PROCEEDINGS. 1185 



was proposed that he should work north into the [C. P. The first instal- 

 ment of skins had been received and was exhibited. There was nothing of 

 special interest in the collection as it was made in rather a poor district — 

 from the mammal point of view. The mammal life in East Khandesh does 

 not seem to have recovered yet from the famine and the ravages of the 

 Bhils. 



A second instalment of skins was expected shortly and as Mr. Crump 

 had mentioned in his last letter that he was in a better district, a more 

 varied and interesting collection was expected. 



The Secretary added that Sir Dorab Tata had just promised a donation 

 of Rs. 1,000 towards the mammal appeal. 



The Hony. Secretary proposed that a vote of thanks should be passed 

 to Mr. A. H. A. Simcox, I.C.S., with whom Mr. Crump had been staying 

 part of his time in Khandesh, Mr. Simcox had given every assistance in 

 his power and had, therefore, made Mr. Crump's work much easier. 



Mr. Nigel Kerr, in seconding the vote of thanks to Mr. Simcox, said it 

 appeared that had it not been for the public spirit of the Indian Princes 

 mentioned and Mr. Rothschild, the funds received in response to the appeal 

 would not have been encouraging and would not hold out much chance of 

 the services of a second collector being obtained. He hoped that the 

 members of the Society would all respond to the appeal. It was not too 

 much to ask every member to contribute at least Rs. 10. 



PAPER READ, 



The following paper was then read by Capt. J. Taylor, I. M.S. — Ex- 

 periments ON THE BREEDING OF " MUS RATTUS " IN WHICH HE SAID : — 



The experiments on the breeding of rats were done at Parel in order to 

 estimate the fecundity of Mus rattus. The details given and the calcu- 

 lations from them are based on actual observations in specially constructed 

 godowns in which the natural conditions were reproduced as closely as 

 possible. 



From the results of the breeding experiments a table of total fecundity 

 was produced and in this was shown the enormous possible rate of increase 

 of these rodents. The factors affecting the rat population were considered 

 and the importance of destruction of young rats by their parents shown. 

 The bearing of the observations on general questions of rat destruction was 

 considered and a comparison made between Mus rattus and Mus decumanus. 



