1891-92-] The Mice Plague. 23 



Y.—THE MICE PLAGUE. 



By Mr TOM SPEEDY. 



(Read Jan. 27, ISO?.) 



It was with great pleasure that I heard of the appointment 

 of a Commission to inquire into the cause of the vole plague, 

 as I hoped that some new facts in Natural History might be 

 elicited thereby. In this, however, I have been disappointed. 

 The outcome of the Commission's work is a recommendation 

 " that weasels, which do little damage to game — at least in 

 moorland and hill pasture — should not be molested." As to 

 the preservation of weasels being recommended, I have little 

 to say, but the statement that they " do little damage to 

 game " simply indicates lamentable want of knowledge on the 

 part of those by whom the Commission has been misled. I 

 have known, personally, an entire brood of blackgame 

 destroyed by a weasel ; and there are few gamekeepers of 

 experience who could not corroborate this from observation. 

 In illustration of its bloodthirsty character, I may mention 

 that a neighbour's boys had a pair of rabbits confined in a 

 house with a brood of eight young nearly half-grown, and a 

 second litter, seven in number, about ten days old. Hearing 

 a noise one evening in the rabbit-house, the boys went to 

 ascertain the cause. On opening the door a weasel made its 

 exit by a small hole, and effected its escape. It was found, 

 however, that the whole of the young rabbits, fifteen in 

 number, had been killed, the speck of blood behind the ear 

 of each revealing the cause. The noise which attracted atten- 

 tion was caused by the old rabbits defending themselves ; but 

 there can be no doubt that, had attention not been attracted, 

 they too would have shared the fate of their progeny. 



Coming to winged vermin, it is stated in the report that 

 owls and kestrels are " harmless," but are beneficial to agri- 

 culturists by killing large numbers of voles. In so far as 

 they devour mice, beetles, and caterpillars, they work in the 

 interest of the farmer ; but these are by no means to be 

 regarded as their exclusive food. As to their killing and 

 devouring voles there is not the slightest doubt, but that they 



