in zoology. See Mus.

The following receipt is said to have been found effectual for the destruction of rats. Take of the seeds of staveacre or loulewort, powdered, more or less as the occasion requires, one part; of oat-meal, three parts; mix them well, and make them up into a paste with honey. Lay pieces of it in the holes, and on the places where mice and rats frequent; and it will effectually kill or rid the place of those kind of vermin by their eating thereof.

Some time ago, the society for encouraging arts proposed a premium of 50l. for a preparation capable of alluring or fascinating rats so that they might be taken alive. In consequence of this, a great number of new traps, &c., were invented; and the following methods of alluring the rats to a certain place were published.

One of those most easily and efficaciously practised is the trailing some pieces of their most favourite food, which should be of the kind that has the strongest scent, such as toasted cheese or broiled red herrings, from the holes or entrances of the closet to their recesses in every part of the house or contiguous building. At the extremities and in different parts of the course of this trailed track, small quantities of meal, or any other kind of their food, should be laid, to bring the greater number into the tracks, and to encourage them to pursue it to the place where they are intended to be taken: at that place, when time admits of it, a more plentiful repast is laid for them, and the trailing repeated for two or three nights.

Besides this trailing and way-baiting, some of the most expert of the rat-catchers have a shorter and perhaps more effectual method of bringing them together; which is the calling them, by making such a whistling noise as resembles their own call; and by this means, with the assistance of the way-baits, they call them out of their holes, and lead them to the repast prepared for them at the place designed for taking them. But this is much more difficult to be practised than the art of trailing; for the learning the exact notes or cries of any kind of beasts or birds, so as to deceive them, is a peculiar talent which is seldom attained: though some persons have been known who could call together a great number of cats; and there was a man in London who could bring nightingales, when they were within hearing, about him, and even allure them to perch on his hand, so as to be taken.

In practising either of those methods, of trailing or calling, great caution must be used by the operator to suppress and prevent the scent of his feet and body from being perceived; which is done by overpowering that scent by others of a stronger nature. In order to this, the feet are to be covered with cloths rubbed over with asafoetida, or other strong-smelling substances; and even oil of rhodium is sometimes used for this purpose, but sparingly, on account of its dearth, though it has a very alluring as well as disfiguring effect. If this caution of avoiding the scent of the operator's feet, near the track, and in the place where the rats are proposed to be collected, be not properly observed, it will very much obstruct the success of the attempt to take them; for they are very shy of coming where the scent of human feet lies very fresh, as it intimates to their sagacious instinct the presence of human creatures, whom they naturally naturally dread. To the above-mentioned means of alluring by trailing, way-baiting, and calling, is added another of a very material efficacy, which is, the use of oil of rhodium, which, like the marum Syriacum in the case of cats, has a very extraordinary fascinating power on these animals. This oil is extremely dear, and therefore sparingly used. It is exalted in a small quantity in the place, and at the entrance of it, where the rats are intended to be taken; particularly at the time when they are to be half brought together, in order to their destruction; and it is used also by smearing it on the surface of some of the implements used in taking by the method below described; and the effect it has in taking off their caution and dread, by the delight they appear to have in it, is very extraordinary.

It is usual, likewise, for the operator to disguise his figure as well as scent, which is done by putting on a sort of gown or cloak, of one colour, that hides the natural form, and makes him appear like a poet or some such inanimate thing; which habit must likewise be scented as above, to overpower the smell of his person; and besides this, he is to avoid all motion till he has secured his point of having all the rats in his power.

When the rats are thus enticed and collected, where time is afforded, and the whole in any house and outbuildings are intended to be cleared away, they are suffered to regale on what they most like, which is ready prepared for them, and then to go away quietly for two or three nights; by which means those that are not allured the first night are brought afterwards, either by their fellows, or the effects of the trailing, &c., and will not fail to come duly again, if they are not disturbed or molested. But many of the rat-catchers make shorter work, and content themselves with what can be brought together in one night or two; but this is never effectual, unless where the building is small and entire, and the rats but few in number.

The means of taking them, when they are brought together, are various. Some entice them into a very large bag, the mouth of which is sufficiently capacious to cover nearly the whole floor of the place where they are collected; which is done by smearing some vessel, placed in the middle of the bag, with oil of rhodium, and laying in the bag baits of food. This bag, which before lay flat on the ground with the mouth spread open, is to be suddenly closed when the rats are all in. Others drive or fright them, by flight noises or motions, into a bag of a long form, the mouth of which, after all the rats are come in, is drawn up to the opening of the place by which they entered, all other ways of retreat being secured. Others, again, intoxicate or poison them, by mixing with the repast prepared for them the coccus Indicus, or the nux vomica. They direct four ounces of the coccus Indicus, with twelve ounces of oatmeal, and two ounces of treacle or honey, made into a moist paste with strong-beer; but if the nux vomica be used, a much less proportion will serve than is here given of the coccus. Any similar composition of these drugs, with that kind of food the rats are most fond of, and which has a strong flavour, to hide that of the drugs, will equally well answer the end. If indeed the coccus Indicus be well powdered, and infused in strong-beer for some time, at least half the quantity here directed will serve as well as the quantity before mentioned. When the rats appear to be thoroughly intoxicated with the coccus, or sick with the nux vomica, they may be taken with the hand, and put into a bag or cage; the door of the place being first drawn to, lest those who have strength and sense remaining escape.

Rat-Island, a small detached part of the island of Lundy, off the north coast of Devon. Though noted in Donn's map of the county, it is not worth mentioning here, but as giving opportunity to subjoin a farther notice of Lundy, which island was purchased a few years since by Mr Cleveland M. P. for about 1200 guineas, who has a small villa on it; not more than 400 acres are cultivated: it is let altogether for 70l. a-year. The soil is good, though no trees will grow on the island. It has fine springs of water; the houses are seven: the inhabitants, men, women, and children, do not exceed 24. The bird called murr, whose eggs are very large and fine, the Lundy parrot, and rabbits, are the chief produce; these abound, and are taken for the feathers, eggs, and skins, principally. They have now (1794) 70 bullocks and 400 sheep, but the latter do not thrive. They pay no taxes: fishing skiffs often call with necessaries: the situation is very pleasant, and the rocks around, which are large, and partly granite, are wild, romantic, and novel. It had probably more inhabitants once, as human bones have been ploughed up. It has no place of worship, nor public-house; but strangers are always welcome. Eight cannon lie on the battlements on the top of a very steep precipice, under which is a curious cavern. Lord Gower, Mr Benson, and Sir J. B. Warren, K. B. have been former proprietors. See Lundy.