MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 167 



■rains held off nntil past the middle of July, and when the fields were sown 

 the seed was scratched up and devoured by rats." 



Methods of extermination. 



Various methods were resorted to in endeavouring to exterminate the 

 rats. 



The Collector of Poona (Mr. Richey) reported in July and August, 1879: 

 " Phosphorous paste balls were tried for their destruction in the Indapur 

 taluka, but were found to be utterly ineffectual." 



The Collector of Ahmednagar (Mr. King) stated that endeavours were 

 made to extirpate the rats with the Burmese method of catching them and 

 also by suffocating them with fumigation, but neither succeeded. 



The Collector of Sholapur writes : " other methods such as by asphyxa- 

 tion and sulphur squibbs were also tried. They were successful as far as 

 they went but would have suited more for a farmstead than for wide 

 country. The disappearance cf rats is traced to — 



1. Their destruction by the above modes. 



2. Rain having choked their holes. 



3. A species of vermin or tick which has killed them off." 



The most effective of the various measures appears to have been the 

 catching of the rats by the Waddars. 



The Collector of Poona writing in reference to this says : " the only agency 

 for their destruction in great numbers was that of the Waddars. These 

 were at first reluctant to offer their services in the hope that the reward of 

 one rupee per 100 rats killed would be increased, but when they were 

 refused employment on relief works, they took to rat killing. The des- 

 tructive operations continued in this district till 27th December 1879 ; 

 when the total number killed stood at 365,766 at a cost to Government of 

 Rs. 3,643-13-1." 



In a letter, dated 3rd November 1879, Mr. Elphinstone, Assistant Col- 

 lector of Dharwar, writes : " Waddars employed are the only people who 

 are able to do much execution among the rats. The rats destroyed the 

 American cotton last season, the breeding season for rats commenced a few 

 weeks ago and enormous numbers are in consequence now being killed." 



On the 20th January 1880 he reported that rewards were only paid after 

 comparison with the rats or rats tails which were burnt or cut in pieces and 

 buried ia the presence of the Mamletdars or the head Karkuns. 



Total ncmbee of Rats killed. 

 The following shows the number of rats killed in the different districts :— 

 Districts. S,ats hilled. 



Nasik 243,551 



Khandesh 



Poona . 

 Satara . 

 Sholapur 

 Ahmednagar 



4,742 



365,766 



29,427 



1,163,019 



1,767,414 



Kaiadgi (Bijapur) 4,130,209 



Belgaum 135,226 



Uharwar 7,132,453 



Total .. .. 14,971,807 



I give below extracts from the opinions as to the methods adopted 



for the extermination of the rats. a *■ a 



Report made by the Acting First Assistant Collector, Dharwar, dated 



February 2nd, 1880 : "That this marvellous decrease in the numbers ot 



