668 DOMESTIC ANIMALS, DAIRYING, ETC. 



domestic; (2) birds; and (3) snakes. Among the wild mammals of 

 the United States known to feed upon field mice, are wolves, lynxes, 

 foxes, badgers, raccoons, opossums, skunks, weasels, mink, etc. 



Skunks are efficient destroyers of field mice, as are the various 

 species of weasels. Badgers devote much time to digging out field 

 mice from their burrows. Foxes also destroy many field mice, in 

 some instances the contents of their stomachs show that their food 

 consists quite largely of these rodents. Of course, dogs and cats de- 

 stroy large numbers, particularly near dwellings, but it is question- 

 able whether the mice that cats destroy will even in a small measure 

 compensate for the destruction of beneficial birds done by these ani- 

 mals. Among the birds that destroy field mice may be mentioned 

 shrikes or butcher birds, crows, herons, bitterns, gulls, hawks and 

 owls. At the head of this list should be placed hawks and owls, as 

 nearly all of these birds feed largely on mice, and consequently are 

 very beneficial to the agricultural interests. 



Snakes undoubtedly destroy large numbers of field mice and to 

 this extent at least they are the friends of the fanner. Mice may be 

 destroyed by trapping, fumigating and by poisoning. The orchard- 

 ist, however, finds it necessary to rely on protective measures for the 

 safety of his young trees. So it is customary to put bandages of 

 tarred building paper or of closely woven wire about the bodies of the 

 young trees close to the ground. These are usually removed during 

 the summer months. (Dept. Agr. Biol. Sur. B. 31.) 



JACK RABBITS. 



The great plains and deserts of the Western United States are 

 inhabited by several species of large hares commonly known as jack 

 rabbits. They occur almost everywhere, except in the higher moun- 

 tains and wooded regions from the 95th Meridian west to the Pa- 

 cific, and from the plains of the Saskatchewan and southward to the 

 Isthmus of Tehuantepec. The resemblance of their large ears to 

 those of the well-known pack animal of the "West has suggested the 

 name jack rabbit. 



General Habits. Jack rabbits are seen throughout the day, and 

 hence are easily recognized by the most casual observer. Living as 

 they do on the open plain they are compelled to rely for safety on 

 acuteness of hearing and on quickness of speed. Unlike the "cotton- 

 tails" these hares do not live in burrows, but make their "forms" or 

 nests under bushes or in patches of weeds where they find some pro- 

 tection. Extremes of climate apparently do not affect them to any 

 great extent. Some species are at home in the deserts of Arizona and 

 California and others contrive to exist in the intense cold of the Mon- 

 tana winter. 



Food. Like other rabbits they feed almost exclusively on the 

 bark and leaves of shrubs and on herbage; hardly any land is too 

 poor to supply this food in some form. On the great plain buffalo 

 and grama grass and such herbs as they can find constitute their diet. 

 If necessary they can travel long distances for food, but, as they sel- 

 dom drink, scarcity of water causes them little inconvenience. They 

 ara fond cf vegetables and alfalfa and when these can be obtained 



