92 



The National Geographic Magazine 



From the Biological Survey 

 THE RING-TAII,ED CIVET CAT OF THE SOUTHWESTERN UNITED STATES 

 A first-class moiiser 



dens. Wolves breed early in the year, 

 and when snow is on the ground may be 

 tracked to their dens with absolute cer- 

 tainty. Even when the ground is bare, a 

 skillful tracker, familiar with the country 

 and with the habits of the animal, can 

 usually locate the dens. By destroying 

 the increase and b}' the judicious use of 

 poison to insure the death of the old ones, 

 several millions of dollars may be saved 

 to the stockmen annually even now, while 

 the measures recommended, if energet- 

 ically and persistently followed up, are 

 likely to result in the practical extermina- 

 tion of these savage pests. 



RATS AND MICE ARE OUR JNIOST DREADED 

 IvNEMIES 



But the damage by wolves, panthers, 

 co^'otes, and all the carnivores put to- 

 gether does not begin to equal the de- 

 struction ^^'rought by the army of small 

 rodents, individually insignificant but 

 collectively a mighty pest. Rats alone do 

 an almost incalculable amount of harm 

 in the United States, and evervwhere 

 they are deservedly dreaded, all the more 

 since by long contact and constant con- 

 flict with man they have become ex- 

 trcmcl}' sagacious and w^ary, and thus far 

 have been able to defv his utmost efiforts 



