One of the principal reasons for the long delay in
removing the &pin of the filth of Paris from Montfsucon, is the dispersion it would cause of the myriads of rats which have hitherto found their sub. sistence there, and which no doubt would assail the Faubourg du Temple, and probably cause the destruction of many houses. Various means of getting rid of this plague, previous to the proposed removal, have been tried in vain. Even poison has failed; and besides, this is attended with numerous dangers. The most successful expedient
has been frequently hunting them with dogs. To render the slaughter the more extensive, all their burrows or outlets are stopped at midnight, and then, in the morning, the chace has been made by torchlight. On some of these occasions, as many as 45,000 of these animals have been killed of a morning. Their skins, whets properly stripped off, without holes or other damage, are sold at one sous a piece, to make gloves. During the last year these baltues have been very much attended ; and two gentlemen well known in the fashionable world have been eager to join the sport with their dogs ; and a third, who prefers finding his game closer at home, has, it is said, had numbers of them bagged, and brought to afford him amusement within his own territories, to the great annoyance of his neighbours.
Previous page
