232 MR. E. G. boulkngkr: RiiPOET ox 



were ch;inged from time to time in order to preclude any one set 

 being more favourably inclined to any special diet. It will be 

 observed that plain bread Avas pief erred to anything else, and it 

 was found more attractive than the staple food-supply in 

 slaughter-houses, granaries, and fat-factories. All mealy sub- 

 stances were liked, especially oatmeal. With regai-d to fats, lard 

 and dripping were seldom taken, but tallow was readily eaten.. 

 Contrary to the statements in many books on the subject of rat- 

 destruction, meat, except tripe, and fish, even when smoked, were- 

 only accepted when no other food was available. 



Food faintly flavoured with oils of Rhodium and Aniseed,, 

 instead of improving the bait, had the contrary effect. 



Although the Black Rat {Itattus rattus) is supposed to have a 

 pr-edilection for a fruitarian diet, this was not the case with the- 

 individuals we exj^erimented upon, their tastes not diflering from 

 those of the Common Brown Rat [Rattus norvegicus), bread and 

 other mealy substances being always preferred to fruit and vege- 

 tables. The results of the tests on the rats in captivity and on those 

 living in freedom being almost identical, they have been tabulated 

 together. The percentages given below are based on the latio' 

 between the attractiveness of the various baits and plain bread — - 

 the favourite food, which is I'epresented b}' the figui-e 100 : — - 



Bread (puiiii) 100 Apple 



Du. (faintly flavoured with Cabbage 20 



Kbodium) 40 Haiiaiia 60 



Do. (faintly flavoured with Tallow 70- 



^"'*''"^) 30 Dripping 20 



Do. (soaked in milk) 60 



Flour and Water :... 50 



Oatmeal 80 



Lard 10 



Jlaw Meat 



Tripe 50- 



^^"'■''^y so Bacon 10 



Oats 50 



Maize 20 



Lentil Meal 10 



Malt 23 



Potatoes (raw ) 10 



Do. (mashed with milk) . 20 



Beef E.vtract 10 



Fish (fresh) 10' 



Do. (smoked) 20 



Bloater Paste 30 



Sugar 0' 



Poisons. 



"Where rats are present in very large nnmbeis under conditions- 

 which precluded gas being used, poisoning was found to give the 

 most satisfactory results. Although the use of poisons involves 

 less trouble and expense than gassing and trapping on a large 

 scale, there has been much objection to the method owing to the 

 danger to man and domestic animals, and to the possibility of 

 the rats dying under floorings. With regard to the first objec- 

 tion, the danger has perhaps not been much exaggerated, for 

 although we have ourselves had no such unfortunate experiences,. 

 we have heard of numerous cases where pigs and other A'aluable 



