Uncle Dick and Lisa's Old Time Animal Tales

Muskrats force themselves occasionally upon one’s attention in India by their habit of entering a bungalow and ambling slowly round the rooms, talking loudly to themselves all the time in a chattering voice.
Although ratlike, the muskrat is not really a rat, but a large shrew, protected by an extreme degree of offensive odor like sickeningly strong musk, which it emits at will.
If not interfered with it will soliloquize round the room, picking up insects attracted by the light, and wander out again; but let anyone assault it, and the room will scarcely be habitable for a time. Dog or cat only attacks a muskrat once in its life, and the mongoose moves out of its way.
That is the meaning of the continuous noise which it makes as it goes along-a sort of alarm bell to let all concerned know that something is coming which is best left alone.