THE PEST OF RATS 35 
‘ thas prevailed over large districts. Thus in 
the Punjab more than 625 centers of popula- 
tion, including large towns, were systematically 
cleared of rats in 1908, the actual number 
known to have been destroyed reaching 4,116,- 
334, while large numbers were poisoned and 
escaped to die. The result in diminution of 
the endemic plague and other diseases was 
most marked. 
Side-hunts in which rats are the only animals 
that count in the contest have sometimes been 
organized and successfully carried out. At 
New Burlington, Ohio, a rat-hunt took place 
November 26, 1866, in which each of the two 
sides killed over 8,000 rats, the beaten party 
serving a Thanksgiving banquet to the winners. 
At about the same period county agricultural 
societies sometimes offered prizes to the family 
presenting the largest number of rats’ tails as 
evidence that the animals had been destroyed. 
Even as late as May 2, 1907, in one of the coun- 
ties of Kentucky, by general consent, the day 
was set apart for killing rats, and, according to 
newspaper report, was quite generally observed. 
There is danger that organized rat-hunts will 
