The Rat; Its History & Destructive Character. James Rodwell
at furthest, it will probably sink down to the dust for ever!”
I fear that our worthy friend and patriot has been labouring under two mistakes. In the first place I shall quote Baron Cuvier, who tells us that the black rat, like the surmulot or brown rat, appears not to be aboriginal in Europe. No evidence exists of this animal being found among the ancients; and the modern authors, who have spoken clearly upon the subject, go no further back than the sixteenth century.
Gesner is, perhaps, the first naturalist who has described the black rat. Some think, with Linnæus and Pallas, that we received it from America; and others believe that it was a present of our own to that country, made after we had ourselves received it from the Eastern regions.
It is certain that the black rat is to be found in all the warm and temperate climates of the globe; that it is wonderfully common in Persia, and multiplied to a prodigious extent in the Western Islands, where it is not obliged by winter to seek refuge in the habitations of man; but where the fields, through the entire year, present it with abundance of nutriment. In all parts of America, from its ravages and devastations, it has become a perfect scourge. In fact, the black rat consumes an immense quantity of provisions, and destroys and damages still more than it consumes, particularly in the fields, where it tears up plants from the roots, of which it eats but a portion.
Gesner furthermore states that these animals bring forth many times in the year, and that during the season of their amours they have very violent combats, and utter cries resembling a sharp hissing. Their young are born entirely naked, and with their eyes shut. They are generally about nine, or sometimes more, in number.
Sir W. Jardine, in his “Naturalist’s Library,” believes that this animal was originally imported from the Continent, where it first made its appearance at the beginning of the sixteenth century, and was supposed to come from the East. If so, it may as well be called a Turkish or an Irish rat as an English. Mr. Bell says it is possible, from the proximity of the two countries, that the black rat was first imported into this country from France. Indeed the Welsh name for it, which signifies “French mouse,” appears to favour this opinion. The French, on the other hand, call it the English rat, though it is far more numerous in Paris than London.
Most historians, however, agree as to its being a foreigner, whencesoever it came; and there are no records of its existence in this country prior to the sixteenth century. The immense number of 250,000 rats were killed in a few days in the sewers of Paris; and, with the exception of 500 or 600 black rats, the whole of them were of the brown Norwegian species. The black rats do not then live in deadly strife with their brown neighbours; but, on the contrary, fraternize and live on terms of domestic habitude, whence springs a numerous and motley brood of young ones.
Now, let us look to this side of the Channel, and see how far black rats flourish with us; then we can form a tolerably correct notion as to which climate is most genial to their nature, and come to a pretty fair conclusion as to which country the black rats would call their father-land, were they gifted with the powers of articulation. At all events, it is clear that they are no great rarity in Paris. Now, for my own part, I have seen thousands of rats in London, independently of those I have seen in the country; yet I can safely aver that, with the exception of those seen in the “happy family,” I never once saw a black rat among them; that is to say, a large-eared, sharp-nosed, fierce-eyed, scaly-tailed, sable-coated Mus Rattus. I also add Mr. Waterton’s own testimony to the fact of their scarcity in this country; since it cost him so much time, trouble, and expense to gratify his curiosity in seeing one. Nor is he alone in this respect; for the good people of Bristol, some few years ago, were perfectly astonished upon beholding one which had been caught, and sent it up to the Philosophical Institution, where upon examination they pronounced it to be one of the black English rats—“a race which is now nearly extinct, having been all but exterminated by the rats now ordinarily met with.”
This, I suppose, was the decision of the philosophers of the institution, which perfectly coincides with Mr. Waterton’s views upon the subject. Yet, for my part, I am quite at a loss to know, if England be the natal land of black rats, why they should be more numerous in France than in their native country? or why the brown rat in England should be so barbarous towards the poor native nigger, when, at the same time, in Paris, he places him on a footing of perfect equality.
The opinion that the brown rat is a deadly enemy to the black rat is refuted by the following:—
“Since Louis Philippe left the Tuileries the place has been uninhabited; for a vast multitude of black and brown rats have established an immense colony in the cellars of the once royal castle. Some old shoes, old hats, and some sacks of potatoes, which had been left there, have, up to the present time (1851), amply served them, for provisions; and as there is a direct communication between the cellars and the river Seine, they had everything they required to lead a very joyous life. Recently, however, they have been making excursions into the houses of the Rue de Rivoli, and the inhabitants having made a complaint to the Prefect of the Seine, orders were given to the person charged with the destruction of the vermin to organize a razzia against those intruders. It is said that, on entering the cellars, he found a complete mass of these black and brown rats, which formerly were said to be mortal enemies, but now are living on fraternal terms; and, in consequence of crossing the breeds, many of them were dark on the backs, with white bellies and tails. The skins of this race are considered valuable. The night before last the ratcatcher of the capital commenced setting his traps, and on the following morning he had caught 847 rats. According to custom, their tails were cut off, and sent to the Hôtel de Ville, in order to support the claim for the usual reward.”
This, I think, is tolerably clear evidence. And now let us return to our worthy friend Mr. Waterton, and the gentlemen of the Philosophical Institution, who say that the brown rat has worried nearly every individual of the original black rat of Great Britain. This, I fear, is Mr. Waterton’s second mistake, since their diminution may be attributed to more natural causes. The black rat is one-third less than the brown rat, consequently much weaker. The result is, that in the breeding seasons the stronger male rats beat off the weaker, and run away with the black ladies, who in due time have a family of half-bred young ones. When these have become matured, they breed in again with the brown rats; their young become much lighter, and so on for a few generations, and the entire breed will become confirmed brown rats; while the old black rats, having lived as long as nature will allow them, cease to exist, and the race becomes extinct.
Albinos, or White Rats.
Before I give an account of the Brown rat, I must notice the Albino, or White rat. Some authors believe it is a mere accidental variation of the brown rat. Mr. Richardson, in his “Pests of the Farm,” also expresses the same opinion. He says, “The common brown rat sometimes presents albino characteristics; that is to say, it is occasionally to be found of a white colour, with red eyes. In the neighbourhood of Greenock, for instance, he says, there were, some years ago, numbers of these albinos to be met with, especially among the shipping. Some specimens were sent him, and he kept one of them as a pet for a considerable time.”
A colony of white rats was lately discovered in the Ainsworth Colliery, near Bury. They committed great depredations, when they had an opportunity, upon the food of the colliers.
In London, at the present time, these animals, being bred for fancy, are becoming very numerous, and sell at the rate of four shillings a couple. In shape and manners they are exactly like the common barn rat, but rather smaller. Their fur in every part is purest white; and their eyes, noses, and skin, beneath the fur, are of a most delicate pink.
The first who bred these for fancy and profit was a person by the name of Ostin, residing in the Waterloo Road; and he was the first man who brought to perfection the happy family, which may be seen daily at the foot of Waterloo Bridge, London. He informed me that he first procured two white rats, male and female, from Normandy about three years ago; and from this couple he has bred an immense number in cages. He has also initiated his son-in-law in the art of subduing the natural cravings of various animals, and reducing them to one standard of peace and equality. He exhibits his happy family every fine evening