PLAGUE OP FIELD VOLES. 173 



Mr. James Grieve, of West Buccleuch, Selkirk, writing on 

 Jan. 28th, says : — 



" The cause of the great increase of the mice is, I believe, the destruction 

 of the Weasels, Hawks, &c, and in proof of this, three years ago, when 

 there were no signs of this plague, the shootings here and on a few more 

 adjoining farms were let to an English shooting tenant, who at once put 

 on keepers, one of whom lodged with a shepherd on my farm, and in a 

 short time he trapped upwards of one hundred Weasels, also a number of 

 Hawks, &c, and in the course of next season the mice began to appear. 

 The damage done is so extensive that although I have nearly the half of 

 the sheep stock removed from the farm, I do not see how the other half 

 can subsist on the land until the grass comes." 



Mr. Charles Scott, of Milsington, writes on Jan. 26th : — 



" My farm is very heathery, and it is almost impossible to get at them 

 in it. Killed great numbers in my corn-fields during harvest; fear they 

 will take the seed this time, especially on lea. They get cover between 

 the furrows. Some gamekeepers are trying to put the blame on farmers 

 for not burning more of their hills, which I think absurd. There is as 

 much burnt as formerly, and some that were severely burnt are equally as 

 bad ; and it is only bent that should be burnt ; no one would think of burning 

 strong bogs. Landlords should stop their keepers and those of their shooting 

 tenants from killing these natural enemies (what they call vermin), and give 

 them a trial. The common Crow picked out the nests, and I think would 

 kill lots of the young mice." 



This consensus of opinion, on the part of the Scotch farmers 

 whose districts are affected, affords the best proof of the folly of 

 destroying Hawks, Owls, Weasels, and other so-called " vermin," 

 under the mistaken idea that they prey only upon game, and in 

 ignorance of the positive good they are able to do in the direction 

 above indicated, if allowed to remain unmolested. 



