but also in hordes they overrun his market places, invade his store- 

 houses, and in the very center of human habitation live most at 

 their ease and unmolested. 



And what is the reward of patience that has endured the vio- 

 lence of this high-handed thief? Little, if any, good has he ever 

 done, but at last upon his head rests a sentence that must forever 

 cut short his depredations. Through all these years he has been a 

 carrier of the death-dealing bubonic plague, which has scourged 

 Asia most, but visited Europe and England with woeful disaster at 

 the time of the Crusades, and ever since has had occasional terrible 

 outbreaks, always attended with tremendous loss of life. To our 

 shores this dreaded disease has seldom been brought, but because 

 it has occurred at all the brown rat must pay the penalty. He is 

 most crafty, and exceedingly prolific, since three litters of from 

 eight to twelve each are produced yearly. Stringent and systematic 

 measures should be used to exterminate them. 



165 



