326 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



and dying voles outside the holes in broad daylight explained the 

 reason why we seldom found dead ones when the burrows were 

 opened. It seems that when the animals find themselves seriously 

 ill they feel the need of fresh air ; they abandon their holes and 

 " runs," and are immediately pounced upon and devoured by the 

 numerous mouse-eating birds in the neighbourhood. A number 

 of dead and half-dead voles were taken back to Larissa, and were 

 there examined ; they all exhibited the pathological and ana- 

 tomical changes of mouse-typhus, and all their organs, especially 

 the liver and spleen, contained abundance of characteristic bacilli* 

 Thus we conclusively proved the infection of the voles by means 

 of the prepared bread. The method had satisfactorily borne the 

 test of practical application. It was no longer necessary for me 

 to remain in Thessaly, as I could entrust the further carrying 

 out of the method to Dr. Pampoukis at Athens, and M. Ambeli- 

 kopulos at Larissa. Dr. Pampoukis announced the satisfactory 

 result of the experiment in a despatch forwarded to Athens. The 

 Mayor of Larissa, M. Asteriades, gave a dinner in our honour, 

 and expressed his pleasure at the success of our undertaking; 

 and the Prefect, M. Kleomenes, who was present, also expressed 

 his appreciation of the value of the new method. The President 

 of the Committee, M. Anastassiades, was so convinced of the 

 result that he telegraphed to countermand the further shipment 

 of large quantities of bisulphide of carbon, which were lying at 

 Marseilles to be forwarded to Thessaly. The Government Com- 

 missioners also recognised the success of the method. 



After this we returned to Athens. I personally reported to his 

 Excellency the Prime Minister, M. Konstantopulos, respecting 

 the fortunate results of the experiment. I laid stress upon the 

 pressing necessity for carrying out the method without delay 

 throughout the whole of Thessaly. I expressed my confident 

 opinion that there would be a very good harvest this year from 

 the Thessalian corn-lands, if they were saved from destruction by 

 the voles through a speedy and widespread application of my 

 method, which could easily be carried out ; and finally expressed 

 my desire that the Government would give Dr. .Pampoukis, at 

 Athens, and M. Ambellikopulos, at Larissa, full powers and 

 means to carry out the method in the way which I had shown 

 them. His Excellency the Prime Minister then expressed to me 

 the thanks of the Government, in the presence of M. Gennadius, 



