ZOOLOGY. 83 



acrtvk'in', I'ictoliii, ami hisulpliid of curhon. Tlii'sc siihstanccs wciv all ai)i)lii'<l as 

 pises for the destruction of ra))bits in tlieir l)urro\vs. Acetylene was found to be 

 ineffective. Pictolin is a mixture of sulphuric and liquid carbonic acids. When 

 exposed to the air the substance volatilizes rapidly, and the experiments showed 

 that it was fatal to rabbits. The application of this remedy, however, requires much 

 time and is also expensive. It appears also to have an injurious effect upon the 

 workmen. By far the best results were obtained bj^ the use of bisulp)hid of carbon, 

 w hich is recommended as the best substance for destroying rabbits in winter. It is 

 urged also that attention should be given to the use of any remedy which has proved 

 effective under local conditions in order to supplement the destructive effects of the 

 bisuljjhid of carbon. 



Combating the mouse pest by means of the mouse typhus bacillus of Mer- 

 eshkowski, Y. Koz.vi (Jiiil. Col. Agr. Imp. Univ. Tokt/o, 4 {190J), No. 5, pp. 299- 

 S'J3). — The author conducted experiments in the use of the bacillus of Mereshkowski 

 in destroying common field mice in the province of Ibaraki, northeast from Tokyo. 

 The field mice upon which experiments were made belonged to the species Arvicola 

 li((t(tm'xumi. Notes are given on the behavior and growth of the ])acillus on various 

 nutrient media. In preliminary experiments in the laboratory moistened buck- 

 wheat meal was infected with material from a bouillon culture of the bacillus of 24 

 hours standing. The moistened meal was readily eaten by the mice and all became 

 infected with the disease without exception. Field experiments were then under- 

 taken in a similar manner but on a larger scale. The infected material was placed 

 ill a field under piles of tobacco stems which were frequented by the mice. After a 

 ])eriod of 5 days the burrows underneath the piles of tobacco stems were carefully 

 investigated, with the result that of the 20 mice which were found in them 17 (85 per 

 cent) had contracted the disease. A number of additional experiments were made 

 along the same line, with quite promising results. 



The resistance of rats and insects to carbonic and sulphurous acids, J. P. 

 Laxglois and A. Loir ( Vompt. Rend. Soc. Biol. Paris, 54 {1902), Nu. 1-2, pp. 414, 415). — 

 The experiments were undertaken on account of the possible agency of these animals 

 in distributing bubonic plague in cities. Carbon dioxid and the fumes of sulphurous 

 acid were found to be of little ^■alue in destroying rats and insects. 



Protection of useful birds, C. W. Peterson {Rpt. Dept. Agr. Northwest Territo- 

 rh:s, 1901, pp. 65, 66). — Brief notes are given on the relation between insectivorous 

 l)irds and agriculture. The agency of birds of prey in the destruction of gophers and 

 other rodents is discussed, and notes are given on various means which must be 

 adopted for poisoning these animals in case they are not held in check suthcientlj- 

 by birds. Experiments were made in infecting wheat with pathogenic organisms 

 for the purpose of spreading disease among gophers. It was found during these 

 experiments that the bacilli of fowl cholera or mouse typhus could bo relied upon 

 to kill the gophers in an infected burrow, but that the disease did not s])read rapidly 

 from one burrow to another. 



On the necessity for the preservation of our insect-destroying birds, with 

 an alphabetical list of the principal kinds, C. French {Jour. Agr. Victoria, 1 

 {1902), No. 1, jjp. 69-73). — The author gives brief general notes on the relationship 

 of birds to agriculture, and presents a list of the principal insectivorous birds of 

 Victoria. 



Two vanishing game birds — the woodcock and the wood duck, A. K. Fisher 

 ( r. aV. Dept. Agr. Yearbook 1901, pp. 447-458, pis. 2, Jigs. 3). — Attention is called to 

 the great destruction of these birds in their winter home in the Southern States. 

 No protection is offered to them there, and they are slaughtered in large numbers. 

 Notes are given on the habits, distribution, and natural enemies of these birds. The 

 most important natural enemies of the woodcock are considered to be the cat, red 

 squirrel, sharp-shinned hawk, and mink. The best preventive measure suggested 



