SQUIRRELS, RATS, PORCUPINES, ETC. 311 



the mice became so extremely numerous, and were 

 so constantly running about in my study, that 1 

 became quite an adept in killing them. After trying 

 many different methods for doing so I eventually hit 

 upon two very efficient ones. The first of these was 

 carried out by the aid of a Cachari blow-tube, which 

 lay handy on the writing-table, and discharged its 

 sharp, metal-tipped darts so accurately as to allow 

 of making very good practice. The other I can 

 specially recommend for its extreme simplicity and 

 great efficiency in rooms where there are not many 

 heavy pieces of furniture against the walls. All 

 the apparatus called for in it is a strong box set at a 

 very acute angle with the foot of a wall, so as to 

 leave a narrow, tapering chink, between the surfaces 

 of the wood and the plaster; or, even better, two 

 boxes set end to end against the wall and diverging 

 from it in opposite directions, so as to leave two 

 chinks opening respectively right and left. When 

 mice in a room are alarmed, they usually at once 

 make for the sides of it and run along in the angle 

 where these meet the floor. Any mouse running 

 round the edges of the floor is almost sure to meet 

 with one of the tapering cul de sacs provided by the 

 boxes, and naturally taking refuge there, may be at 

 once disposed of by kicking the box violently against 

 the wall. 



The Indian field-mouse, Mus buduga, doubtless 

 occurs in the gardens of Calcutta, but it is so small 



