At 12:34 AM 5/3/98 +1000, ROBERT VARMAN wrote:
<snip>
>Sydney's Hyde Park Barracks is a different story. Huge networks of rat
>tunnels filled with bones, ceramics, glass, household items of any sort,
>smoking pipes, even coins, rosery beads, holy medals. Under the upper
>floors, the best and most numerous textile samples of the 1820s-1870s
>period in Australia plus all the above and many mummified rats. We dubbed
>them, Trader Rats
<snip>
 
In the US Rocky Mountain region, we have a species of rat called "Pack Rat,"
which exhibits the sort of collecting behavior you describe for your rats.
But my question about your "Trader Rats" is: What archaeological evidence do
you have that these rats actually engaed in trade with one another and/or
with other species of "collectors," such as crows?   ?) :) ;) !)
 
BYE-- Frank Kohout
U. of Iowa