Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1883-01-24
BATS And Rabbits.

AT the present time, when the inhabi-
tants of the several Australian colonies
are searching for some means of dimin-
ishing the vast numbers of the rabbits
which are devouring the produce of the
soil, the history of the aeclimatization
and utilization of the mungoose in the
island of Jamaica, which was related in
paper read by Mr.. W. Bancroft Es-
pent. at the meeting of the Geological
Society lately may not be without
interest. A few years since the growth
of crops in the island was so seriously
interfered with by the number of rats,
that land was allowed to pass out of cul-
yation, an expenditure of from goo to
$500 annually on several of the estates
failing to keep down numbers of the
three species of these destructive rodents
the brown and black rat, and the cane
pine rat (Mus saccharivorous).
Several attempts, to introduce auimals
destructive to the rats had been made,
but without success. The rattle ant
(Formica omnivora) was effectual in GER
tain localities. but it was equally efh;a
cious in destroying native birds, chic,
kens, puppies, and even occasionally
killed calves. The aqua toads, as
remedy. proved as bad as the disease. as
they killed all ground birds, chickens
and eggs. Ferrets were also introduced,
there being no musteline animal native
to the island: But they were destroyed
by chigoes. Fox terriers were found
useless, as they were cut by the serrated
edges of the sugar cane. In 1875 Mr..
B. Espent introduced nine murgooses,
four males and five females, one of the
latter with young ones, direct itom India
These were distributed. and in few
months had bred freely. So great was
the destruction of rats effected by those
animals that in two years the expendl-
ture for the extirpation of rats had
ceased, as they were not only dissent
mated by the introducer, but the young
mungooses were trapped alive by the
negroes at 5s each, the original expense
of their introduction being about 81 per
head. The beneficial effect of their in
PRODUCTION has been variously estimated
at sums varying from f1O0, 600 to $780,
900 yerr.
In 1875 the growth of cocoa was al
most impossible, the export of chocolate
and cocoa nIbs for the whole island only
amounting to ESQ per annHm; In five
years the value of the export had risen
to. Ell 900. And coffee, maize, peas,
and beans, the growth of which had al
most entirely ceased, were largely cul-
tivated. The utility of the mungoose
was not confined to the destruction OF
of rats, as it destroyed vast numbers of
snakes, toads, and land crabs. Since
the advantage of the mungoos III Ja-
maica has been proved it has been in
troduced into several of the other is
lands, as Cuba, Barbados, Porto Rico.
Several subsequent importations have
been made into Jamaica, but the ar
rivals sent from England have not done
as we'll as those imported direct from
India.
The Only objection made to the nun
goose is that it has interfered with the
ground-nesting birds; thus the numbers
OF the quail have been observed to be
diminished. Domestic poultry have not
suffered seriously, or perhaps not as
much as they previously did from the
rats and snakes. In those parts of India
where they are found they are not re-
garded as being specially obnoxious to
tame animals. A singular result has fol-
lowed their aeclimatization in Jamaica;
they have effected an alteration in the
habit of tine rats, that have taken to tree
climbing. making their nests in the hol-
lows of the trees where the mungoose
cannot follow them. The success which
has attended the eacclimatization of these
animals in the West Indies may possibly
lead to trial of their services in Austria
liza as destroyers of the rabbit.