The Rat Plague iii Italy.

Otago Witness, Issue 1920, 4 December 1890, Page 39

The Rat Plague iii Italy.

The plague of rats which last spring threatened to devastate the garden of Scotland, till the East L.otb.ian farmers roused themselves up to take energetic measures for the stamping out of the pest, has reappeared in a most alarming form in Ttaly. In some parts of that country these enterprising and very prolific rodents have been coming up like an invading army, covering the fields and eating all before them. The farmers and the labourers have, so far at least, been quite unable to ofaeek the inroad of this hostile force. In one district — Gallaro — it has even been decided to abandon all farming operations till the spring, in the hope that they will in this way be able to starve out the invaden, and the Michaelmas floods may then give the coup de grace to the noxious vermin. There seems to be some danger, however, that in thus attempting to starve out the rats by laying waste the country, the people may starve out themselves. Besides, the invaders, if flushed with triumph a,t being confronted only with a policy of masterly inactivity on the part of the defenders, will certainly make a strong effort to extend their conquests as their numbers increase and their supplies diminish. It is stated that the peasantry in some districts have taken to eating the rats which are threatening to eat up them. This is rather a good plan ; for although rats do not commend themselves to the sosthetic taste as an article of diet, yet, in the siege of Paris, a considerable number of frog-eaters found that the rats mad 6 a fairly palatable and nutritious dish, especially when seasoned with a feeling of patriotism on the part of the eater. When the pest was at its height in East Lothian, it was wisely suggested that if the ladies would only take to using ratskins to adorn their hats, the plague would soon be stayed. Surely the ladies of Italy might adopt this fashion for a season in order that their country may be freed from the thrall of a ruthless invader.