324 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



owners of the estates, and their stewards, and of the energy with 

 which they urged the people to carry out the method practically. 

 I am especially grateful to the owner of Bakrena, M. Kalamo- 

 polus, and his representative, M. Elias; the owners -of the estates 

 of Nechali, Demetriades, and Skaliora ; and, above all, to the 

 director of the Stefanovic estates (Chassambali, Metesseli, Amar- 

 lar, Chadsiraustafa), M. Anastassiades, who unweariedly exerted 

 himself to ensure the measures which I proposed being con- 

 scientiously carried out. 



In a few days the supply of cultivated fluid and the pure 

 culture on " Agar " was exhausted. But after the method became 

 known, those of the inhabitants who did not live too far from 

 Larissa flocked to the town to obtain infected bread to take to 

 their fields. This obliged us at once to recommence our pre- 

 paration of the cultivated fluid. The Government Commissioners 

 shared in the work. M. Ambelikopulos, in particular, took care 

 to acquaint himself with all the details, so that he might be able 

 to extend the use of the method through all Thessaly after our 

 departure. 



It was necessary to make a reliable experiment on a large 

 scale in Thessaly with the fluid prepared at the house of 

 M. Anastassiades. I entrusted this work to my assistant, 

 Dr. Abel, there being doubtless a great abundance of field 

 mice in the neighbourhood of Velestino, as we afterwards found to 

 be the case when we visited the fields ; and consequently this 

 district seemed particularly suitable. I therefore sent Dr. Abel 

 there with a supply of the freshly prepared material, and directed 

 him to select a suitable field, to dig a ditch round it, and to 

 sprinkle it with the prepared bread. Dr. Abel succeeded in 

 discovering, through the friendly aid of M. Maire, of Velestino, 

 and his assistant, M. Jourdan, a wheat-field, about four hectars 

 in extent, which was riddled with mouse-holes like a sieve. In 

 order to isolate this field from its surroundings as far as possible, 

 he had a furrow ploughed all round it, and immediately deepened 

 this into a ditch. At the same time all the holes were charged 

 with bread. By this method the following results were obtained: 

 — After a few days news was received from all quarters that the 

 bread which had been put into the holes had disappeared, and 

 therefore it was in the highest degree probable that the voles had 

 eaten it. If this were the case the result would be very satis- 



