[matilda] A new collective! for us RATS:

[worldwarfree at riseup.net]

We RATS of Matilda propose a collective for ourselfs here is some info on us

A rat is any of about 56 different species of small, nearly omnivorous
rodents belonging to the genus Rattus. The most well-known species are the
Black Rat Rattus rattus and the Brown Rat Rattus norvegicus. The group is
generally known as the old world rats or true rats, and originated in
Asia. Rats are bigger than their relatives the mice, but seldom weigh over
500 grams in the wild. The common term rat is also used in the names of
other small mammals which are not true rats. Examples include the North
American pack rats, a number of species loosely called kangaroo rats, and
a number of others. Other rats such as the Bandicoot rat Bandicota
bengalensis are murine rodents related to the true rats, but are not
members of the genus Rattus. The widely distributed and problematic
commensal species of rats represent a minority in this diverse genus. Many
species of rats are island endemics and some have become endangered due to
habitat loss or competition with brown, black, or Polynesian rats.

In Western countries, many people keep domesticated rats as pets. These
are of the species Rattus norvegicus, which originated in the grasslands
of China and spread to Europe and eventually, in 1775, to the New World.
Pet rats are descendants of Brown Rats bred for research, and may be
called "fancy rats." But they are the same species as the common city
"sewer" rat. Domesticated rats tend to be both more docile than their wild
ancestors and more disease prone, presumably due to inbreeding.

Rats have a significant impact on food production. Estimates vary, but it
is likely that anything between 1/5 and a 1/3 of the world's total output
is eaten, spoiled or destroyed by rats and other rodents.

The common species are opportunistic survivors and often live with and
near humans. The Black Plague is traditionally believed to have been
caused by the micro-organism Yersinia pestis, carried by the rat flea
Xenopsilia cheopis which preyed on Rattus rattus living in European cities
of the day; it is notable that these rats were also victims themselves. It
should perhaps also be noted that it has recently been suggested that
neither rats nor infected fleas would have spread fast enough through
Europe to have been a likely culprit. Regardless, rats are frequently
blamed for damaging food supplies and other goods. Their reputation has
carried into common parlance: in the English language, "rat" is an insult
and "to rat on someone" is to betray them by denouncing a crime or misdeed
they committed to the authorities. While modern wild rats can carry
Leptospirosis and some other "zoonotic" conditions (those which can be
transferred across species, to humans, for example), these conditions are
in fact rarely found. Wild rats living in good environments are typically
healthy and robust animals. Wild rats living in cities may suffer
themselves from poor diet and internal parasites but do not largely spread
disease to humans.

The rat makes a fine pet, known for its intelligence, playfulness and
sociality. They are extremely clean and have an excellent sense of humor.
Rats can be taught entertaining tricks, as many other domesticated
animals. As with any pet, it is best to seek a rat from a professional
breeder rather than a pet store.
A pet rat
Enlarge
A pet rat

Rats in the laboratory

Like mice, rats (especially albino Rattus norvegicus) are frequently
subjects of medical, psychological and other biological experiments. This
is only partially due to their rapid growth to sexual maturity and because
they are easily kept and bred in captivity. Rats are, in fact, socially,
behaviorally, and in many ways physiologically similar to humans.
Scientists have bred many strains or "lines" of rats specifically for
experimentation. However, these lines are generally not transgenic because
the easy techniques of genetic transformation that work in mice do not
work in rats. This has frustrated many investigators, who regard many
aspects of behavior and physiology in rats as more relevant to humans and
easier to observe than in mice, but who wish to trace their observations
to underlying genes. As a result, many researchers have been forced to
study questions in mice and fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster)[1] that
might be better pursued in rats. In October 2003, however, researchers
succeeded in cloning two laboratory rats by the problematic technique of
nuclear transfer. This may lead to more rats being used as genetic
research subjects.

Rats in culture

In imperial Chinese culture, the rat (sometimes referred to as a mouse) is
the first of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac. Consequently every
twelfth year is known as a "year of the rat" in the Chinese calendar.
People born in such years are expected to possess qualities associated
with rats. These include creativity, honesty, generosity, ambition, a
quick temper and wastefulness. "Rats" (i.e. people born in a year of the
rat) are said to get along well with "monkeys" and "dragons," and to get
along poorly with "horses."

In India in the northwestern city of Deshnoke, the Karni Mata Temple (the
indogermanic roots of Mata traceable to the modern english "Mother") in
reverence of an incarnation of Durga, the Goddess of War is devoted to the
worship of rats. The holy animals are called "Kabbas" and many people
undertake pilgrimage from afar to see these animals. It is believed the
rats will be reincarnated into their next lives as Sadhus, Hindu holy men.
The attending priests feed milk and grain to the animals of which also the
pilgrims partake. Eating food that has been touched by the animals is
considered a blessing.

The stereotypes associated with rats in Western civilization are less
complimentary. Rats are seen as vicious, unclean, parasitic animals that
steal food and spread disease. In one particularly infamous example,
ravenous rats are used as a torture device in the novel Nineteen
Eighty-Four. When anthropomorphized, rats are usually depicted as selfish,
crude and untrustworthy, with the characters of The Secret of NIMH, Ratz,
and Terry Pratchett's The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents being
the major exceptions. Describing a person as "rat-like" usually implies
they are unattractive and suspicious. By contrast, mice are stereotyped as
cute and bourgeois.

On the Isle of Man the word rat should be used with caution; even today
many people may be shocked, and indeed offended upon its utterance. It is
considered bad luck to mention this word. The origins of this superstition
date far back, possibly to a time when many Manx people lived off the sea,
where it was a sign of trouble when the rats were leaving the ship. Local
alternatives include longtail, joey, queerfella, ringie and the Manx
Gaelic word, roddan. In recent times, many young people have converted to
saying "r-a-t", owing to the influence of British immigrants.

Taxonomy of Rattus

The genus Rattus is a member of the giant subfamily Murinae. There are
several other murine genera that are sometimes considered part of Rattus.
These are: Lenothrix, Anonymomys, Sundamys, Kadarsanomys, Diplothrix,
Margaretamys, Lenomys, Komodomys, Palawanomys, Bunomys, Nesoromys,
Stenomys, Taeromys, Paruromys, Abditomys, Tryphomys, Limnomys, Tarsomys,
Bullimus, Apomys, Millardia, Srilankamys, Niviventer, Maxomys,
Leopoldamys, Berylmys, Mastomys, Myomys, Praomys, Hylomyscus, Heimyscus,
Stochomys, Dephomys, and Aethomys.

The genus Rattus proper contains 56 species. A subgeneric breakdown of the
species has been proposed, but does not include all species. The five
groups are:

    * norvegicus group
    * rattus group
    * Australian natives
    * New Guinea natives
    * xanthurus group

You can view our page here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rats with links
and more info on us:

As you Know we have made contact with 0742 he soon come round to our way
of thinking and is our humnan contact for Matilda any communcation on our
proposed collective should be directed to 0742:

Love The Matilda Rats: