70 ANIMAL COMPETITORS 
remarks D. E. Lantz, ‘‘is the offer of prizes for the 
destruction of alleged ‘game-destroying’ mammals 
and birds. In one instance nine competitors for a 
club’s prizes destroyed during twelve months 184 
weasels, 48 foxes, 54 minks, 343 skunks, 15 great 
horned owls, 6 ‘common owls,’ and 148 hawks. The 
fact that only 21 owls were killed in an entire year 
by nine men trying for a record reveals a scarcity 
of these useful birds that is not complimentary to 
the intelligence of the community. The large num- 
ber of skunks killed indicates ignorance or disregard 
of the usefulness of that animal in destroying insects 
and mice. Apparently, too, there was no discrim- 
ination as to the species of hawks destroyed, and it is 
probably safe to say that field-mice in a single year 
have damaged the farmers of the region concerned 
a hundredfold more than the value of all the game 
and poultry saved through the offer of prizes.’’ 
Protection of orchards and nurseries. In- 
jury to orchards and nurseries by field-mice 
may generally be prevented by forethought and 
the exercise of ordinary care. Of first impor- 
tance, always, is clean tillage. No grass or 
weeds should be left in or near the nursery. 
So well is this understood by the majority of 
experienced nurserymen that by clean tillage 
they secure practical immunity from the rav- 
ages of mice except in winters of deep and long- 
