PLAGUE OF FIELD VOLES. 171 



been found necessary to substitute on many holdings, are at 

 present higher than they have been for years. 



I think it right to add that, so far as I am able to judge, no 

 permanent damage is likely to follow to the land if the plague 

 were once removed, and experience of the former visitation seems 

 to support this view. 



As already intimated, I am glad to state that Mid-Lothian has 

 up to this time had no visitation of this plague. — James I. 

 Davidson (Saughton Mains, Edinburgh, Feb. 16, 1892). 



Mr. Walter Elliot, of Hollybush, Galashiels, in a letter to the 

 Secretary of the Board of Agriculture, dated 30th January, 1892, 

 says: — "I enclose a number of letters received in answer to 

 mine ; they are from reliable people, and have all the same story 

 regarding the damage by mice. I have spent two days this week 

 in the Ettrick district, and intend going into the Hawick district 

 on Monday, and see some more of the farms. I was quite prepared 

 before I left home to see a deal of damage ; but one has no idea 

 of the damage until one sees it. The mice are in myriads, and, 

 over hundreds of acres, have eaten up every green thing. These 

 letters do not exaggerate the matter in the least degree : it is the 

 most serious matter that has overtaken the farmers in that district 

 in any one's memory, and, worst of all, no one can see when or 

 where it will end. There are already some thousands of sheep 

 \ sent away to wintering. I saw droves of them going away the 

 days I was there, and tons of Dutch hay being driven up to feed 

 those that remain. That hay will cost nearly 20s. per ton to drive 

 from the railway station, some of it more. What they will do 

 with their sheep in the spring, when they must come home, is 

 more than I can see, unless some great change takes place, and 

 that speedily. I hope the Board of Agriculture will investigate 

 the matter. I have no hesitation in saying there is more damage 

 done upon one farm than all the damage over the whole country 

 to the turnip crop by the moth or caterpillar that we heard so 

 much about." 



Amongst the enclosures forwarded by Mr. Elliot are several 

 letters from which the following are extracts. 



