the. five years following the passing of the Act, or for a longer 

 period, all weasels, owls, and kestrels. 



14) Pending the passing of such law, public spirit should sup- 

 port the scheme of the Incorporated Society for the Destruction 

 of Vermin of a National Rat-killing Competition, hy means ol 

 clubs which it is intended to create by the offer of 300 in prizes. 



Interesting is the statement reported by the secretary of an im 

 portant agricultural society, that the loss to farmers alone should 

 be put at one millions pounds sterling per day! 



The Appendix gives the text of the principal rat laws. There 

 is added an abundant Bibliography. 



W. R. BOELTER. Draft of the English Rat Laws [An Act to 



Provide for the Destruction of Rats]. The Rat Problem. 

 John Bale. London, 1909, p. 160. 



The following draft is proposed in the book of Mr Boelter, in 

 imitation of the Danish law for the destruction of rats. 



Be it enacted by the King's Most Excellent Majesty, by and 

 with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, 

 and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the 

 authority of the same, as follows: 



Local Authorities to Execute Act. i) Where the local authority 

 are informed by any person that any place or area within their 

 jurisdiction is a rat-infested place or area, it shall be the duty of 

 such local authority to enquire into the truth of such information, 

 and if it is found to be true, to take such measures as may be 

 deemed advisable for the destruction of the rats in such area. 



Local Authority may Appoint Officers. 2) For the purpose of 

 carrying out this Act the local authority may, with the consent of 

 the Local Government Board, appoint any person or persons whose 

 duty it shall be to destroy the rats found in the area of the local 

 authority. The local authority may also, with the consent of the 

 Local Government Board, pay any person proving to the satisfaction 

 of the local authority that he has killed rats within its area such 

 sum as the said local authority shall from time to time direct. 



Power for Local Government Board to carry out Act. 3) If the 

 local authority decline or neglect to carry on the duty imposed 

 upon them by Section I of this Act, the Local Government Board 

 may at any time, if they think fit, on any evidence satisfactory to 

 them, declare any area to be a rat-infested area, and may give 



