Ths Sagacity of Rats.

Manawatu Herald, 19 February 1898, Page 3

Ths Sagacity of Rats.

A curious casa of rat engineering occurred some timo ago in Brussels, showing great ingenuity and calculation on the part of the rodents, as well ai their system of discipline. A new meat market had been built on Place-street, and though it was surrounded by water, the butchers (who did not appreciate rats) laid their plans to exclude the whole tribe and nation, and in ease any should reach their stands they resolved to head off their march by making the potts in their stalls umcalable by rats. This they effected by covering the pots with zinc, and the butchers, looking at the shining surface of the metal, chuckled at their victory. But they reckoned without -their host. The rats got the meat. A watchman posted in the market called a butcher, who cam* early on the scene, to witness the method. On a stall hung two quarters of beef and a leg of mutton. The rats spied them, and found them unapproaohable. A general call for the nation at large was evidently Bounded, as the rats came flocking in, and an old rat seemed to take command. There were enough projections and in-* equalities to enable them to reach the table of the stand, but hqw to gcale the zino-oovered joists was the task for the engineer corps to decide. Their plan was soon formed. The rat army moved up in a solid mass, ' the stout fellow in front. On these climbed smaller and smaller specimens, till & little rat mountain rose. Then some of the rats, who evidently belonged to some rat circus or athletic society, climbed to the summit, and one raised himself on his hind legs, resting his forelegs against the zinc. Then another clinibed up his back, and, taking post on his shoulder, assumed the came attitude; rat after rat ascended the Jacob's ladder, till one at last reached the croafl-beam, and scampered along . it. A whole regiment followed, and the meat was attacked, the engineers evidently aiming to drop down what they could for the benefit of the army. The lookers on, however, Were not disposed to let them go too far, and with all their engineering skill the rat army had to leave the field. The whole operation showed a remarkable degree of calculation, a system of discipline, and a ready carrying out of plans, which seems impossible without language as a means of imparting the directions and wishes of the commander.