MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 233 



Trie totals to date are — 

 February 

 March ... 

 April ... 

 May ... 

 June ... 

 July ... 

 August 



.. 4,337 



.. 42,662 



.. 39,469 



.. 18,524 



.. 12,523 



.. 12,342 



.. 13,128 



Total ... 142,985 



The increase during the present month is due to the young families which are 

 now being caught. 



In five divisions the catches since the 18th have been classified, and show 

 1,952 young rats against 1,554 rats over six weeks in age. In one division, 

 where the catches of other rodents were distinguished, it was found that there 

 were 57 young bandicoots to 81 old and 173 young mice to 126 old. 

 In another there were, of both classes combined, 113 young to 150 old. 

 Also during house cleaning many nests of rats have been discovered ; one rat 

 was found in the Laboratory to be pregnant. From the other rats brought in, 

 too, it may be inferred that one season of producing the young is during July 

 and August. This is so much evidence to decide the much-contested question 

 of the breeding time of rats. 



If the Municipality will continue the classifying process, it will be discovered 

 if there is another breeding time in February and March. 



Of the rats examined in the Laboratory, plague bacillus was found in 43 out 

 of 211, as follows : — 



Pazundaung and Theinbyu ... 



Eastern 



Central 



Western 

 Kemmendine 



Kanaungto 



Dalla 



211—43 



This shows a much smaller proportion of rats infected than last month. I 

 think testing a rat a day from each station is quite enough for our purposes. 



In Dalla, where the percentage is highest, plague is still persistent, but in 

 Kemmendine, where the proportion is high, plague is abating somewhat. 



(Sd.) HARRY L. TILLY, 

 Officer in Charge of Plague Operations. 

 Rangoon, Uh September 1905. 



