1919.] The Sixth Indian Science Congress. cexxi 
or 
Matettid Wisa. | Offered | Taken Feces 
| (grains). (grains). | 
1. Barium carbonate baits ae 4,500 3,920°7 87°1 
Punjab rat-extr. baits og 4,500 245°1 54 
2. Bajri grain ae sa 5,400 2,806 520 
Wheat grain a 5 5,40 465 86 
Barium carb. & bajri baits . . 4,500 —s-:1,628-7 36 2 
Pure bajri baits Seen: 4,500 |  1,606'3 33°5 
4. Punjab rat-extr. & bajri baits 4,500 4 68 eae il 
Pure bajri baits (control) 4,500 3,661°8 81-4 
5. Baits without sugar ee 4,500 |  3,060°2 68-0 
Baits with sugar.. es 4,500 1,475°3 ! 32°8 
6. New improved b ..| 4,500 | 2,9932 | 650 
Old Punjab carly a) baits .. - 500 15-0 0°3 
| 
With the rats used (mus rattus from Poona City), a oe experiments 
thus indicate that the new bait is over 200 times more popular than the old 
bait pia used by us, = consisted of a phosphorus mixture, sugar 
t dough. “The cost, moreover, is about one-tenth that of the 
old bai 
Other results of these chia grea show how the efficiency of a 
baiting campaiga can be increased ; 
(z) apa ee tote be Sea to a he only poison suitable for use as 
n altern 
ve to "back ium carbonate. Of many others tried all 
proved te hh non-lethal to the rat, or, in lethal doses, too 
unpalatable for use as a bait 
(77) Rats etn to prefer the grain in common use in their particular 
par e country. Poona rats prefer bajri, but Madras rats 
a 
pre : 
(i#¢) It was found that Pa Bist must be freshly prepared for 
to desiccati 
cation or fi ntation, or baits deteriorate rapidly, 
and are pra ctically ne Be r the second or third day 
The dry mixture of fou oe ne , however, pei ks not of: 
pala table e as the wet, cial t deteriorate nearly so rapidly. 
(iv) No Antica’ Usagi Be was sti more suitable as an excipient for 
e poison than bajri dough. Any other food, such as meat, 
ae i ik, ghee, sugar, etc., or any condime pe 
r salt, when added even in the smallest quantities to a 
dough invariably ca the amount of bait consumed 
rat to e ; 
(v) When rats have access to an insufficient supply of water they 
generally prefer some green vegetable rol fruit to L derigs The 
most popular in this A sci ne India p it to be sweet-potato, 
airk aceen and ¢ aft te ut. This ‘information 
use when ‘texpping or baiting in some local 
(v4) it on Se pn cot arti be desirable to ascertain: coaaity: if @ rat 
found dead 
- The only 
simple dye, of all those tried, which does not diminish the 
attractiveness of the bait is goth grain of Methylene — 
Though decolourised in the rat's stomach, the colour at 
turns on exposing the contents to light and air 
