38 BULLETIX 1091, U. 5. DEPARTMEXT OF AGRICULTURE. { BulL^Xa^l, 



Use this poiscm withiu live days after niixiug or retain iii air-tight con- 

 tainers. 



Caution. — All poison containers and all utensils used in the preparation of 

 poison should be kept plainly labeled and out of reacli of children, irresponsible 

 persons, and live stock. 



A spoonful of the poisoned grain scattered about the used entrances of a 

 mound is sufficient, and prebaiting is not necessary, as with prairie dogs. 



A TTord of caution should perhaps be offered in connection with 

 control measures. As man has come to occupy a greater portion of 

 the eartli's surface, and as he has become more and more the master 

 of his environment, he has inevitably disturbed the relationships 

 of tlie birds and mammals about him. has upset the balance of 

 nature. If he kills the carnivorous species because of their depreda- 

 tions on game and live stock he must be prepared to cope with the 

 increased hordes of rodents which feed on vegetation and on which 

 the carnivorous animals act as a check. If he destroys the rodents, 

 he may remove the checks on certain noxious plants or insects. One 

 control measure often necessitates the adoption of another. 



This is not to argue against control measures, for if our harmful 

 species were not controlled, agriculture in many sections would be 

 impossible. Control measures, however, should be scientifically 

 founded and applied. The indiscriminate slaughter of supposedly 

 harmful species of lairds and mammals in the guise of benefiting 

 agriculture may do far more harm than good. Many of the species 

 which do some harm do far more good. The exact status of each 

 suspected species should be carefully determined through an ade- 

 quate scientific investigation. If the species is condemned, sound 

 control measures should be thoroughly applied. 



In grazing districts or in areas devoted to intensive agriculture the 

 death sentence should probably ]je passed on the banner-tailed kan- 

 garoo rat. It should be recalled, however, that this is the largest 

 and one of the handsomest of all its family, and that it is one of 

 the most characteristic and interesting of all the desert fauna ; where 

 extensive grazing or agricultural operations are not undertaken, 

 therefore, we feel that the kangaroo rat should be let alone, unless 

 its presence threatens infestation of valuable agricultural or grazing 

 lands. 



SUMMARY. 



(1) Kangaroo rats may be sex)arated with ease from all other mam- 

 mals : the long tail and short and weak fore feet separate them from 

 the pocket gophers: the white hip-stripe distinguishes them from 

 the pocket mice. The decidedly larger size and the white-tipped tail 

 separate Dipodorays spectabiUs spectdbUis and D. desert I from />. 



