Naturalist.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 383, 10 September 1903, Page 7

Naturalist.

A EAT PLAQUE. KA.T plague, unprecedented in ©M$ the annals of London, has broken s££f£ out on the north side of the Strand. Something akin to a reign of terror prevails among the inhabitants after nightfall. Women refuse to pass along Blacktnore Street and the lower part of Stanhope Street after dusk, for droves of rats perambulate the roadways and pavements, and may be seen running along the window ledges of the empty houses which are awaiting demolition by the County Council in the Strand to Holbora improvement scheme. The rats have appeared in almost incredible numbers, ' There are millions of them,' said one shopkeeper, and his statement was supported by other residents. The unwelcome visitors; havo bees evicted

from their old haunts by the Couaty Council housebreakers, and arsnow busily in search of new homes. The Gaiety Restaurant has b-.en the greatest ftufferer. Rita have invaded the premises in such force that the managers have had to close a large dining -room on the first floor ard the grill rooms on the ground fl or ai.d in the basement. Behind the wainscot c-f the bandstand ia the griil roora is a large mound of linen Bhreds. This represents 1728 serviettes carried there by the rate. In the bar the removal of a pasel disclosed tl e astonishing fact that the rata have dragged for a distance of seven or eight yards some 30 or 40 beer and wine bottles and stacked them in such a fashion as to make comfortable sleeping places. Mr. Williams, the manager of the restaurant, estimates that the rats have destroyed .£2OO worth of linen. Formerly the Gaiety Restaurant dined 2COO persons daily j no business whatever is now done in this direction. Oae of the bar maids the other afternoon was eating herlui ci behiad the bar when a c.uple of gentlemen c&lUd for drinks. When, alter supplying their wants, she sat down to lesume her meal, the pl&te was empty. The bar maid glanced suspiciously at the gentlemen, but they bore no evidence of Then she heard a rustling in a cupboard behind her. A large rat was quietly musching the missing beef, while it held a boiled potato between its claws, More thrilling still was another expedience which befel th's same attendant. In the most matter-of-fact and imj udent manner a rat climbed on to her ikirta, evidently with the idea of going to Bleep A scream startled the customers, who on turning rousd were astounded" to see the ytuag woman holding a writhing rat by the back of the neck, D z ns of lemons and fresh eggs have been eaten by the rats, who have also a partiality for cigarettes, which they abstract from the boxes as neatly a3 &n inveterate smoker. Rats have even ea'en the leaves off the plants used >for decrative purposes, leaving only bare twigs. One day a dog of rat killing fame was left in the restaurant all night. But it was the dog that died. The poor creature was found tenibly mauled the following morning. A well-koown City man essayed to catch a rat which had taken refuge ia a cupboard behind the bar. The rodent showed fight aad bit one of the 5 amateur rat-catcher's finger to the bone.