THE MEADOW MOUSE 85 



One reason that may be advanced as to the causes of increase of 

 rodent pests, meadow mice included, is the almost universal desire 

 of man to destroy any living -thing ; and many of the birds, mam- 

 mals, and reptiles thus thoughtlessly destroyed are among the forms 

 which are particularly effective in keeping down the numbers of 

 just such pests as we are now considering. 



Of our wild mammals wolves, foxes, skunks, minks, weasels, and 

 shrews are efficient destroyers of meadow mice; and this coupled 

 with the fact that some at least, destroy noxious insects affords a 

 measure of compensation for the damage they do. 



Of the birds hawks, owls, crows, shrikes, herons and bitterns are 

 very effective in the destruction of these mice. The red-tailed 

 hawk, the broad-winged hawk, and the sparrow hawk are worthy of 

 special mention; and what farmer has not seen a shrike pounce 

 down upon a, luckless mouse and carry him away to be torn to 

 pieces on the top of a post, or impaled upon a barb wire fence or 

 thorn of an osage-orange bush. Crows destroy young mice in the 

 nests and sometimes also kill the adults. Of the owls the barn owl, 

 long-eared owl, short-eared owl, and barred owl are especially effi- 

 cient as destroyers of meadow mice. 



Snakes subsist largely upon a diet of insects and small rodents, 

 the latter standing second in importance on the bill of fare The 

 blue racer, bull snake, hog-nosed snake, and larger garter snakes 

 all destroy meadow mice. Most people do not realise the important 

 service that the harmless snakes do for agriculture, but, due merely 

 tO' their prejudice, destroy any and every snake wherever and when- 

 ever it is possible. 



Domestic dogs and cats perform some service in the destruction 

 of meadow mice, but cats are liable to roam widely and in their 

 wanderings destroy young birds, w.hich seem to be preferred to the 

 mice. 



Prevention of damage is more easily effected than a cure, and 

 some of the preventive measures that have proved most effective 

 will be briefly mentioned. Drainage of swamps and the clearing of 

 waste places will destroy the breeding grounds and situations of- 

 fering shelter to the mice. Clean cultivation in field, orchard and 

 nursery, one of the most effective of the preventive measures, is 

 highly recommended along with rotation of crops, while the burn- 

 ing of weeds, dry grass, and rubbish about those plots will eliminate 

 the hiding-places of the mice and lessen the likelihood of damage. 



