The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-02-07
TIE MoNGoosE COMING.
To DO Brought Hero for the Exterain alton
or Rodents II tho west.

OF AO0enSo II tho ~ est.
WASHINGTON. Feb. a-The monsoose Is to
be added to the fauna Of this country under
Government auspices. It Is q small carniv-
orous mammal. about the size Of big cat.
which is native to India In that part Of the
world it does excellent service by killing
snakes. to which 1t has mortal antipathy. not
hesitating to attack even tho formidable cobra.
and almost invariably winning the fight Also
1t Is death on rats. and on that account II was
sent not long ago to the Sandwich Islands.
Field rats. the multitudinous progeny OF the
domestic species run wild. were creating
havoc there. and this remedy was scught with
very remarkable success. 30 that the objec-
tionable rodents bid fair to be soon wiped out.
In Jamaica likewise the monRoose has been
introduced for the same purpose and with
equally satisfying results.
80 serious has the plague Of gophers and
certain other rodents become to farmers in
some parts Of the West that the Departm ent
ofAgiculture proposes to fetch few speci-
mems Of tho mongoose to the United States
with view to exterminate the pests. The
animal subsists On small and mostly obnox-
ious mammals. lizards. snakes. and occa-
sonally birds egg. Entirely susceptible Of
domestication. Il is warranted to keep houses
elear Of rats. What 1t has done for the sugar
eds Of tho sapds it + t%
elsewhere The moneoose has never been
known to be harmful In any way, by killing
shoad %usps
this side Of the water.
mails which have been Introduced In this coun-
desissbIe. 4 vhiIs sFo some people n Oregon
ees oVeI and Y soioniss tsem
ss sRa e tss
ianMb They Were imported from China
fed. and guarded from sportsmen: Four Of the
six knd. 81 he .gE,ids3" tho the
spread over the. willamette Valley. and they
have begun to do 50 much damage that the
farmers are complaining seriously OF them.
female producing two or three broods Of from
ssn to eighteen S Ihe e0sa are
They 60 into the barnyards and thrash the
best r2ostefs.
int trouble thu. fSSf t:s 81 ss be-
81 W VI %sfs s sss s ss
spesE TR s4 Tie Crows in Sre an,s
9 he .hs tassnE
q bird: ths fresh immisrsnt is likely To- multi.
asfg " tin Ssd TO- Ses
In Australia also. where It was intro;
worth Of damage yearly. and not long sgo
the main issue in tho elections there was
ss BEING a made sss s
nate TO tho question whether the Government
should undestake the sxtirpstion Of the bird.
SaS Sfs II ssst
s 20 sSout M VIII ona poes
beaiing hooks. with which they pull down the
s ns IN s r
single. season Ssssrtheiess. but little little II In =
PRECISION syems to have been made thus far on
hsbsiss, introduced into Australin lgog
England for PURPOSES Of sport. have laid
ss iaf h hs
try, Ferrets. Introduced to attack them. have
IN their turn proved = nuisance. dsvouring tho
bititeG .. prefsrelcs Tor the meat Of domestic
% StSss tHs ssag arg es
proy.ns a bane. Even huniDisbees. fetched
Ss s fPvs s Which ss
wh sS a nd. tss
crniaenf d tts United States Isl i Inclined Is
as an %thoat Gown own
authoritative. superinten md enep.. .Uaeie Sam
'w!llfetGh the piongoose and will keep an eye
noSiols 1t cuJi DO .exterminnted by concerted
measures. Recently the Department OF .igri-
ness oil, procuring insect pal asites frou abroad
to iced upon ,,nd Inns destroy other buxss
this was the INTRODUCTION Of the vadnlia bug
from Australia; which las saved the. orange
industry OF California by preying on tina scale
ture In that State IN .the nature II things it
y impossible 20 avoid the mportation OF many
such meRAs rats and mice were brought to
Americx aimilAriY. pestiferous insects como
s sSa g 81 aid Eggs attached