20 



and less than eight is the exception instead of the rule. He 

 allows half of each litter to be females, while, in fact, there are 

 considerably more females than males in every litter. There- 

 fore, taking these things into consideration, the result he arrives 

 at is certainly not above the actual number that might spring 

 from one pair in three years, were it not for its many enemies, 

 which, of course, tend to keep its numbers diminished to a cer- 

 tain extent, although not, unfortunately, to the desirable limits. 



Many plans have been devised for the destruction of this 

 pest, the most successful of which have proved by poison. The 

 following are some of the recipes which have been found effi- 

 cacious, several of which I included in an article on our mam- 

 mals, published in the United States Report on Agriculture for 

 1863, to which I would refer for further facts regarding this 

 animal and others to be treated of in this paper. Mix two 

 ounces of carbonate of barytes with one pound of suet or tallow, 

 and place portions of the mixture within tlie holes and about 

 the haunts of the rats. It is greedily eaten, produces great 

 thirst, and death ensues after drinking. This is a very effectual 

 poison, because it is both odorless and tasteless. To one ounce 

 of finely powdered arsenic add one ounce of lard, mix into a 

 paste with meal and place it as above. It will be found effec- 

 tive. Make a paste of one ounce of flour, one half gill of water, 

 one drachm of phosphorus ; or, two ounces of lard, half a 

 drachm of phosphorus, and one ounce of flour ; or, one ounce 

 of flour, two ounces of powdered cheese crumbs, and one-half a 

 drachm of phosphorus ; add to each of these mixtures a few 

 drops of oil of rhodium and spread on thin pieces of bread, like 

 butter. 



Recently a new plan of destruction has been devised by Mr. 

 Tegetmeier, the well-known writer on poultry. He describes, 

 in a late number of the London Field, his plan of operations, 

 as follows : — 



" At the commencement of this season I Lad a number of very choice and 

 valuable pigeons in a large loft situated over a coach-house and stable. The 

 flooring was very old, and numerous rat-holes communicated ■with the space 

 under the flooring and above the ceiling of the stabling below. Attracted by 

 the corn, the rats came and took possession of this space. My choicest birds 

 were eaten alive by these most carnivorous of the rodentia. I had tried 

 poison, traps, &c., with only partial benefit, and I had serious thoughts of sell- 

 ing off my stock of Columbidse. At last, after deep cogitation, I determined 

 to try a chemical remedy, namely, chlorine, a gas so potent and destructive to 

 animal life that I knew that, if I could apply it advantageously, it must neces- 

 sarily prove effectual. Fortunately it is much heavier than atmospheric air, 

 so there was every probability of its flowing down the holes if it once entered 

 into them. I therefore took a Florence oil flask, adapted a piece of glass 

 tubing to its mouth by means of a perforated cork, and to the glass added a 

 short length of India-rubber tubing. In the flask I put an ounce of manganese 

 and an equal weight of common salt, poured on a wine-glass of water, and 

 then added gradually an equal quantity of strong oil of vitriol (sulphuric acid.) 



