Jumper, the Ratcatcher of the London Sewers, and his Assistants—A Ratcatcher’s Honour—A Banquet in the City Sewers—Conclusion with the Magistrates
Summing up Judgment against the Rat
RATCATCHERS, AND THE BEST MEANS FOR THE LOCAL EXTIRPATION OF THE RAT.
How to employ a Ratcatcher—Bewitching Rats—Ratcatchers—Every Man his own Ratcatcher
HOW FARMERS AND OTHERS SHOULD EXTIRPATE THEIR VERMIN.
Thirstiness of Rats—Cost of removing a Rick—Saving effected by removing it—Necessity of United Action among Farmers—Caution against Ratcatchers, &c.—Uncle James’s Infallible Rat-traps—The Barns and Granaries to be looked after—How to clear Dwelling-houses,