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Star (Christchurch), Issue 16750, 3 June 1922, Page 10

Rats are destructive animals hut it is not often they destroy a mirror. This, however, was the experience of Mr Watson, jeweller, of Colombo Street, when he discovered yesterday that rats were responsible for the unaccountable disappearance of tbe quicksilver from one of the mirrors used to display the goods in the windows to better advantage. Tfc is evident that the rats worked their way up between the back of the mirror and a brick wall and in their progress rubbed or bit off the quicksilver. The track of t.he rata is made quite apparent by the damaged quicksilver and they have made a nest on one of the lathes between the mirror and the brick wall for the body of a rat is quite easily seen from the street and that it is alive is apparent from its regular breathing. The damage to the mirror is rather considerable, for though it may be repaired the mirror will first have to be removed. Tt is thought that the rats came from an old alley-way and burrowed their way underneath tho brick wall.