THE PEST OF RATS 9 
that as he was returning to his home by moon- 
light he heard a general rustling in the field 
near by, and soon a vast army of rats crossed 
the road in front of him, all going in one direc- 
tion. The mass stretched away as far as could 
be seen in the dim light. These animals re- 
mained on the farms and in the villages of 
the surrounding country, and during the winter 
and summer of 1904 were a veritable plague. 
A local newspaper stated that between March 20 
and April 20, 1904, Mr. F. U. Montgomery of 
Preémption, Mercer county, killed 3,435 rats 
on his farm.’’ 
This enormous multiplication is due to the 
animal’s adaptability to climate, its omnivo- 
rousness, its habit of burrowing, its strength 
and cunning in withstanding and outwitting 
enemies, and, most of all, to its astonishing 
fecundity, especially where food is abundant. 
This rat breeds in the temperate parts of this 
country from three to five times a year, the 
female bringing forth each time from 6 to 20 
young. Mr. Lantz concludes from such data 
as are available that in the vicinity of Wash- 
