Rats
These animals are far less destructive than mice in gardens and shrubberies, owing to their food being made up to a much less extent of seeds. Their burrows are at times a cause of annoyance in the neighbourhood of ponds or streams, to which they are partial. Their depredations in houses are well known to most persons; but dwelling-houses are more commonly invaded by them than garden-houses, in which food is less often procurable. They feed greedily on eggs, and will eat fledgling birds; hence, they are peculiarly objectionable where it is desired to encourage the smaller birds in pleasure-grounds and gardens. There are, however, instances in which Rats prove themselves very destructive, the worst being, perhaps, when they attack a house of ripe Grapes. The channels in which the hotwater pipes are situate sometimes afford the animals either a means of entry to and exit from the house, or else a hiding-place, and it is often difficult to dislodge them before much mischief has been done. They ascend the Vine-rods, and eat off the bunches or berries wholesale, either carrying away or partially devouring them. Sometimes, they enter at night by a front sash, or even from the roof, if the ventilators are left open, and an attack has been once commenced. If Rats are about the garden, the bottom sashes of vineries should always be closed at night, especially after the Grapes are ripe. A plan of prevention, which has been found partially, though not wholly, successful, is tying some brown paper round the rods, 2ft. or so clear above the ground, in the shape of a bell. This prevents the Rats ascending the rods, but, as already stated, their means of ascent are not always confined to these. Rats are also troublesome at times amongst wall fruit-trees outside, by carrying away the fruit when ripening. Poison is the most effective method of destruction, where it can safely be laid down, but the animals often die in places where the stench arising from decomposition proves, for a few days, almost unbearable in the locality.
The Brown or Norway Rat (Mus decumanus) is now almost the only kind of true Rat found in Britain, since the Black Rat (Mus rattus), formerly very abundant all over the country, has disappeared before the Brown species, probably devoured by the latter. Both are believed to have entered Europe from Asia, and to have spread westward--the Black Rat having come into Europe about the twelfth century of our era, and the other in the sixteenth century. The Brown Rat was first observed in England about 1730. It has spread all over the world by the aid of shipping, and is now very widely naturalised. The Black Rat is distinguished by its fur being greyish-black above, and ashy beneath, and by the tail being a little longer than the body. The Brown Rat is a good deal larger than the Black, and has the fur greyish-brown above, and yellowish-grey beneath; and the tail is a little shorter than the body. It requires to have free access to water, and its habitats are a good deal determined by this need. It is an excellent swimmer, and takes readily to the water. Another so-called Rat is the Water Rat, or water vole (Arvicola amphibia), which is about the size of a small Brown Rat, but is clumsier in form, with a blunt head, short ears, and small eyes; the toes of the hind feet are connected at the base, and the tail is only about half as long as the body. This animal burrows in the banks of streams, and passes most of its time in the water. It is believed to feed almost exclusively on water plants and roots; hence, it is not often hurtful in gardens. The Brown Rats may be destroyed, when necessary, by traps, or by means of the poisons recommended for the destruction of Mice (which see); or ferrets may be employed to drive them from their holes. When they are very troublesome, the services of a ratcatcher may be resorted to with advantage.