METHODS OF DESTROYING SPERMOPHILES. 



25 



that there is a general demand for some economical means of destroy- 

 ing- them. The various means used with greater or less success may 

 be divided into four general classes: (1) lire arras, (2) fumigation, (3) 

 traps, (4) poisoning by strychnine and bisulphide of carbon. 



Firearms. — Under certain circumstances, where not too numerous or 

 too shy, limited areas may be freed from spermophiles by shooting the 

 animals. In California, where the large ground squirrels (Spermo- 

 philus beecheyi), fairly swarm in some of the valleys, hunters make good 

 wages by shooting them for the market. The meat of the young- animals 

 is tender and delicate in flavor and brings almost as high a price as that 

 of rabbits. Ordinarily, however, where the spermophiles are sufficiently 

 abundant to make it worth while to hunt them for profit, they soon be- 

 come exceedingly wary and difficult to shoot, and it is necessary to 

 resort to some other less expensive and more efficient method to destroy 

 them entirely. 



Fumigation. — Various devices have been patented for destroying- 

 burrowing rodents, especially ground squirrels, by suffocation. This is 

 accomplished by forcing the smoke of burning straw or sulphur into the 

 burrows by means of 1 smokers 7 or fumigating machines, and the fumes 

 soon overcome the inmates. When the holes have more than one 

 entrance it is necessary to take the precaution to close all but one to 

 prevent the escape of the smoke. When the work is done thoroughly 

 this is often a very efficient means of destroying the pests. The disad- 

 vantages, however, arising from the fact that the fumigating machines 

 are more or less expensive, as well as somewhat unwieldy to carry 

 about, render this method of less value than the simpler ones of trap- 

 ping or poisoning. 



Traps. — Trapping is slower than poisoning, but has the advantage in 

 being simple and safe. Few animals are more readily taken in this way. 

 Several special kinds of traps are in use, but for ordinary purposes the 

 No. steel trap with the spring under the pan will be tound as good 

 as any. This is the smallest steel trap made, and is quite an improve- 

 ment over the ordinary steel trap with side springs, as it is equally 

 strong and much more easily concealed. The trap securely fastened 

 by its chain should be set at the mouth of the hole, lightly covered 

 with fine earth, and baited with almost any kind of grain. Bait is 

 not always necessary, and in the case of a few of the species it is 

 unnecessary even to cover the trap. 



POISONING. 



Strychnine and bisulphide of carbon are the most speedy and effective 

 poisons for the destruction of prairie dogs, ground squirrels, and pocket 

 gophers. 



Strychnine. — In general, the scattering of strychnine about promiscu. 

 ously is to be avoided on account of the danger to animals other than 

 those for whom it was intended. In certain cases, however, it may be 



