III.—DOGS, CATS AND FERRETS.
The claims of cats as one of the rat remedies we shall have to dismiss in very short order, as the exceptional cases in which they do good work are altogether too few and far between. The only domestic animal which really possesses value in hunting rats is the ferret, as, by reason of its india-rubber joints, it can pursue its prey home. Any terrier—no matter what variety—having a fair amount of intelligence can be broken in with ferrets, so that your ferret can do the hunting out and the dog—at the proper moment—can do the killing. The fox-terrier is by far the best ratting-terrier. He is quick, understands and remembers what is taught him, is full of ambition, and readily learns to regard the ferrets as his partners in the rat-hunt.