National Republican., 1883-02-28
TIE NToNGoOsE.
A Description OF the Curious CrcAture
That is About he 90 Imported 20 the
Southwest.

A Description OF the Curious Creature
That is About he 10 Imported 20 the
Southwest.
The farmers of western Texas and New
Mexico, of Arizona and California, have
yearly to contend against the destructive
habits of certain rodents whose ravages have
often devastated entire sections. In Caiiror-
MIA the central and southern portions Of the
state are overrun W innumerable squirrels,
which increase with such rapidity that the
means hitherto employed to destroy them
have proved totally inadequate.
In Arizona, New Mexico, aud western Texas,
various species of rabbits arc no less the en-.
emics Of the despairing husbandman than are
the squirrels of California or the huge field
rats of southern Arizona and the frontier,
These destructive animals eat tho tender
shoots of the cereals as soon as they appear
above the ground, but, moro than all, they
burrow in the earth to such an extent that in
q few hours n vast field of thriving grain will
present the appearance Ofa thoroughly plowed
plain.
To such degree has the destruction worked
by these animals retarded the development
of the agricultural industries of certain sec
tions that the legislatures of several of the
southwestern and Pacific states have offered
bountcs for their heads. In other districts
promising NlUNNNIN, naNt Utth huhuuuHtN III
despair, and many hitherto productive farms
have been deserted by their posscssors
But rs every poison can be countcractcd by
q certain antidoto, so has nature provided u
remedy for every evil that may arise from
any of her works. The plains of India pro-
duco little animal called the mOngoosc,
which is the special enemy of all the smaller
kinds of rodents Squirrels, rats, and rab-
bits are his pet game, and, although small in
size, such is his wonderful muscular develop
ment that he can vanquish the largest aud
iorccst rat with rs much ease as he can tear
the timid rabbit
The mongoosc will soon be introduced into
Australia. On this subject the Planters Gd-
seiit has the following;
The people of Australia are about TO intro
duce the mongoosc from India in order that
the pest of rabbits may bo abated. | only hopo
the colonists know what they are bringing
upon themselves. Some time ago u mougOosc
came from India in n steamer He was n
lively little urChin of about the size of u pole
cat. His coat was wiry, and each hair looked
like miniature pOrCupinC quill. With his
long, snaky body, his vicious looking claws
his sharp nose, and his villainous eye, he was
like murder inCaruatc. As he sidlod about on
deck, casting keen glanCes from side to side,
and undulating over chains, or ropes, or stray
bolts, he looked very fell and uncanny. At
night, when the dews came down, tho rnts
WOulu COHlt UP 10 sup tnV llOlaluIc' IhUV Ms's
n time of rejoicing for the mongoOsc His
mode of working was marvclously slillful
lie crawled sinuously up to his victim until
he was within easy distance for rush, and
then struck with uncrring aim, nipping the
rat just at the base of the brain. The animals
had barely time to squeak, so sudden and
daddy was the onslaught. In u single
watch tho mOngoosG would leave his traces
from the companion to the engine room, and
sometimes the slain were found in numbers
by the fore matches. lie never began to dino
until his sport was over and then he would
tear and rend with extreme emphasis and en-
joyment. BY the time the ship got home he
had established such n scarcity that he was
obliged to go down below after his game, in
stead of enjoying himself on the dcwy deck.
II seems to us that if single mongooso can
clear n ship of rats, 100 couples turned loose
in Australia may make il too hot for the rab-
bits, and 50 prove great blessing to the
farmers, nor Is this in any way affected by the
fact that the mongoose isavery Objectionable
pet in an English household