An Electric Rat Trap.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 156, 30 May 1884, Page 2

An Electric Rat Trap.

The discovery that the wires of the electric light form the most efficient of all rat traps, was made accident!/. The eiectric light suddenly went out one night m a private house, and on examination it was found that a rat had touched the two wires m the cellar, and thus closed a circuit with his unsuspecting paws. The rat was killed instantaneously by the electric current, and his body remained, with one paw uplifted, m precisely the attitude m which death overtook the unfortunate animal. The hint thus furnished has been used by au American as the basis of au electric rat and mouse annihilator. Instead of an elaborte trap, which rats and mice of intelligence refuse to enter he uses wire. On all sides of the cellar, and at a height of two inches from the ground, is placed a small wooden trough sprinkled with cheese, while cm each side of the trough run the electric wires which furnish li^ht to the rest of the house. The mice and rats are naturally attracted by the cheese, and m endeavouring to reach it, touch the wires, aud are"instautly killed. This ad mh able invention will clear a house of rats and mice m a single night* and ia some places where it has been tried, no less than three gross assorted rodents are asserted to hare been found m hungry attitudes over the fatal trough.