Barbary pig

There seem to be a number of recommended rat repellents, including--

'Shake-Away rat repellent -- a strong, granular deterrent that contains the scent of the pests most feared predators, the fox and bobcat.'

But I cannot find any that include boar taint.  Good luck to other researchers.

Hmm.  According to that 1879 novel, it's a guinea pig-- that is, at least Molesworth's character calls the pet guinea pig a cochon de Barbarie-- but according to Wikipedia (below), the French for guinea pig is cochon d'Inde (or cobaye):

"Whatever the reason, this perception of pigginess occurred in many languages other than English; the German word for them is Meerschweinchen, literally "Little Sea Pigs" (sailing ships stopping to reprovision in the New World would pick up stores of guinea pigs, which provided an easily transportable source of fresh meat), the Russian word for them is morskaja svinka (Sea Pig; Морская свинка), the French word is Cochon d'Inde, (Indian pig), the common Spanish word is 'conejillo de Indias' (Indian bunny rabbit), the Dutch used to call it guinees biggetje (Guinean piglet), in Sweden they are called marsvin (a combination of the Latin word mare for ocean, and Swedish svin which means pig) and in Greek they are called 'indika xoiridia' (Small Indian Pigs ; ινδικά χοιρίδια).  The scientific name of a common species is Cavia porcellus, with orcellus">porcellus being Latin for 'little pig.' "

So the character must have been referring to another animal?  Curiouser and curiouser.

PS:  Cannot get into this site, but I found this intriguing excerpt:

With that he sang with quite a French entrain and English
accent the famous song of the day, called "Le Cochon de Barbarie."

So a Barbary pig is a guinea pig!  I thought that might be the case, as guinea pigs seem to have a wide variety of names, but how could you deter rats by placing a guinea pig near a rabbit warren?  Wouldn't the rats be as dangerous to a guinea pig as they would be to rabbits?  Why would the guinea pig just stay there?  Or perhaps I'm reading the quote wrong, and it was only the "odour of a little Barbary pig," and not the pig itself, that he "placed there"?

By the way - Pieanne - the writing style of the story you quoted reminded me a lot of Threepod!  Neeble," cried Jeanne, "Oh, my cousin, is Neeble your pet? Why, he is a 'cochon de Barbarie!' O the dear little fellow! We could not – at least papa and mamma could not – read what he was. And have you brought him all the way, my cousin, and do you love him very much? Marcelline, Marcelline, oh, do give us some milk for the cochon de Barbarie – oh, see, Marcelline, how sweet he is!"

Perhaps this is where Threepod learned his English, as well as his love of the cochons de Barbarie!  Next thing you know, Jeanne will be asking Marcelline for some sausage and eggs for Neeble!

Here (for Threepod's benefit) is the original:

http://www.livresse.com/Livres-enligne/lesmiserables/010503.shtml

It seems to me that he puts the whole guinea pig in the warren – not just its smell.

No doubt a country custom...

MrP